Craftsman 917.387470 Owner's Manual page 13

Changethe oilafterevery25 hoursof opera-
tion orat least oncea year ifthe lawn mower
is not usedfor 25 hoursin one year.
Checkthe crankcaseoil level before
starting the engineand after each five (5)
hours of continuoususe.Tightenoil plug
securely eachtime you check the 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 contact with plug.
2. Removeengine oil cap; lay aside on a
clean surface.
3. Tip lawn moweron its side as shown
and drain oil into a suitablecontainer.
Rocklawn mowerbackand forth to re-
moveany oil trapped insideof engine.
4. Wipe off any spill-'e(_°8_la_ lawn
mower or side of engine.
5. Slowly pour oil down the oil fill spout,
stopping every few ounces to check the
oil level with the dipstick.
6. Stop adding oil when you reach the
FULL mark on the dipstick. Wait a
minute to allow oil to settle.
7. Continue adding small amounts of oil,
rechecking the dipstick until oil level
settles at FULL. DO NOT overfill, or
engine will smoke heavily from the muf-
fler on startup.
8. Always be sure to retighten oil dipstick
before starting engine.
9. Reconnect spark plug wire to plug.
AIR FILTER
Your engine will not run properly and may
be damaged by using a dirty air filter.
Clean the element after every 25 hours of
operation or every season. Replace the air
filter every 100 hours of operation or every
season, whichever occurs first. Service air
cleaner more often under dusty conditions.
TO CLEAN AIR FILTER ELEMENT
4. Wash filter element in liquid detergent
and water.
5. Wrap filter element in cloth and
squeeze dry.
6. Lightly coat filter element with clean
engine oil. Squeeze in towel to remove
excess oil. Do not saturate.
7. Reassemble parts and put back on
carburetor.
Screw ASSEMBLE ONE OF THESE LOW POINTS
i
Lip Element Cup
1. Remove screw.
2. Remove air cleaner carefully to prevent
dirt from entering carburetor.
3. Take air cleaner apart and clean air
filter element. 13
ASSEMBLE SO LIP
EXTENDS OVER
EDGE OF
AIR CLEANER
BODY
LIP WILL FORM
PROTECTIVE
SEALWHEN
COVER IS ASSEMBLED
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.
CLEANING
IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep
mower housing free of built-grass and
trash. Clean the underside of your mower
after each use.
_kCAUTION: Disconnect spark plug wire
from spark plug and place wire where it
cannot come in contact with plug.
• Clean the underside of your mower by
scraping to remove build-up of grass/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.