Craftsman 316.292711 Operator's Manual page 14

MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS
AIR FILTER MAINTENANCE
Cleaning the Air Filter
Clean and re-oil the air filter every 10 hours of operation.
It is an important item to maintain. Failure to maintain
your air filter properly can result in poor performance or
can cause permanent damage to your engine.
WARNING:
always turn the unit off and allow it to cool
before you clean or service it.
1. Open the air filter cover. Push the tab on the left side
of the cover in, swing the air filter cover out and off
the air filter housing (Fig. 19).
2. Remove the air filter and the screen that sits
behind it (Fig. 19).
Choke Lever Air Filter Housing
Slot
Air Filter
3. Wash the filter in detergent and water (Fig. 20). Rinse
the filter thoroughly and allow it to dry.
14
To avoid serious
personal injury,
Screen
Air Filter
Tab
Air Filter Cover
Hooks
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
4. Apply enough clean SAE 30 motor oil to lightly coat
the filter (Fig. 21).
5. Squeeze the filter to spread and remove excess oil
(Fig. 21).
6. Replace the filter (Fig. 19).
NOTE: If the unit is operated without the air filter, you
will VOID the warranty.
7. Reinstall the air filter cover. Position the hooks on
the right side of the air filter cover into the slots at
the right side of the air filter housing.
8. Swing the cover to the left until the tab on the air
filter cover snaps into place in the slot on the left
side of the air filter housing (Fig. 19).
CARBURETOR ADJUSTMENT
The idle speed of the engine is adjustable. An idle
adjustment screw is reached though a hole in the top of
the engine cover (Fig. 22).
Check Fuel
Old fuel is usually the reason for improper unit
performance. Drain and refill the tank with fresh fuel prior
to making any adjustments. Refer to Oil and Fuel
Information.
Clean Air Filter
The condition of the air filter is important to the operation
of the unit. A dirty air filter will restrict air flow. This is
often mistaken for an out of adjustment carburetor.
Check the condition of the air filter before adjusting the
Tab
idle speed screw. Refer to Air Filter Maintenance.
Adjust Idle Speed Screw
WARNING:
speed adjustment. Wear protective clothing
and observe all safety instructions to
prevent serious personal injury.
If, after checking the fuel and cleaning the air filter, the
engine still will not idle, adjust the idle speed screw as
follows:
1. Start the engine and let it run at a high idle for a minute
to warm up. Refer to Starting/Stopping Instructions.
NOTE: Ensure the tines are not in contact with the
ground when adjusting the idle.
Fig. 21
This unit needs to
run during idle