Check Battery; Battery Care; Clean Battery And Terminal; Change Engine Oil - Craftsman 917.254520 Owner's Manual

proper balance before reinstaliation on mower. An
unbalanced or bent blade will cause excessive vi-
bration when running, and eventual damage to
mower or engine. Replace bent or damaqed blades.
c. To check blade balance, drive a nail into a beam or
waft. Leave about one inch (2.54 cm) of the straight
nai! exposed. Place center hole of clean blade
over the head of the nail (Fig. 13). NOTE: CEN-
TER THE HOLE OF BLADE ON NAIL. IF BLADE
iS PROPERLY BALANCED, BLADE SHOULD
REMAIN iN POSiTiON SHOWN iN FIG. 13. IF
EITHER END OF THE BLADE MOVES DOWN-
WARD, BLADE iS NOT BALANCED. SHARPEN
THE HEAVY END UNTIL BLADE IS BALANCED.
4. t_ttery Care
CHECK BATTERY
a. Battery acid sotution level in each battery cell should
be even with bottoms of vent tubes in cells (Fig. 14).
Add ONLY distilled or iron free water if necessary.
NOTE: DO NOT OVERFILL.
b. Keep battery and terminals clean.
c. Keep battery bolts tight.
d. Keep vent caps tight and small vent holes in caps
open.
e. Recharge with auto battery charger.
NOTE: OVERCHARGING WILL SHORTEN BATTERY
LIFE°
CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS
Corrosion and dirt on the battery and terminals cause the
battery to "leak" power and hinders the operation of the
charger.
.... _TTERIES GENERATE
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FIGURE 13
BATTERY
CUTAWA_ YVlE_ W FC
_/ BATTERY
gH/L V L
FIGURE 14
a. Remove terminal guard.
b. Disconnect BLACK battery cable, then RED battery
cabte, and remove battery from tractor.
c. Wash batte_ with four tablespoons (60grams) of
baking soda in one gallon (3.8 litres) of wa_er.
NOTE: BE CAREFULL NOT TO GET THE SODA
SOLUTION INTO THE CELLS.
d. R_nse the battery with plain water, dry and reinstall
on tractor.
e. Clean terminals and battery cable ends with wire
brush until bdght.
f° Rep_aco batterycables, connecting RED batteryca-
b_eto positive terminal first, then BLACK battery ca-
bte to negative terminal Coat terminal connections
with grease after installation of cables.
g. Replace terminal guard.
S. Change Engine Oil
The best time to change engine oil is at the end of a day's
operation when all dirt and foreign materials are suspenDeD
in the hot oil
Capacity is 1-1/2 quarts (1.4 litres). NOTE: DO NOT
OVERFILL Dipstick assembiy rnust be securely tightened 15
into tube at all times when engine is operating.