Craftsman 917.27576 Owner's Manual page 20

NOTE: Do not use a nail for balancing
blade. The lobes of the center hole may
appear to be centered, but are not.
• Slide blade on to an unthreaded portion
of the steel bolt or pin and hold the
bolt or pin parallel with the ground. If
blade is balanced, it should remain in a
horizontal po si tion. If either end of the
blade moves downward, sharpen the
heavy end until the blade is balanced.
5/8" Bolt or Pin
Center Hole
BATTERY
Your tractor has a battery charging sys tem
which is suf fi cient for normal use. How-
ev er, periodic charging of the battery with
an automotive charger will extend its life.
• Keep battery and terminals clean.
• Keep battery bolts tight.
• Keep small vent holes open.
• Recharge at 6-10 amperes for 1 hour.
NOTE: The original equipment battery on
your tractor is maintenance free. Do not
attempt to open or remove caps or cov ers.
Adding or checking level of elec tro lyte is
not necessary.
TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TER MI NALS
Corrosion and dirt on the battery and
terminals can cause the battery to "leak"
power.
1. Disconnect BLACK battery cable fi rst
then RED bat tery cable and remove
battery from tractor.
2. Rinse the battery with plain water and
dry.
3. Clean terminals and battery cable ends
with wire brush until bright.
4. Coat terminals with grease or pe tro -
leum jelly.
5. Reinstall battery (See "RE PLAC ING
BATTERY" in the Service and Ad just -
ments section of this manual).
TRANSAXLE COOLING
The transmission fan and cooling fi ns
should be kept clean to assure proper
cooling.
Do not attempt to clean fan or trans mis -
sion while engine is running or while the
transmission is hot. To prevent pos si ble
damage to seals, do not use high pres sure
water or steam to clean transaxle.
• Inspect cooling fan to be sure fan blades
are intact and clean.
• Inspect cooling fi ns for dirt, grass clip-
pings and other materials. To prevent
damage to seals, do not use com-
pressed air or high pressure sprayer to
clean cool ing fi ns.
TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID
The transaxle was sealed at the factory
and fl uid main te nance is not required for
the life of the transaxle. Should the trans-
axle ever leak or require servicing, contact
a Sears or other qualifi ed service center.
V-BELTS
Check V-belts for deterioration and wear
Blade
after 100 hours of operation and replace
if necessary. The belts are not ad just able.
Re place belts if they begin to slip from
wear.
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Only use high quality detergent oil rated
with API service classifi cation SG-SL. Se-
lect the oil's SAE viscosity grade according
to your expected operating tem per a ture.
-20
F
C
-30
TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
NOTE: Although multi-viscosity oils
(5W30, 10W30 etc.) improve starting in
cold weather, they will result in increased
oil consumption when used above 32°F.
Check your en gine oil level more frequent-
ly to avoid pos si ble engine damage from
running low on oil.
Change the oil after every 50 hours of op-
er a tion or at least once a year if the trac tor
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 fi ll 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 classifi cation SG-SL.
• Be sure tractor is on level surface.
• Oil will drain more freely when warm.
• Catch oil in a suitable container.
1. Remove oil fi ll cap/dipstick. Be careful
not to allow dirt to enter the engine
when changing oil.
2. Remove yellow cap from end of drain
valve and install the drain tube onto the
20
fi tting.
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
SAE 30
5W-30
0 30 32 40 60
-20 0 10
-10
80 100
20 30 40
oil_visc_chart1_e