Starting Engine; Stopping Engine; Operating Tips - MTD 54M Operator's Manual

For Parts Call 606-678-9623 or 606-561-4983 For Parts Call 606-678-9623 or 606-561-4983
WARNING: The operation of any lawn
mower can result in foreign objects being
thrown into the eyes, which can damage your eyes
severely. Always wear safety glasses while operating
the mower, or while performing any adjustments or
repairs on it.

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.
1. Pull out the choke knob located on the left side of the
upper handle. See Figure 4-2.
Note: Use of the choke may not be necessary if the
engine is warm or the air temperature is high.
2. Standing behind the mower, squeeze and hold the
blade control against upper handle.
3. Pull the recoil starter lightly until resistance is felt,
then pull rapidly to overcome compression, prevent
kickback, and start the engine. Repeat if necessary.
See Figure 4-2.
Important: Do not allow the recoil starter to snap
back against the rope guide.
4. When engine warms up, push in the choke knob.

Stopping Engine

1. Release blade control to stop the engine and the
blade.
2. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and
ground against the engine.
WARNING: Wait for the blade to stop
completely before performing any work on
the mower or to remove the grass catcher.
Using Your Lawn Mower
Be sure the lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wire, or other
objects which could damage the lawn mower or the
engine. Such objects could be accidently thrown by the
mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury
to the operator and others.
WARNING: If you strike a foreign object,
stop the engine. Remove spark plug boot
from the spark plug, thoroughly inspect
the mower for any damage, and repair the damage
before restarting and operating the mower. Exten-
sive vibration of the mower during operation is an
indication of damage. The unit should be promptly
inspected and repaired.
Figure 4-2: Starting the mower.
1. Once the engine is running, squeeze and hold blade
control against upper handle to engage the blade. For
best results, do not cut wet grass and never cut off
more than one-third of the total length of the grass.
Using as a Mulcher
For mulching grass, remove the grass catcher (or side
chute deflector) from the mower and lower the mulching
baffle.
Using the Grass Catcher
You can use the grass catcher to collect clippings while
you are operating the mower.
1. Attach grass catcher following instructions in setup
section. Grass clippings will automatically collect in
bag as you run mower. Operate mower till grass bag
is full.
2. Stop engine completely by releasing the blade control.
Make sure that the unit has come to a complete stop.
3. Lift discharge door and pull grass bag up and away
from the mower to remove the bag. Dispose of the
grass clippings and reinstall the bag when complete

Operating Tips

• New grass, thick grass, or wet grass may require a
narrower cut.
• For effective mulching, do not cut wet grass.
• Adjust ground speed according to condition of lawn.
• If the grass has been allowed to grow in excess of
four inches, mulching is not recommended. Mow
using the side discharge to reduce the grass height to
3-1/4 inches or less before mulching.
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Operating
Your Lawn
Mower
WARNING
The operation of any
lawn mower can re-
sult in foreign objects
being thrown into
the eyes, which can
damage your eyes
severely. Always wear
safety glasses while
operating the mower,
or while performing
any adjustments or
repairs on it.
Be sure no one other
than the operator is
standing near the
lawn mower while
starting engine or op-
erating mower. Never
run engine indoors or
in enclosed, poorly
ventilated areas. En-
gine 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.