Servicing Blade; Engine Adjustments; Carburetor - Craftsman 247.388240 Owner's Manual

Servicing Blade
To Remove Blade
Remove the bolt and blade bell supportwhich
hold the blade and adapter to the engine
crankshaft. See Figure 16.
Remove the blade and adapter from the
crankshaft.
To Replace Blade:
Before reinstallingthe blade andthe blade
adapter to the unit, lubricatethe engine
crankshaftand the inner surface of the blade
adapter with lightoil.
Installthe blade adapter on the crankshaftwith
the "star" away from the engine. See Figure 16.
Blade Adapts, Crankshaft
Blade
To Sharpen Blade:
The bladecan be sharpened with a file or on a grinding
wheel. Do not aftempt tosharpen while on the mower,
Followthe original angle of grind as a guide.
Make sure that each cutting edge receives an
equal amount of grinding to prevent an
unbalanced blade.
NOTE: An unba/anced blade wi/I cause excessive
vibration when rotating at high speeds, may cause
damage to the mower and could break, causing
personal injury.
Test the blade by balancing it on a round shaft
screwdriver or a blade balancer. See Figure 17.
If the blade is not balanced, remove metal from
the heavy side until it balances evenly.
1. Insert screw driver through hole
O"
2. Blade should be parallel to ground
Screw
Driver _. Blade
Ground
Blade Bell
Hex Bolt
Support
Figure 16
Place the new blade with the side marked
bottom(or with part number) facing away from
the adapter.
Place the bell support next. Make sure to align
the tabs in the holes of the blade with the hole in
the bell support.
Insert the hex bolt through the blade assembly.
Figure 16 shows the correct order of assembly.
Use block of woodto hold blade again while you
tighten the bolt clockwise. Follow the
recommended torque for the bolt which is 450-
600 in.-Ibs.
IMPORTANT: The bolt, used to secure the blade to
the engine, is speciallyheat-treated. Do not
substitute. To order replacement bolt, refer to the
Repair Parts section of this manual.
WARNING: To ensure safe operation of
your unit, all nuts and bolts must be
checked periodicallyfor correcttightness.
Figure 17
Engine Adjustments
WARNING: Do not make unnecessary
adjustments on the engine. Factory settings
are satisfactory for most conditions.
If any adjustments are made to the engine
while the engine is running, keep clear of all
moving parts. Be careful of heated
surfaces and muffler. Keep your hands
away from these parts.
Carburetor
The carburetor has been pre-set at the factory and
shouldnot require adjustment,
If the engine on your mower does not operate
properlydue to suspected carburetor problems,
take your lawn mower to your nearest SEARS
service center.
Engine performance may be affected in altitudes
above 4000 feet. To improve engine
performance, install a high altitude adjustment
kit, available at the SEARS service center.
NOTE: A dirty air cleaner will cause an engine to run
rough. Be certain air cleaner is clean and attached to
the carburetor.
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