To Start Engine; Mowing Tips; Mulching Mowing Tips - Craftsman 917.387240 Owner's Manual

_AS
Fillfueltank Usefresh,clean,regular
unleaded gasoline witha minimum of 87
octane. (Useof leadedgasoline will
increasecarbonandleadoxidedeposits
andreducevalvelife). Donot mixoil
withgasoline.Purchase fuelin quanti-
tiesthatcanbe usedwithin30daysto
assurefuelfreshness.
MPORTANT: W HENOPERATING IN
"EMPERATURES BELOW32°F(0°C), u se
resh,cleanwintergradegasoline to help
nsuregoodcoldweatherstarting.
_/ARNING:Experience indicates that
dcohol b lended fuels(calledgasohol o r
isingethanol o r methanol) c anattract
noisture whichleadsto separation and
ormation of acidsduringstorage,Acidic
Jascandamagethefuelsystemof an
',ngine whilein storage.Toavoidengine
)roblems, t he fuelsystemshouldbe
,_mptied before storage of 30 days or
onger, Drain the gas tank, start the
;ngine and let it run until the fuel lines and
"arburetor are empty. Use fresh fuel next
_eason. See Storage Instructions for
_dditional information Never use engine
)r carburetor cleaner products in the fuel
ank or permanent damage may occur.
_,AUTION: Fill to bottom of gas tank filler
leck. Do not overfill. Wipe off any spilled
)il or fuel. Do not store, spill or use
}asoline near an open flame.Gasoline
Filler Cap
Engine Oil
Cap w/
Dipstick
"O START ENGINE
To start a cold engine, push primer five
(5) times before trying to start. Use a
firm push. This step is not usually
necessary when starting an engine
which has already run for a few minutes.
Hold operator presence control bar down
to the handle and pull starter handle
quickly. DO NOT allow starter rope to
snap back.
To STOP engine, release operator
presence control bar.
tOTE: In cooler weather it may be
necessary to repeat priming steps, In
warmer weather over priming may cause
flooding and engine will not start. If you do
flood engine wait a few minutes before
attempting to start and DO NOT repeat
priming steps.
MOWING TIPS
. Under certain conditions, such as very
tall grass, it may be necessary to raise
the height of cut to reduce pushing effort
and to keep from overloading the engine
and leaving clumps of grass clippings.
- For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the
width of cut by overlapping previously
cut path and mow slowly,
• For side discharge lawn mowers, cutting
in a counter-clockwise direction, starting
at the outside of the area to be cut,
spreads grass clippings more evenly and
puts less load on the engine. To keep
clippings off of walkways, flower beds,
etc., make the first cuts in a clockwise
direction.
o Pores in cloth grass catchers can
become filled with dirt and dust with use
and catchers will collect less grass., To
prevent this, regularly hose catcher off
with water and let dry before using,
o Keep top of engine around starter clear
and clean of grass clippings and chaff,
This will help engine air flow and extend
engine life.
MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORTANT: For best performance,
keep mower housing free of built-up grass
and trash. Clean underside of mower
housing after each use. See "Cleaning" in
CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES section
of this manual.
o The special mulching blade will recut the
grass clippings 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 wilt provide the best recutting
action of the blades.
o Avoid cutting your 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,