MTD 260 Series Operator's Manual page 5

4. Use extreme care when approaching blind corners,
doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure
your vision of a child who may run into the string trimmer.
5. Keep children away from hot or running engines. They can
suffer burns from a hot muffler.
6. Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this
machine. Children 14 and over should read and understand
the instructions and safe operation practices in this manual
and on the machine and be trained and supervised by an
adult.
Service
Safe Handling Of Gasoline:
1. To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme
care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable
and the vapors are explosive. Serious personal injury can
occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes,
which can ignite. Wash your skin and change clothes
immediately.
2. Use only an approved gasoline container.
3. Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer
bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on the
ground away from your vehicle before filling.
4. Remove gas-powered equipment from the truck or
trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not possible,
then refuel such equipment on a trailer with a portable
container, rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.
5. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or
container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do
not use a nozzle lock-open device.
6. Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources
of ignition.
7. Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will
accumulate in the area.
8. Never remove gas cap or add fuel while engine is hot or
running. Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before
refueling.
9. Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than 1 inch
below bottom of filler neck to provide for fuel expansion.
10. Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
11. If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment.
Move machine to another area. Wait 5 minutes before
starting engine.
12. Never store the machine or fuel container near an open
flame, spark or pilot light as on a water heater, space
heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas appliances.
13. To reduce fire hazard, keep machine free of grass, leaves,
or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage and
remove any fuel soaked debris.
14. Allow machine to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.
General Service:
1. Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area.
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless
and deadly gas.
2. Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain the
spindle and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the
spark plug wire and ground against the engine to prevent
unintended starting.
3. Check the spindle and engine mounting bolts at frequent
intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect
spindle for damage. Replace with the original equipment
manufacture's (O.E.M.) parts only, listed in this manual.
"Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment
specifications may lead to improper performance and
compromise safety!"
4. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the
equipment is in safe working condition.
5. Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper
operation regularly.
6. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect
the spark plug wire and ground against the engine.
Thoroughly inspect the string trimmer for any damage.
Repair the damage before starting and operating the string
trimmer.
7. Trimmer components, guards and shields are subject
to wear and damage which could expose moving parts
or allow objects to be thrown. For safety protection,
frequently check components and replace immediately
with original equipment manufacturer's (O.E.M.) parts only,
listed in this manual. "Use of parts which do not meet the
original equipment specifications may lead to improper
performance and compromise safety!"
8. Do not change the engine's governor setting or over-speed
the engine. The governor controls the maximum safe
operating speed of the engine.
9. Check fuel line, tank, cap, and fittings frequently for cracks
or leaks. Replace if necessary.
10. Do not crank engine with spark plug removed.
11. Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as
necessary.
12. Observe proper disposal laws and regulations. Improper
disposal of fluids and materials can harm the environment.
13. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission
(CPSC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
this product has an Average Useful Life of seven (7) years,
or 140 hours of operation. At the end of the Average Useful
Life have the machine inspected annually by an authorized
service dealer to ensure that all mechanical and safety
systems are working properly and not worn excessively.
Failure to do so can result in accidents, injuries or death.
Do not modify engine
To avoid serious injury or death, do not modify engine in any
way. Tampering with the governor setting can lead to a runaway
engine and cause it to operate at unsafe speeds. Never tamper
with factory setting of engine governor.
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ection mportant
S o p
afe peration racticeS
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