Starting; Level; Starting Engine - Craftsman 917.295450 Owner's Manual

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OPERATION
TRANSPORTING YOUR TILLER
CAUTION: Before lifting or transport,-
ing, allow tiller engine and muffler to
cool. Disconnectsparkplug wire. Drain
gasoline from fuel tank.
AROUND THE YARD
. Tip depth stake forward until it is held by the stake
spdng.
. Push tiller handles down, raising tines off the ground
• Push or pull tiller to desired location°
AROUND TOWN
° Disconnect spark plug wire.
• Drain fuet tank_
. Transport in upright position to prevent oil leakage.
BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
IMPORTANT: BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO ALLOW
DIRT TO ENTER THE ENGINE WHEN CHECKING OR
ADDING OILOR FUEL. USE CLEAN OILAND FUELAND
STORE IN APPROVED, CLEAN, COVERED
CONTAINERS. USE CLEAN FILL FUNNELS.
FILL ENGINE WITH OIL (See Fig. 7)
• With engine level, remove engine oil filler plug.
° Fill engine with oil to point of overflowing. For approxi-
mate capacity see "PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS" on
page 3 of this manual°
• Tilt tiller back on its wheels and then re-leveL
° Check oil level. Refill to point of overflowingif neces-
saryo Replace oil filler plug_
. For cold weather operation you should change oil for
easter starting (See OIL VISCOSITY CHART' Jnth
Customer Responsibilities section of this manual).
° To change engine oil, see the Customer Responsibili-
ties section of this manual.
OIL
FILLER
PLUG
FIG. 7
ADD GASOLINE
• Fitl fuel tank° Use fresh, c_ean, regular unleaded
gasoline_ (Use of leaded gasoline will increase carbon
and lead oxide deposits and reduce valve life.
IMPORTANT: WHEN OPERATING IN TEMPERATURES
BELOW 32°F, USE FRESH, CLEAN, WINTER GRADE
GASOLINE TO HELP INSURE GOOD COLD WEATHER
STARTING
WARNING: Experience indicates that alcohol blended
fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can
attract moisture which leads to separation and formation of
acids during storage, Acidic gas can damage the fuel
system of an engine while in storage. To avoid engine
problems, the fuel system should be emptied before stor-
age of 30 days or longer'. Drain the gas tank, start the
engine and Iet it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are
empty. Use fresh fuel next season. See the Storage
section of this manual for'additional information. Never use
engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank or
_ermanent damage may occur,,
A
CAUTION: Fill to within 1t2 inch of top
of fuel tank to prevent spills and to
allow for fuel expansion, If gasoline is
accidentally spilled, move machine
away from area of spill, Avoid creating
any source of ignition until gasoline
vapors have disappeared.
Do not overfill. Wipe off any spilled oil
or fuel. Do not store, spill or use gaso-
line near an open flame.
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TO START ENGINE (See Fig. 8)
CAUTION: Keep the tine control in
"OFF" position when starting engine.
• Make sure spark plug wire is properly connected.
• Place throttle control in "FAST" position,
° To start a coldengine; place choke controlin "CHOKE"
position. A warm engine requires less chokingto start_
• Grasp starter handle with one hand and grasp the tiller
with other hand. Pull rope out slowly until engine
reaches start of compression cycle (rope will pult
slightly harder at this point)_
° Pull starter handle quickly_ Do not let starter' handle
snap back against starter.
• When engine starts, slowly move choke control to
"RUN" positionas engine warms up.
o Move throttle controlto desired running position.
= Allow engine to warm up for a few minutes before
engaging tines.,
NOTE: If at a high altitude (3000 feet) or in cold tempera-
tures (below 32°F), the carburetor fuel mixture may need to
be adjusted for best engine performance, See 'q'O AD-
JUST CARBURETOR" in the Service and Adjustments
section of this manual
NOTE: If engine does not start, see "TROUBLESHOOT-
ING POINTS".
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