Purge Transmission; Mowing Tips - Craftsman 917.288460 Operator's Manual

• The attachments can be used during the
engine warm-up period after the transmis-
sion has been warmed up and may require
the choke control be pulled out slightly.
NOTE: If at a high altitude (above 3000
feet) or in cold temperatures (below 32 F)
the carburetor fuel mixture may need to be
adjusted for best engine performance (see
"TOAD JUST CARBU RETO R"in the Service
and Adjustments section of this manual).
PURGE TRANSMISSION
,_,CAUTION: Never engage or disengage
freewheel lever while the engine is running.
To ensure proper operation and performance,
it is recommended that the transmission be
purged before operating tractor for the first
time. This procedure will remove any trapped
air inside the transmission which may have
developed during shipping of your tractor.
IMPORTANT: Should your transmission
require removal for service or replacement,
it should be purged after reinstallation before
operating the tractor.
1. Place tractor safely on a level surface
- that is clear of objects and open - with
engine off and parking brake set.
2. Disengage transmission by placing
freewheel control in disengaged position
(See "TO TRANSPORT" in this section
of manual).
3. Sitting in the tractor seat, start engine.
After the engine is running, move throttle
control to slow position. Disengage park-
ing brake.
_IbOAUTION: At any time, during step 4,
there may be movement of the drive wheels.
4. Depress forward drive pedal to full forward
position and hold for five (5) seconds and
release pedal. Depress reverse drive
pedal to full reverse position and hold
for five (5) seconds and release pedal.
Repeat this procedure three (3) times.
5. Shutoff engine and set parking brake.
6. Engagetransmission by placing freewheel
control in engaged position (See "TO
TRANS PORT" in this section of manual).
7. Sitting in the tractor seat, start engine.
After the engine is running, move throttle
control to half (1/2) speed. Disengage
parking brake.
8. Drive tractor forward for approximately
five feet then backwards for five feet.
Repeatthisdriving procedurethreetimes.
Your transmission is now purged and now
ready for normal operation.
MOWING TIPS
• Tire chains cannot be used when the
mower housing is attached to tractor.
Mower should be properly leveled for best
mowing performance. See "TO LEVEL
MOWER HOUSING" in the Service and
Adjustments section of this manual.
• The left hand side of mower should be
used for trimming.
Drive so that clippings are discharged onto
the area that has already been cut. Have
the cut area to the right of the tractor. This
will result in a more even distribution of
clippings and more uniform cutting.
• When mowing large areas, start by turning
to the right so that clippings will discharge
away from shrubs, fences, driveways,
etc. After one or two rounds, mow in the
opposite direction making left hand turns
until finished.
f
1
J
If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed
twice to reduce load and possible fire haz-
ard from dried clippings. Makefirstcut rela-
tively high; the second to the desired height.
Do not mowgrasswhen it iswet. Wet grass
will plug mower and leave undesirable
clumps. Allow grass to dry before mowing.
Always operate engine at full throttle
when mowing to assure better mowing
performance and proper discharge of mate-
rial. Regulate ground speed by selecting
a low enough speed to give the mower
cutting performance as well as the quality
of cut desired.
When operating attachments, select a
ground speed that will suit the terrain and
give best performance of the attachment
being used.
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