MTD V55D Operator's Manual page 9

Starting Engine
WARNING: Be sure no one other than
the operator is standing near the lawn
mower while starting engine or operat-
ing 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. Place the fuel valve lever (if equipped) found on the
left side of the engine into the ON (OPEN) position.
2. Move the choke lever (if equipped) all the way
backward into the choke position. See Figure 4-2.
3. Standing behind the mower, squeeze the blade control
against upper handle as shown in Figure 4-2. The
choke will now begin to slowly return to the off choke
position after activating the blade control. Therefore,
quickly move onto step four below.
4. Holding these two handles together firmly, grasp recoil
starter handle and pull rope out with a rapid, continu-
ous, full arm stroke. Keeping a firm grip on the starter
handle let the rope rewind slowly. Repeat until engine
cranks. Let the rope rewind each time slowly.
WARNING: Wait for the blade to stop
completely before performing any work
on the mower or to remove the grass
catcher.
Stopping Engine
1. Release blade control to stop the engine and blade.
Using Your Lawn Mower
Be sure 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.
2
4
Figure 4-2
WARNING: If you strike a foreign
object, stop the engine. Remove
wire from the spark plug, thoroughly
inspect mower for any damage, and
repair damage before restarting and operating.
Extensive vibration of mower during operation is an
indication of damage. The unit should be promptly
inspected and repaired.
Using as Mulcher
For mulching grass, remove the grass catcher from the
mower. For effective mulching, do not cut wet grass. If
the grass has been allowed to grow in excess of four
inches, mulching is not recommended. Use the grass
catcher to bag clippings instead.
Using Grass Catcher
You can use the grass catcher to collect clippings
while you are operating the mower. Refer to Setup and
Adjustment section for instructions on attaching the
grass catcher.
9
3
Operating
Your Lawn
1
OFF
ON
4
Mower