Craftsman 917.28857 Operator's Manual page 18

TOCLEAN B ATTERY AND TERMINALS
Corrosion and dirtonthebattery and termi-
nals cancause t hebattery to"leak" power.
1. Disconnect BLACK b attery c able first
then REDbattery c able andremove
battery f rom tractor.
2. Rinse t hebattery withplain water a nd
dry.
3. Clean terminals andbattery c able ends
with wirebrush until b right.
4. Coat t erminals withgrease o rpetro-
leum jelly.
5. Reinstall battery ( See "REPLACING
BATTERY" intheSERVICE AND AD-
JUSTMENTS section o fthismanual).
TRANSAXLE COOLING
The transmission fanandcooling f ins
should bekept c lean t oassure p roper
cooling.
Donot a ttempt toclean fanortransmis-
sion while engine i srunning o rwhile the .
transmission ishot. T oprevent possible
damage toseals, d onotusehigh pressure
water o rsteam toclean t ransaxle.
Inspect cooling fantobesure fanblades 1.
areintact andclean.
Inspect cooling f ins fordirt, g rass clip-
pings a ndother m aterials. Toprevent
damage toseals, d onotusecom- 2.
pressed airorhigh pressure sprayer to
clean cooling fins.
TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID Docking
Position
The transaxle wassealed a tthefactory
andfluid maintenance isnotrequired for
thelifeofthetransaxle. Should t hetrans-
axle
ever leak or require servicing, contact
your nearest Sears or other qualified
service center.
V-BELTS
Check V-belts for deterioration and wear
after 100 hours of operation and replace
if necessary. The belts are not adjustable.
Replace belts if they begin to slip from
wear.
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Only use high quality detergent oil rated
with API service classification SG-SL
Select the oil's SAE viscosity grade
according to your expected operating
temperature.
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
c -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40
TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
oilvi_chart I e
NOTE: Although multi-viscosity oils
(5W30, 10W30 etc.) improve starting in
cold weather, they wilt result in increased
oil consumption when used above
32°F/0°0. Check your engine oil level
more frequently to avoid possible engine
damage from running tow on oil.
Change the oil after every 50 hours of op-
eration or at least once a year if the tractor
is not used for 50 hours in one year.
Check the crankcase oil level before start-
ing the engine and after each eight (8)
hours of operation. Tighten oil fill cap/
dipstick securely each time you check the
oil level.
TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL
Determine temperature range expected
before oil change. All oil must meet API
service classification SG-SL
Be sure tractor is on level surface.
Oil will drain more freely when warm.
Catch oil in a suitable container.
Remove oil fill cap/dipstick. Be careful
notto allow dirt to enter the engine when
changing oil.
Slide oil drain extension from the docking
position on the engine blower housing
and extend outward from engine.
Oil Drain
Extension
Cap
3. To open, twist cap counter-clockwise
4. After oil is drained completely, replace
cap and twist clockwise until it stops.
5. Re-attach oil drain extension to engine
blower housing.
6. Refill engine with oil through oil fill dipstick
tube. Pour slowly. Do not overfill. For ap-
proximate capacity see "PRODUCT SP-
ECIFICATIONS" section of this manual.
7. Use gauge on oil fill cap/dipstick for
checking level. For accurate reading,
tighten dipstick cap securely onto the
tube before removing dipstick. Keep oil
at "FULL' line on dipstick. Tighten cap
onto the tube securely when finished.
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