Cutting Leaves; Recommended Maintenance Schedule(S); Preparing For Maintenance - Toro 20899 Operator's Manual

WARNING
Wet grass or leaves can cause serious injury if
you slip and contact the blade. Mow only in dry
conditions.
• Alternate the mowing direction. This helps disperse
the clippings over the lawn for even fertilization.
• If the finished lawn appearance is unsatisfactory, try
one or more of the following:
– Replace the blade or have it sharpened.
– Walk at a slower pace while mowing.
– Raise the cutting height on your mower.
– Cut the grass more frequently.
– Overlap cutting swaths instead of cutting a full
swath with each pass.
Maintenance
Note: Determine the left and right sides of the machine from the normal operating position.

Recommended Maintenance Schedule(s)

Maintenance Service
Interval
After the first 5 hours
Before each use or daily
Before storage
Yearly
Important: Refer to your Engine Operator's Manual for additional maintenance procedures.

Preparing for Maintenance

1. Stop the engine and wait for all moving parts to stop.
2. Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug
(Figure 35) before performing any maintenance
procedure.
Maintenance Procedure
• Change the engine oil.
• Check the engine oil level.
• Ensure that the engine stops within 3 seconds after releasing the blade control bar.
• Check the air cleaner for dirt and /or damage and clean or replace it if necessary.
• Clean grass clippings and dirt from under the mower.
• Empty the fuel tank before repairs as directed and before annual storage.
• Clean the air filter (more frequently in dusty operating conditions).
• Change the engine oil.
• Lubricate the upper handle.
• Replace the blade or have it sharpened (more frequently if the edge dulls quickly).
• Refer to your Engine Operator's Manual for any additional yearly maintenance
procedures.
– Set the cutting height on the front wheels one
notch lower than the rear wheels. For example,
set the front wheels at 2 inches (51 mm) and the
rear wheels at 2-1/2 inches (64 mm).

Cutting Leaves

• After cutting the lawn, ensure that half of the lawn
shows through the cut leaf cover. You may need to
make more than one pass over the leaves.
• If there are more than 5 inches (13 cm) of leaves
on the lawn, set the front cutting height one or two
notches higher than the rear cutting height.
• Slow down your mowing speed if the mower does
not cut the leaves finely enough.
3. After performing the maintenance procedure(s),
connect the spark plug wire to the spark plug.
14
Figure 35