Battery; V-Belts; Engine Lubrication; Air Filter - Craftsman 917.254530 Owner's Manual

MAINTENANCE
BATTERY (See Fig. 12)
Your unit has a battery charging system which is sufficient
for normal use, However, periodic charging of the battery
with an automotive charger will extend it's life
• Acid solution level in each battery cell should be even
with bottoms of ventwells Add only distilled or iron free
water if necessary. Do not overfill.
CUT AWAY VIEW
,VENT
WELL
BATTERY
CELLACID
LEVEL
FIG. 12
. Keep battery and terminals clean,
. Keep battery bolts tight.
• Keep vent caps tight and smaN vent holes in caps open.
• Recharge at 6 amperes for 1 hour,
TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS -
Corrosion and dirt on the battery and terminals can cause
the battery to "leak" power.
• Remove terminal guard°
• Disconnect BLACK battery cable first then RED bat-
tery cable and remove battery from tractor.
• Wash battery with solution of four tablespoons of
baking sodatoone gallon of watero Be carefui nottoget
the soda solution into the cells,
• 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 "INSTALL BATTERY" in as-
sembly section of this manual),
V-BELTS
Check V-belts for deterioration and wear after 100 hours
and replace if necessary. The mower blade drive belt can
be adjusted to provide you with longer belt life (See "TO
ADJUST MOWER BLADE DRIVE BELT" in Service and
Adjustments section of this manual),
The motions drive belt is not adjustable, Replace belts if
they begin to slip from wear.
TRANSAXLE COOLING
Keep transaxle free from build-up of dirt and chaff which
can restrict cooling,
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Change the oil after the first two hours of operation and
every 25 hours thereafter or at least once a year if the
tractor is not used for 25 hours in one year,
Check the crankcase oil level before starting the engine
and after each eight (8) hours of continuous use. Add SAE
30W motor oil or equalivenL Tighten oil fill cap/dipstick
securely each time you check the oil level, SAE 5W-30
motor oil may be used to make starting easier in areas
where temperature is consistently 32 ° F or lower,
TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL (See Fig 13)
Determine temperature range expected before oil change.
All oil must meet API service classification SG.
• Be sure vehicle is on level surface.
• Oil will drain more freely when warm
• Catch oil in a suitable container
• Remove oil fill dipstick, Be careful not to allow dirt to
enter the engine when changing oil,
• Remove drain plug
° After oil has drained completely, replace oil drain plug
and tighten securely
• Refill engine with oil through oil fill dipstick tube. Pour
slowly, Do not overfill For approximate capacity see
Product Specifications on page 3 of this manual,
, Use gauge on oil fill dipstick for checking level Be sure
dipstick cap is tightened securely for accurate reading,
Keep oil at "FULL" line on dipstick,
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
.20 o 0 o 32= 60 ° 80 ° 100 °
OIL FILL DIPSTICK
SCREEN
DRAIN PLUG
16
FIG, 13
AIR FILTER (See Fig. 14)
Your engine will not run properly and may be damaged by
using a dirty air filter, Remove cartridge every 25 hours and
tap gently to clean. Replace paper cartridge once a year or
after every 100 hours of operation, more often if used in
very dusty, dirty conditions
. Remove knob and cover,
, Remove cartridge nut and clean or replace cartridge,
• Reassemble and tighten securely
NO'[E: Do not attempt to oil the paper cartridge