Craftsman 917.27603 Owner's Manual page 21

ENGINE OIL FILTER
Replace the engine oil filter every season
or every other oil change if the tractor is
used more than 100 hours in one year.
AIR RLTER
Your engine will not run properly using a
dirty air filter. Clean the foam pre-cleaner
after every 25 hours of operation or every
season. Service paper cartridge every
100 hours of operation or every season,
whichever occurs first.
Service air cleaner more often under dusty
conditions.
1. Loosen knob and remove cover.
TO SERVICE PRE-CLEANER
2. Slide foam pre-cleaner off cartridge.
3. Wash it in liquid detergent and water.
4. Squeeze it dry in a clean cloth. Allow it
to dry.
5. Saturate it in engine oil. Wrap it in
clean, absorbent cloth and squeeze to
remove excess oil.
TO SERVICE CARTRIDGE
• Replace a dirty, bent, or damaged car-
tridge.
NOTE: Do not wash the paper cartridge
or use pressurized air, as this will damage
the cartridge.
1. Remove nut and cartridge plate.
2. Reinstall the pre-cleaner (cleaned and
oiled) over the paper cartridge.
3. Check rubber seal for damage and
proper position around stud. Replace
if necessary.
4. Reassemble air cleaner, cartridge
plate, and nut.
5. Reinstall air cleaner cover and secure
by tightening knob.
Cartrid_
Foam
Pre-Cleaner
Cartridge
Plate _._,
Rubber
Seal
Nut
Knob
CLEAN AIR SCREEN
Air screen must be kept free of dirt and
chaff to prevent engine damage from
overheating. Clean with a wire brush or
compressed air to remove dirt and stub-
born dried gum fibers.
CLEAN AIR INTAKE/COOLING AREAS
To insure proper cooling, make sure the
grass screen, cooling fins, and other
external surfaces of the engine are kept
clean at all times.
Every 100 hours of operation (more often
under extremely dusty, dirty conditions),
remove the blower housing and other cool-
ing shrouds. Clean the cooling fins and
external surfaces as necessary. Make sure
the cooling shrouds are reinstalled.
NOTE: Operating the engine with a
blocked grass screen, dirty or plugged
cooling fins, and/or cooling shrouds
removed will cause engine damage due to
overheating.
MUFFLER
Inspect and replace corroded muffler and
spark arrester (if equipped) as it could cre-
ate a fire hazard and/or damage.
SPARK PLUG(S)
Replace spark plug(s) at the beginning
of each mowing season or after every
100 hours of operation, whichever occurs
first. Spark plug type and gap setting are
shown in "PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS"
section of this manual.
IN-LINE FUEL FILTER
The fuel filter should be replaced once
each season. If fuel filter becomes
clogged, obstructing fuel flow to carbu-
retor, replacement is required.
1. With engine cool, remove filter and
plug fuel line sections.
2. Place new fuel filter in position in fuel
line with arrow pointing towards carbu-
retor.
3. Be sure there are no fuel line leaks and
clamps are properly positioned.
4. Immediately wipe up any spilled gaso-
line.
Fuel Filter_
CLEANING
• Clean engine, battery, seat, finish, etc.
of all foreign matter.
• Keep finished surfaces and wheels free
of all gasoline, oil, etc.
• Protect painted surfaces with auto-
motive type wax.
We do not recommend using a garden
hose or pressure washer to clean your
tractor unless the engine and transmis-
sion are covered to keep water out. Water
in engine or transmission will shorten the
useful life of your tractor. Use compressed
air or a leaf blower to remove grass,
leaves and trash from tractor and mower.
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