Before Starting The Engine - Craftsman 917.272451 Owner's Manual

TOWING CARTS AND OTHER ATTACH-
MENTS
Tow only the attachments that are
recommended by and comply with
specifications of the manufacturer of your
tractor. Use common sense when towing.
Too heavy of a load, while on a slope, is
dangerous. -Sres can lose traction with
the ground and cause you to lose control
of your tractor.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVEL
The engine in your tractor has been
shipped, from the factory, already filled
with summer weight oil.
1. Check engine oil with tractor on level
ground.
2. Remove oil fill cap/dipstick and wipe
clean, reinsert the dipstick and screw
cap tight, wait for a few seconds,
remove and read oil level. If neces-
sary, add oil until =FULL" mark on
dipstick is reached. Do not overfill.
• For cold weather operation you should
change oil for easier starting (See the oil
viscosity chart in the Maintenance
section of this manual).
• To change engine oil, see the Mainte-
nance section in this manual.
ADD GASOLINE
• Fill fuel tank to bottom of filler neck. Do
not overfill. Use fresh, clean, regular
unleaded gasoline with a minimum of
87 octane. (Use of leaded gasoline
will increase carbon and lead oxide
deposits and reduce valve life). Do not
mix oil with gasoline. Purchase fuel in
quantities that can be used within 30
days to assure fuel freshness.
_CAUTION: Wipe off any spilled oil or
fuel. Do not store, spill or use gasoline
near an open flame.
IMPORTANT: When operating in
temperatures below32°F(0°C), use fresh,
clean winter grade gasoline to help
_Cra good cold weather starting.
AUTION: Alcohol blended fuels
(called gasohol or using ethanol or
methanol) can attract moisture which
leads to separation and formation of
acids during storage. Acidic gas can
damage the fuel system of an engine
while in storage. To avoid engine
problems, the fuel system should be
emptied before storage of 30 days or
longer. Drain the gas tank, start the
engine and let it run until the fuel lines
and carburetor are empty. Use fresh fuel
next season. See Storage Instructions for
additional information. Never use engine
or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel
tank or permanent damage may occur.
TO START ENGINE
When starting the engine for the first time or if
the engine has run out of fuel, it will take
extra cranking time to move fuel from the
tank to the engine.
I. Sit on seat in operating position,
depress clutch/brake pedal and set
parking brake.
2. Place gear shift lever in neutral (N)
position.
3. Move attachment clutch to disen-
gaged position.
4. Move throttle control to fast position
5. Pull choke control out for a cold
engine start attempt. For a warm
engine start attempt the choke control
may not be needed.
NOTE: Before starting, read the warm and
cold starting procedures below.
6. Insert key into ignition and turn key
clockwise to start position and
release key as soon as engine starts.
Do not run starter continuously for
more than fifteen seconds per minute.
If the engine does not start after
several attempts, push choke control
in, wait a few minutes and try again. If
engine still does not start, pull the
choke control out and retry.
WARM WEATHER STARTING (50 ° F and
above)
7. When engine starts, slowly push
choke control in until the engine
begins to run smoothly. If the engine
starts to run roughly, pull the choke
control out slightly for a few seconds
and then continue to push the control
in slowly.
• The attachments and ground drive can
now be used. If the engine does not
accept the load, restart the engine and
allow it to warm up for one minute
using the choke as described above.
15