Craftsman GARDENTRACTOR 917.27528 Owner's Manual page 18

NOTE: The odginal 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 necessary.
TO CLEAN BATTERYAND TERMINALS
Corrosion and dirt on the battery and
terminals can cause the battery to "leak"
power.
1. Remove terminal guard.
2. Disconnect BLACK battery cable first
then RED battery cable and remove
battery from tractor. ;_
3. Rinse the battery with plain water and dry.
4. Clean terminals and battery cable
ends with wire brush until bright.
5. Coat terminals with grease or petro-
leum jelly.
6. Reinstall battery (See "REPLACING
BATTERY" in the SERVICE AND
ADJUSTMENTS section of this
manual).
TRANSAXLE COOLING
The transmission fan and cooling fins
should be kept clean to assure proper
cooling.
Do not attempt to clean fan or transmis-
sion while engine is running or while the
transmission is hot. To prevent possible
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 fins for dirt, grass
clippings and other materials. To
prevent damage to seals, do not use 3.
compressed air or high pressure
sprayer to clean cooling fins. 4.
5.
TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID
The transaxle was sealed at the factory and
fluid maintenance is not required for the life
of the transaxle. Should the transaxle ever 6.
leak or require servicing, contact a Sears or
other qualified service center.
V-BELTS 7.
Check V-belts for deterioration and wear
after 100 hours of operation and replace if
necessary. The belts are not adjustable.
Replace belts if they begin to slip from wear. 8.
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Only use high quality detergent oil rated
with API service classification SF-SJ. Select
the oil's SAE viscosity grade according to
your expected operating temperature.
18
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
-20 0 30 60 80
-® ._o -,o o ,_ _o 3o 4o
TEMPERATURE RANGE ANrnCIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
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.
TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL
Determine temperature range expected
before oil change. All oil must meet API
service classification SF-SJ.
• Be sure tractor is on level surface.
• Oil will drain more freely when warm.
• Catch oil in a suitable container.
1. Remove oil fill cap/dipstick. Be careful
not to allow dirt to enter the engine
when changing oil.
2. Remove yellow cap from end of drain
valve and install the drain tube onto
the fitting.
Oil Drain Valve
Yellow
I ]_/L- Closed and
I I 1/ Locked
Drain Tube_
Position
Unlock drain valve by pushing upward
slightly and turning counterclockwise.
To open, pull down on the drain valve.
After oil has drained completely, close
and lock the drain valve by pushing
upward and turning clockwise until the
pin is in the locked position as shown.
Remove the drain tube and replace
the cap onto the end of the drain
valve.
Refill engine with oil through oil fill
dipstick tube. Pour slowly. Do not
overfill. For approximate capacity see
"PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS"
section of this manual.
Use gauge on oil fill cap/dipstick for
checking level. Insert dipstick into the
tube and rest the oil fill cap on the
tube. Do not thread the cap onto the
tube when taking reading. Keep oil
at "FULL" line on dipstick. Tighten cap
onto the tube securely when finished.