To Start Engine; Mowing Tips; Mulching Mowing Tips - Sears Craftsman 917.252561 Owner's Manual

OPERATION
TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 8)
When starting engine for the first time or if engine has run
out of fuel, it will take extra cranking time to move fuel from
the tank to the engine
o Depress clutch/brake pedal and set parking brake
. Place gearshift lever in neutral (N) position,
• Move attachment clutch to "DISENGAGED" position.
° Pull choke control out to choke (N) position for cold
engine start, For warm engine start do not use choke
control
o Move throttle control to midway between fast (,@) and
slow (,_) positions.
o Insert key into ig nit!on 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 engine does not start after
several attempts, move throttle control to fast (,t_)
position, wait a few minutes and try again_
, When engine starts, slowly push choke control in.
o Move throttle control to fast (,_) position..
o Allow engine to warm up for a few minutes before
engaging drive or attachments.
NOTE: If at a high altitude (above 3000 feet) or in cold
temperatures (below 32°F), the carburetor fuel mixture
may need to be adjusted for best engine performance. See
"TO ADJUST CARBURETOR" in the Service and Adjust-
ments section of this manual.
MOWING TiPS
= Tire chains cannot be used when the mower housing
is attached to tractor.
* Mower should be properly leveled for best mowing
performance. See "TO LEVEL MOWER HOUSING" in
the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.
° The left hand side of mower should be used for trim-
ming
o Drive so that clippings are discharged onto the area
that has been cut. Have the cut area to the right of the
machine. This will result in a more even distribution of
clippings and more uniform'cutting
, When mowing large areas, start by turning to the right
so that clippings will discharge away from shrubs,
fences, driveways, etc. After one or two rounds, mow
in the opposite direction making left hand turns until
finished (See Fig. 10 ).
o If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice to
reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried clip-
pings. Make first cut relatively high; the second to the
desired height..
o Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet grass will plug
mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow grass to
dry before mowing.
o Always operate engine at ful! throttle when mowing to
assure better mowing performance and proper dis-
charge of material Regulate ground speed by select-
ing a low enough gear to give the mower cutting
performance as welt as the quality of cut desired
o When operating attachments, select a ground speed
that will suit the terrain and give best performance of
the attachment being used°
C
iL,,,J
FIG. 10
MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORTANT: FOR BEST PERFORMANCE, KEEP
MOWER HOUSING FREE OF BUILT-UP GRASS AND
TRASH CLEAN AFTER EACH USE
• The special mulching blade will recut the grass clip-
pings many times and reduce them in size so that as
they fall onto the lawn they will disperse into the grass
and not be noticed Also, the mulched grass will
biodegrade quickly to provide nutrients for the lawn.
Always mulch with your highest engine (blade) speed
as this will provide the best recutting action of the
blades.
o Avoid cutting you r lawn when it is wet. Wet grass tends
to form clumps and interferes with the mulching action
The best time to mow your lawn is the early afternoon.
At this time the grass has dried and the newly cut area
will not be exposed to the direct sun.
,, For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that
the mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass
blades (See Fig. 11)o For extremely heavy mulching,
reduce your width of cut on each pass and mow slowly
- Certain types of grass and grass conditions may re-
quire that an area be mulched a second time to
completely hide the ctippings. When doing a second
cut, mow across or perpendicular to the first cut path_
o Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mow
no rth to south one week then change to east to west the
next week. This will help prevent matting and graining
of the lawn.
_1 MAX It3
FIGo 11
14