Service And Adjustments - Craftsman 944.365990 Owner's Manual

CLEANING
IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep
mower housing free of built-up grass and
trash. Clean the underside of your mower
after each use.
CAUTION: Disconnect spark plug wire
from spark plug and place wire where it
cannot come in contact with plug.
• Clean underside of mower by scraping
to remove build-up of grass and trash.
• Clean engine often to keep trash from
accumulating. A clogged engine runs
hotter and shortens engine life.
WARNING: To avoid serious injury, before per form ing any service or ad just ments:
1. Release control bar and stop engine.
2. Make sure the blade and all moving parts have completely stopped.
3. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in
contact with plug.
LAWN MOWER
TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT
See "TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT" in
the Operation sec tion of this manual.
REAR DEFLECTOR
The rear defl ector, attached between the rear
wheels of your mower, is provided to minimize
the possibility that objects will be thrown out
of the rear of the mower into the operator
mowing position. If the defl ector becomes
dam aged, it should be replaced.
TO REMOVE DRIVE BELT
1. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark
plug and place wire where it cannot
come in contact with plug.
2. Remove screws retaining drive cover
and remove drive cover from lawn
mower housing (See Fig. A).
Screws
Drive
cover
Figure A

SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS

Lawn
mower
housing
14
• Keep fi nished surfaces and wheels free
of all gasoline, oil, etc.
• We do not recommend using a garden
hose to clean lawn mower unless the
electrical system, muffl er, air fi lter and
carburetor are covered to keep water
out. Water in engine can result in short-
ened engine life.
CLEAN UNDER DRIVE COVER
Clean under drive cover at least twice a sea-
son. Scrape underside of cover with putty
knife or similar tool to remove any build-up
of trash or grass on underside of drive cover.
3. Remove drive cable from anchor, then
detach it and return spring from idler
arm assembly (See Fig. B).
Return spring
Drive
pulley
Belt keeper
Figure B
4. Pivot idler arm assembly to slacken
drive belt, then remove drive belt from
drive pulley, belt keepers and idler arm.
5. Turn lawn mower on its side. Make
sure air fi lter and carburetor are up.
6. Remove screw securing debris shield.
Note that the debris shield has a tab
which fi ts into a gap in the housing
(See Fig. C).
7. Use a wood block between blade and
mower hous ing to prevent blade from
turning when re mov ing blade bolt.
NOTE: Protect your hands with gloves
and/or wrap blade with heavy cloth.
8. Remove blade bolt.
9. Remove blade, attaching hardware (bolt,
lock wash er, hardened wash er), blade
adapter and debris shield as one assembly.
10. Remove drive belt from blade adapter
and debris shield; discard old belt.
Drive cable anchor
Drive belt
Housing
hole
Idler arm
PIVOT
assembly