Craftsman ZTL7000 Operator's Manual page 23

WARNING
Before performing any maintenance or repairs, disengage the PTO,
move the drive control levers fully outward in the neutral position,
engage the parking brake, stop the engine and remove the key to
prevent unintended starting.
ENGINE MAINTENANCE
CAUTION
Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water as soon as
possible after handling used oil.
Check Engine Oil
1. Check oil before each use. Stop engine and wait several minutes
before checking oil level. With engine on level ground, the oil must
be to FULL mark on dipstick.
2. Refer to the Assembly section of this manual for instructions on
checking the oil.
Change Engine Oil and Filter
• Refer to the viscosity chart (Figure 21) for oil recommenda-
tions. Do not overfill. SAE 30 is recommended for general, all
temperature use. Use a 4-stroke, or an equivalent high detergent,
premium quality motor oil certified to meet or exceed U.S.
automobile manufacturer's requirements for service classification
SF, SG, SH, SJ or higher. Motor oils classified SF, SG, SH, SJ will
show this designation on the container.
* -- Below 40o F (4o C) the use of SAE 30W will result in hard starting.
** -- Above 80o F (27o C) the use of 10W-30 may cause increased oil consumption.
Check the oil level more frequently.
NOTE: DO not use non-detergent oil or 2-stroke engine oil. It could
shorten the engines service life.
• Change engine oil after the first five to eight hours of operation,
and every fifty hours or every season thereafter. Change oil every
twenty five hours when operating engine under heavy load or in
high temperatures.
SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
Figure 21
Draining the Oil
1. Run the engine for a short time to warm the engine oil. The oil
will flow more freely and carry away more impurities. Use care to
avoid burns from hot oil.
2. Locate the oil drain valve on the left side of the engine. See Figure 22.
Oil Drain
Valve
3. Pop open the protective cap on the end of the oil drain valve to
expose the drain port. Refer to Figure 22. Remove the oil fill cap/
dipstick from the oil fill tube.
4. Push the oil drain hose (packed with this manual) onto the oil drain
port. Route the opposite end of the hose into an appropriate oil collec-
tion container with at least a 2.5 quart capacity, to collect the used oil.
5. Turn the oil drain valve 1⁄4-turn, then pull outward to begin draining
oil. After the oil has finished draining, push the end of the oil drain
valve back in and turn 1⁄4-turn to secure it back in place. Re-cap the
end of the oil drain valve to keep debris from entering the drain port.
6. Clean the area around the oil filter. Place a container under the
filter to catch any oil and remove the filter. See Figure 23.
23
OPENED
CLOSED
Oil Drain Hose
Figure 22
Oil Filter
Figure 23