Craftsman 917.258920 Owner's Manual page 19

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TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS
Corrosion and dirt on the battery and terminals can cause
the battery to "leak" power,,
° Remove terminal guard°
° Disconnect BLACK battery cable first then RED bat-
tery cable and remove battery from tractor.
• Rinse the battery with plain water and dryr
" Clean terminals and battery cable ends with wire brush
until bdght,
• Coat terminals with grease or petroleum jelly.
. Reinstall battery (See "REPLACING BATTERY" in the
SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENTS section of this
manual).
TRANSAXLE COOLING
The fan and cooling fins of transmission should be kept
clean to assure proper cooling°
Do not attempt to clean fan or transmission while engine is
running or while the transmission is hot. To prevent
possible damage to seals, no not use high pressure water
or steam to clean transaxle.
• Inspect cooling fan to be sure fan blades are intact and
clean.
° Inspect cooling fins for dirt, grass clippings and other
materials° To prevent damage to seals, do not use
compressed air or high pressure sprayer.
TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID
The transaxle was sealed at the factory and fluid mainte-
nance is not required for the fife of the transaxle. Should
the transaxle ever leak or require servicing, contact your
nearest authorized service center/departmento
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TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL (See Figs. 15 and 16)
Determine temperature range expected before oil change°
All oil must meet API service classification SF, SG or SHo
, 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 not to allow dirt
to enter the engine when changing oil.
° Remove drain plugo
• After oil has drained completely, replace oil drain plug
and tighten securely.
, Refill engine with oil through oil fill dipstick tube. Pour
slowly. Do not overfill. For approximate capacity see
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS on page 3 of this
manual.
° Use gauge on oil fill cap/dipstick forchecking level. Be
sure dipstick is in all the way for accurate reading.,
Keep oil at FULL line on dipstick.
AIR SCREEN
OIL DRAIN
PLUG
FIG. 16
ENGINE OIL
FILL CAP/
DIPSTICK
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
CLEAN AIR SCREEN (See Fig. 16)
Air screen must be kept free of dirt and chaff to prevent
engine damage from overheating° Clean with a wire brush
or compressed air to remove dirt and stubborn dried gum
fibers,
LUBRICATION
Only use high quality detergent oil rated with API service
classification SF, SG, or SH° Select the oil's SAE viscosity
grade according to your expected operating temperature.
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
.......
=F ..... -2o_ O* 30_ 32" 40" 60 * 80" 10(}'
°c-_o. -2'o- -1_" o" ......... lo' 2o. 3o' ;o"
TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
FIG. 15
Change the oil after every 50 hours of operation or at least
once a year if the tractor is not used for 50 hours inone year,,
Check the crankcase oil level before starting the engine
and after each eight (8) hours of operation. Tighten oil fill
cap/dipstick securely each time you check the oil level,
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