Craftsman 917.388820 Owner's Manual page 13

Checkthe crankcaseoil level before
starting the engineand after each five (5)
hoursof continuoususe.Tightenoil plug
securely each time you checkthe oil level.
TO CHANGEENGINEOIL
NOTE: Beforetipping lawn mowerto drain
oil, empty fuel tank by runningengine until
fuel tank is empty.
1. Disconnectspark plug wire from spark
plug and place wire where it cannot
come in contactwith plug.
2. Removeengineoil cap; lay aside on a
clean surface.
3. Tip lawn moweron its side as shown
and drain oil into a suitablecontainer.
Rock lawn mowerback and forth to re-
moveany oil trapped inside of engine.
Oil filler cap/dipstick
limit
TO CLEAN AIR FILTER
1. Remove cover.
2. Carefully remove cartridge.
3. Clean by gently tapping on a flat sur-
face. If very dirty, replace cartridge.
• I, C AUTION: Petroleum solvents, such as
kerosene, are not to be used to clean car-
tridge. They may cause deterioration of the
cartridge. Do not oil cartridge. Do not use
pressurized air to clean or dry cartridge.
4. Install cartridge, then replace cover.
Filter Filter
Cover
Tabs
4. Wipe off any spilled oil from lawn
mower or side of engine.
5. Fill engine with oil. The engine oil ca-
pacity is 18.5 oz. If oil is not completely
drained from engine, you may not need
the entire container of a 20 oz. bottle of
oil. Slowly pour 3/4 of the oil from the
container down the oil fill spout into the
engine.
6. Wait one minute to allow oil to settle.
Use guage on oil fill cap/dipstick for
checking level. Insert dipstick into the
tube and rest the oil fill cap on the tube.
DO NOT thread the cap into the tube
when taking reading.
7. Continue adding small amounts of
oil and rechecking the dipstick until it
reads full. DO NOT overfill, or engine
will smoke on startup.
8. Always be sure to retighten oil dipstick
before starting engine.
9. Reconnect spark plug wire to spark
plug.
AIR FILTER
Your engine will not run properly and may
be damaged by using a dirty air filter.
Replace the air filter every 100 hours of
operation or every season, whichever oc-
curs first. Service air cleaner more often
under dusty conditions.
Tabs
MUFFLER
Inspect and replace corroded muffler as it
could create a fire hazard and/or damage.
SPARK PLUG
Replace spark plug 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 the "PRODUCT SPECIFIC-
ATIONS" section of this manual.
13
CLEANING
IMPORTANT: For best performance,
keep mower housing free of built-grass
and trash. Clean the underside of your
mower after each use.
[LCAUTION: Disconnect spark plug wire
from spark plug and place wire where it
cannot come in contact with plug.
• Clean the underside of your lawn
mower by scraping to remove build-up
of grass and trash.
• Clean engine often to keep trash from
accumulating. A clogged engine runs
hotter and shortens engine life.
• Keep finished surfaces and wheels free
of all gasoline, oil, etc.
• We do not recommend using a garden
hose to clean lawn mower unless the
electrical system, muffler, air filter and
carburetor are covered to keep water
out. Water in engine can result in short-
ened engine life.