Sears CRAFTSMAN 944.605931 Owner's Manual page 18

• Slide blade on to an unthreaded portion of the steel bolt
or pin and hold the bolt or pin parallel with the ground.
If blade is balanced, it should remain in a horizontal
position. If either end of the blade moves downward,
sharpen the heavy end until the blade is balanced.
CENTER HOLE
5/8" BOLT
OR PIN
BATTERY
Your tractor has a battery charging system which is suf fi cient
for normal use. However, periodic charging of the battery
with an automotive charger will extend its life.
• Keep battery and terminals clean.
• Keep battery bolts tight.
• Keep small vent holes open.
• Recharge at 6-10 amperes for 1 hour.
NOTE: The original equipment battery on your tractor is
maintenance free. Do not attempt to open or remove caps
or covers. Adding or checking level of electrolyte is not
nec es sary.
TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS
Corrosion and dirt on the battery and terminals can cause
the battery to "leak" power.
• Disconnect BLACK battery cable fi rst then RED bat-
tery cable and remove battery from tractor.
• Rinse the battery with plain water and dry.
• Clean terminals and battery cable ends with wire brush
until bright.
• Coat terminals with grease or petroleum jelly.
• Reinstall battery (See "CONNECT BATTERY" in the
Assembly sec tion of this manual).
V-BELTS
Check V-belts for deterioration and wear after 100 hours
of operation and replace if necessary. The belts are not
ad just able. Re place belts if they begin to slip from wear.
TRANSAXLE COOLING
The transmission fan and cooling fi ns should be kept clean
to assure proper cooling.
Do not attempt to clean fan or transmission while engine
is running or while the transmission is hot. To prevent pos-
si ble damage to seals, do not use high pressure water or
steam to clean transaxle.
• Inspect cooling fan to be sure fan blades are intact and
clean.
• Inspect cooling fi ns for dirt, grass clippings and other
materials. To prevent damage to seals, do not use
compressed air or high pressure sprayer to clean cool-
ing fi ns.
MAINTENANCE
BLADE
FIG. 14
TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID
The transaxle was sealed at the factory and fl uid main te -
nance is not required for the life of the transaxle. Should
the transaxle ever leak or require servicing, contact your
near est au tho rized ser vice center/department.
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Only use high quality detergent oil rated with API service
classifi cation SG-SL. Select the oil's SAE viscosity grade
according to your expected operating temperature. When
operating in temperatures below 0º F (-18º C) syn thet ic
oil must be used.
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
5W-30, 10W-30
Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
-20 0 20
F
-30
C -10
-20
STARTING TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
* CAUTION: Air cooled engines run hotter than au to mo tive
engines. The use of non-synthetic multi-viscosity oils (5W30,
10W30 etc.) in temperatures above 40º F (4º C) will result
in higher than normal oil consumption. When using a multi-
viscosity oil, check oil level more frequently.
** CAUTION: SAE 30 oil, if used below 40º F (4º C), will
result in hard starting and possible engine bore damage
due to inadequate lubrication.
NOTE: Synthetic oil meeting ILSAC GF-2, API
certifi cation mark and API service symbol (shown
SAE
5W-30
at left) with "SJ/CF ENERGY CON SERV ING" or
higher, is an acceptable oil at all temperatures.
FOR Use of synthetic oil does not alter required
GASOLINE
ENGINES
oil change intervals.
oil_visc_chart8
Change the oil after every 50 hours of operation or at least once
a year if the tractor is not used for 50 hours in one year.
Check the crankcase oil level before starting the engine
and after each eight (8) hours of operation. Tighten oil fi ll
cap/dipstick securely each time you check the oil level.
TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL (See Figs. 15 and 16)
Determine temperature range expected before oil change.
All oil must meet API service classifi cation SG-SL.
• Be sure tractor is on level surface.
• Oil will drain more freely when warm.
• Catch oil in a suitable container.
• Remove oil fi ll cap/dipstick. Be careful not to allow dirt
to enter the engine when changing oil.
• Remove yellow cap from end of drain valve and install
the drain tube onto the fi tting.
18
**
30
*
32 40 60 80
0 10 20 30
oil_visc_chart9_e.
FIG. 15
100
40