Stopping Engine - Yard-Man 12A-559K401 Operator's Manual

Starting Engine
WARNING: Be sure no one other than the
operator is standing near the lawn mower
while starting engine or operating mower.
Never run engine indoors or in enclosed,
poorly ventilated areas. Engine exhaust
contains carbon monoxide, an odorless
and deadly gas. Keep hands, feet, hair
and loose clothing away from any moving
parts on engine and lawn mower. When
starting the unit for the first time, face the
mower against a solid object such as wall,
fence, etc. Start the unit and if it shows
any signs of motion while the drive clutch
control is still engaged, shut the engine
off immediately.
• Make sure that the drive clutch control is adjusted
so the drive belt is as loose as possible.
• Move throttle control lever all the way back to the
"rabbit" position.
• Push primer three times, See Figure 10. Wait about
two seconds between each push. In cold weather
o
around 55 F or below, prime five times. Do not
prime to restart a warm engine after a short
shutdown.
• Standing behind the mower, depress the blade
control handle and hold it against the upper handle.
• Grasp starter handle and pull rope out slowly until
engine reaches the start of compression cycle
(rope will pull slightly harder at this point). Let the
rope rewind slowly. Pull rope with a rapid,
continuous, full arm stroke. Keeping a firm grip on
the starter handle, let the rope rewind slowly.

Stopping Engine

• Release blade control handle to stop the engine
and the blade.
• Disconnect spark plug wire and move away from
spark plug to prevent accidental starting.
Using your Lawn Mower
• You can use your mower as a mulching mower or a
rear bagger.
• Do not operate the mower without the rear
mulching baffle or the grasscatcher bag properly
installed.
• Be sure that the lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wire,
or other objects which could damage lawn mower
or engine. Such objects could be accidently thrown
by the mower in any direction and cause serious
personal injury to the operator and others.
• For best results, do not cut wet grass because it
tends to stick to the underside of the mower,
preventing proper discharge of grass clippings, and
could cause you to slip and fall. New grass, thick
grass or wet grass may require a narrower cut.
• For a healthy lawn, always cut off one-third or less
of the total length of the grass. Lawn should be
trimmed in fall as long as there is growth.
WARNING: If you strike a foreign object,
stop the engine. Remove spark plug wire
from spark plug, thoroughly inspect the
mower for any damage. Repair the damage
before restarting and operating the mower.
Extensive vibration of the mower during
operation is an indication of damage. The
unit should be promptly inspected and
repaired.
Bagging Grass Clippings
You can use the grasscatcher bag to collect clippings
while you are operating the mower. Attach the
grasscatcher following instructions on page 9 of this
manual. The grass clippings will automatically collect in
the bag as you run the mower. Operate the mower till
the grass bag is full. Do NOT allow the bag to overfill
with grass clippings. Stop the engine completely by
releasing the control handle. Make sure that the unit
has come to a complete stop. To empty the grass bag
proceed as follows:
• Lift discharge door and pull grass bag up and away
from the mower to dispose of the grass clippings
See Figure 11.
Adjusting Cutting Height
Refer to height adjustments section of this manual on
page 15 for instruction on how to adjust the cutting
height and the handle height.
• For best results in mowing, keep the cutting height
position high until it is determined which height is
best for your lawn.
11
Figure 11