Craftsman 917.28925 Operator's Manual page 14

BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVEL
The engine in your tractor has been
shipped, from the factory, already filled
with summer weight od,
I. Check engine oil with tractor on level
ground.
2. Remove o{I flit cap/dipstick and wipe
clean, reinsert the dipstick and screw
cap t_ght, wait for a few seconds, re-
move and read oil level. If necessary,
add oil untiI "FULE mark on dipstick is
reached. Do not overfill.
• For cold weather operation you should
change oil for easier starting (See the
od wscos_ty chart in the Maintenance
section of this manual).
• To change engine oil, see the Mainte-
nance section in this manual.
ADD GASOLINE
• Fill fuel tank to bottom of filler neck. Do
not overfill. Use fresh, clean, regular
unleaded gasoline w_th a minimum of
87 octane. (Use of leaded gasoline will
increase carbon and lead oxide deposits
and reduce valve hfe). Do not mix oit
w_th gasoline. Purchase fuel _nquanta-
ties that can be used w_thin 30 days to
ensure fuei freshness.
_CAUTION: W_pe off any spilled oil or
fuel. Do not store, sp_}l or use gasoline
near an open flame.
IMPORTANT: When operating tn temper-
atures below 32CF(OCC), use fresh, clean
win[er grade gasoline to help ensure good
cold weather starting.
CAUTION. Alcohol blended fuels (called
gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can
a_ract moisture which leads to separation
and formation of acids during storage.
Acidic gas can damage the fuel system
of an engine wh_le in storage. To avoid
engine problems, the fuel system should
be emptied before storage of 30 days
or longer. Drain the gas tank, start the
engine and let it run until the fuel lines
and carburetor are empty. Use fresh fuel
next season. See Storage Instructions for
additional informatJon. Never use engine
or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel
tank or permanent damage may occur,
TO START ENGINE
When starting the engine for the first time
or if the engine has run out of fuel, it will
take extra cranking time to move fuel from
the tank to the engine.
1. Sit on seat in operating positron,
depress clutch/brake pedal and set
parking brake.
2. Place gear shift lever in neutral position.
3. Move attachment clutch to disengaged
posit_on.
4. Move throttle control to choke position.
NOTE: Before starting, read the warm
and cold starting procedures below.
5. Insert key into ignition and turn key
clockwise to start position and release
key as soon as engine starts, Do not
run starter continuously for more than
fifteen seconds per minute. If the
eng=ne does not start after several
attempts, move throttle control to fast
position, wait a few minutes and try
again. If engine still does not start,
move the throttle control back to the
choke position and retry.
WARM WEATHER STARTING
(50 c F/10 r C and above)
6. When engine starts, move the throttle
control to the fast position.
• The attachments and ground drive can
now be used. If the engine does not
accept the load, restart the engtne and
allow it to warm up for one minute using
the choke as described above.
COLD WEATHER STARTING
(50 ° F/10 ° C and below)
7. When engine starts, leave throttle
control In choke position unN engine
warms up and begins to run roughly.
Once rough running begtns, immedi-
ately move the _hrottle control to the
fast position. Engine warm-up may
take from several seconds to several
minutes (the colder the temperature,
the longer the warm-up).
* The attachments can also be used dur-
ing the eng{ne warm-up period.
NOTE: If at a high altitude (above 3000
feet) or in cold temperatures (below 32°F)
the carburetor fuel mixture may need to
be adlusted for best engine performance
(see "TO ADJUST CARBURETOR" in the
Service and Adjustments section of this
manual),
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