To Start Engine; Mowing Tips; Mulching Mowing Tips - Craftsman 3One 917.254860 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 wil! take extra cranking time to move
fuel from the tank to the engine.
Depress the clutch/brake pedal and set the parking
brake.
• Place gearshift lever in "NEUTRAL" position.
Move attachment clutch to "DISENGAGED" position.
Pull choke control out to "CHOKE" position for cold
engine start. For warm engine start do not use choke
control.
Move throttle control to midway between "FAST" and
"SLOW" positions.
Turn ignition key clockwise to "START" position and
refease 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" position,
wait a few minutes and try again.
When engine starts, slowly push choke control in.
,, Move throttle control to "FAST" position.
Allow engine to warm up for a few minutes before
engaging drive or attachment clutch.
NOTE: tf 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
Adjustments section of this manual.
MOWING TiPS
• Tire chains cannot be used when the mower hous-
ing is attached to unit.
o 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.
• 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 distri-
bution of clippings and more uniform cutting.
• When mowing large areas, start by turningto 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).
• If grass is extremely tall, it should be mowed twice
to reduce load and possible fire hazard from dried
clippings. Make first cut relatively high; the second
to the desired height.
Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet grass will
plug mower and leave undesirable clumps. Allow
grass to dry before mowing.
• Always operate engine at ful! throttle when mowing
to assure better mowing performance and proper dis-
charge of material. Regulate ground speed by se-
lecting a tow enough speed to give the mower cut-
ting performance as well as the quality of cut de-
sired.
14
When operating attachments, select a ground speed
that will suit the terrain and give best performance of
the attachment being used.
FIG. 10
MULCHtNG MOWING T|PS
_MPORTANT: 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.
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
wil! not be exposed to the direct sun.
For best results, adjust the mower cutting height so that
the mower cuts offonly the top one-third of the grass
blades (See Fig. 1 I). For extremely heavy mulching,
reduce your width of cut on each pass and mow slowly.
MA×I_
FiG. 11
Certain types of grass and grass conditions may re-
quire that an area be mulched a second time to com-
pletely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut,
mow across or perpendicular to the first cut path.
Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mow
north to south one week then change to east to west the
next week. This will help prevent matting and graining
of the lawn.