MTD 26M Owner's manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 26M

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: Owner's manual

This manual is also suitable for

Safety • Assembly • Operation • Maintenance • Troubleshooting • Engine • Parts Lists • Warranty

A O A AL

YaRD-MaN

22-inch Rotary Mower- Model 26M

iMPORTANT

READ SAFETY RULES AND iNSTRUCTiONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION

Warning: Thisunitisequippedwithaninternalcombustionengineandshouldnotbeusedon or nearanyunimprovedforest-covered,brush-

coveredor grass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaustsystemisequippedwitha sparkarrestermeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(if any).

If a sparkarresterisused,itshouldbemaintainedineffectiveworkingorderbytheoperator.IntheStateofCaliforniatheaboveisrequiredbylaw

(Section4442oftheCaliforniaPublicResourcesCode).Otherstatesmayhavesimilarlaws.Federallawsapplyonfederallands.A sparkarrester

forthemufflerisavailablethroughyournearestengineauthorizedservicedealeror contacttheservicedepartment,RO.Box361131Cleveland,

Ohio44136-0019.

PRINTEDIN U.S.A.

MTD LLC, P.O. BOX 361131 CLEVELAND, OHiO 44136-0019

FORMNO.769-02298A

2/28/2006

This Operator's Manual is an important part of your new lawn mower, it will help you assemble,

prepare and maintain the unit for best performance. Please read and understand what it says.

Table of Contents

Slope Gauge ....................................................... 3

Safe Operation Practices ................................... 4

Setup and Adjustment ....................................... 6

Operating Your Lawn Mower .............................. 8

Maintaining Your Lawn Mower ......................... 10

Trouble Shooting .............................................. 12

Off-Season Storage and Safety Labels .......... 13

Engine Appendix .............................................. 14

Engine Safe Operation Practices ................. 14

Operating Your Engine .................................. 16

Maintaining Your Engine ............................... 18

Parts List ........................................................... 22

Warranty ............................................ Back Cover

Finding and Recording Model Number

BEFOREYOUBEGINASSEMBLINGYOURNEW

EQUIPMENT,pleaselocatethe modelplateonthe

equipmentand copythe informationtothe sample

modelplateprovidedtothe right.Youcan locatethe

modelplatebystandingat theoperatingpositionand

lookingdownatthe rearofthe deck. This information

willbe necessaryto usethe manufacturer'sweb

site,to obtainassistancefromthe CustomerSup-

port Department,orwhencontactinganauthorized

servicedealer.

YaRD-MaN

P. O. BOX 361131

CLEVELAND,OH 44136

www.yardman.com 330-220-4683

800-800-731 0

Customer Support

Please do/VOTreturn the unit to the retailer from which it was purchased, without first

contacting Customer Support.

If you havedifficultyassemblingthis productor haveany questionsregardingthe controls, operation,or maintenanceof this

unit,youcan seek helpfrom the experts. Choosefromthe optionsbelow:

• Visit us on the web atwww.yardman.corn

• Call a CustomerSupport Representativeat 1=800=800=7310.

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Sightandholdthis levelwith a verticaltree...

also

15°

RNING

This symbol points

out important safety

instructionswhich, if

notfollowed, could

endangerthe personal

i safety and/or property

ofyourself and others.

Readand follow all

instructionsinthis man-

ualbeforeattempting to

operatethis machine.

Failureto complywith

these instructionsmay

resultin personalinjury.

i When youseethis

symbol.

HEED iTS WARNING

Your

i Flesponsibility

I Restrictthe use

i of this powermachine

to personswho read.

understand

and followthewarnings

and instructions

in this manual

andon the machine.

WARNING: EngineExhaust,some of its constituents,andcertain vehiclecompo-

nentscontain or emit chemicals knownto Stateof Californiato cause cancerand

birth defectsor other reproductiveharm.

DANGER: Thismachinewas builtto beoperatedaccordingto the rulesfor safe operationin this

manual.As with anytypeof powerequipment,carelessnessor erroronthe part ofthe operatorcan

result inseriousinjury.This machine iscapableof amputatinghands andfeet andthrowing objects.

Failureto observethe followingsafety instructionscould resultin serious injuryor death.

Children

Tragicaccidentscanoccurifoperatorisnotalertto presence

ofchildren.Childrenareoftenattractedtomowerand mowing

activity.Theydonot understandthe dangers.Neverassume

thatchildrenwill remainwhereyoulastsawthem.

1. Keepchildrenoutofthe mowingareaandunderwatchful

careofa responsibleadultotherthanthe operator.

2. Bealertandturnmoweroffif achildentersthearea.

3. Beforeandwhilemovingbackwards,lookbehindanddown

forsmallchildren.

4. Useextremecarewhenapproachingblindcorners,

doorways,shrubs,trees,orotherobjectsthat mayobscure

yourvisionofachildwhomayrunintothe mower.

5. Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.Theycan

sufferburnsfroma hotmuffler.

6. Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldto operateapower

mower.Children14yearsoldandovershouldreadand

understandoperationinstructionsandsafetyrulesinthis

manualandshouldbetrainedandsupervisedbyaparent.

General Operation

1. Readthis operator'smanualcarefullyin its entiretybefore

attemptingtoassemblethis machine.Read,understand,

andfollowall instructionsonthe machineandin the

manual(s)beforeoperation.Becompletelyfamiliarwith

thecontrolsandthe properuseofthis machinebefore

operatingit. Keepthis manualina safeplaceforfuture

andregularreferenceandfor orderingreplacementparts.

2. Thismachineisa precisionpieceof powerequipment,

nota plaything.Therefore,exerciseextremecautionat all

times.Yourunithas beendesignedto performonejob: to

mowgrass.Donotuseit foranyotherpurpose.

3. Neverallow childrenunder14yearsoldto operatethis

machine.Children14yearsoldand overshouldreadand

understandthe instructionsinthismanualandshould

betrainedand supervisedby a parent.Onlyresponsible

individualswhoarefamiliarwiththeserulesofsafe

operationshouldbeallowedto usethismachine.

4. Thoroughlyinspectthe areawherethe equipmentisto

beused.Removeall stones,sticks,wire,bones,toysand

otherforeignobjectswhichcouldbetrippedoveror picked

upandthrownbytheblade.Thrownobjectscancause

seriouspersonalinjury.Planyourmowingpatternto avoid

dischargeof materialtowardroads,sidewalks,bystanders

andthe like.Also,avoiddischargingmaterialagainsta

wallorobstructionwhichmaycausedischargedmaterial

toricochetbacktowardtheoperator.

5. Tohelpavoidbladecontactorathrownobjectinjury,

stayinoperatorzonebehindhandlesandkeepchildren,

bystanders,helpers,and petsat least75feet frommower

whileit is inoperation.Stopmachineifanyoneenters

area.

6. Alwayswearsafetyglassesor safetygogglesduringopera-

tionandwhileperforminganadjustmentorrepairtoprotect

youreyes.Thrownobjectswhichricochetcancauseserious

injurytothe eyes.

7. Wearsturdy,rough-soledworkshoesand close-fitting

slacksandshirts.Shirtsand pantsthatcoverthe armsand

legsandsteel-toedshoesarerecommended.Neveroperate

thismachineinbarefeet,sandals,slipperyor lightweight

(e.g.canvas)shoes.

8. Donotputhandsorfeetnearrotatingpartsor undercutting

deck.Contactwithbladecanamputatehandsandfeet.

9. Amissingor damageddischargecovercancauseblade

contactor thrownobjectinjuries.

10.Manyinjuriesoccurasa resultofthe mowerbeingpulled

overthefootduringafallcausedbyslippingortripping.

Do notholdontothe mowerifyouarefalling;releasethe

handleimmediately.

11.Neverpullthe mowerbacktowardyouwhileyouare

walking.Ifyoumustbackthe mowerawayfromawallor

obstructionfirstlookdownand behindtoavoidtrippingand

thenfollowthesesteps:

a. Stepbackfrommowertofully extendyourarms.

b. Besureyouarewellbalancedwithsurefooting.

c. Pullthe mowerbackslowly,no morethanhalfway

towardyou.

d. Repeatthesestepsas needed.

12.Donotoperatethe mowerwhileunderthe influenceof

alcoholordrugs.

13.Donotengage theself-propelledmechanismon unitsso

equippedwhilestartingengine.

14.Thebladecontrolhandleisa safetydevice.Neverattempt

tobypassitsoperation.Doingso makesthe safetydevice

inoperativeandmayresultinpersonalinjurythrough

contactwiththe rotatingblade.Thebladecontrolhandle

mustoperateeasilyin bothdirectionsandautomatically

returntothe disengagedpositionwhenreleased.

15.Neveroperatethe mowerinwetgrass.Alwaysbesureof

yourfooting. A slipandfall cancauseseriouspersonal

injury.If youfeelyouarelosingyourfooting,releasethe

bladecontrolhandleimmediatelyand the bladewillstop

rotatingwithinthreeseconds.

16.Mowonlyindaylightor goodartificiallight.Walk,neverrun.

17.Stopthe bladewhencrossinggraveldrives,walksor roads.

18.Iftheequipmentshouldstartto vibrateabnormally,stopthe

engineandcheckimmediatelyfor the cause.Vibrationis

generallya warningoftrouble.

19.Shutthe engineoff andwait untilthe bladecomesto a

completestop beforeremovingthe grasscatcheror unclog-

gingthechute.

Thecuttingbladecontinuesto rotatefora fewseconds

after theengineisshutoff.Neverplaceanypartofthe body

inthebladearea untilyouaresurethe bladehasstopped

rotating.

20. Neveroperatemowerwithoutpropertrailshield,discharge

cover,grasscatcher,bladecontrolhandle,or othersafety

protectivedevicesin placeand working.Neveroperate

mowerwithdamagedsafetydevices.Failuretodo socan

resultin personalinjury.

21. Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcan causeaburn.Do

nottouch.

22.Onlyusepartsandaccessoriesmadefor thismachineby

manufacturer.Failuretodo socanresultinpersonalinjury.

23. Ifsituationsoccurwhich arenotcoveredin thismanual,

usecareand goodjudgment.Contactyourdealerfor

assistance.Telephone1-800-800-7310forthe nameofyour

nearestdealer.

Slope Operation

Slopesareamajorfactorrelatedto slipandfallaccidentswhich

can resultinsevereinjury.Operationonslopesrequiresextra

caution.Ifyoufeeluneasyon aslope,do notmowit.Foryour

safety,usetheslopegaugeincludedaspartofthis manualto

measureslopesbeforeoperatingthis unitonaslopedor hilly

area.Iftheslopeisgreaterthan15degrees,donot mowit.

Do:

1. Mowacrossthe faceofslopes; neverup anddown.

Exerciseextremecautionwhenchangingdirectionon

slopes.

2. Watchfor holes,ruts,rocks, hiddenobjects,or bumpswhich

can causeyouto slipor trip.Tallgrasscanhideobstacles.

3. Alwaysbesureofyourfooting.A slip andfall cancause

seriouspersonalinjury.If youfeelyouarelosingyour

balance,releasethe bladecontrolhandleimmediately,and

the bladewill stoprotatingwithin3seconds.

Do Not:

1. Donot mowneardrop-offs,ditchesorembankments,where

you couldloseyourfootingorbalance.

2. Donot mowslopesgreaterthan 15degreesasshownon

the slopegauge.

3. Donot mowon wetgrass.Unstablefootingcouldcause

slipping.

Service

Safe HandlingOf Gasoline:

1. Toavoidpersonalinjury orpropertydamageuseextreme

care inhandlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammable

andthevaporsareexplosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycan

occurwhengasolineisspilledonyourselforyourclothes

whichcanignite.

2. Washyourskinandchangeclothesimmediately.

3. Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

4. Neverfillcontainersinsideavehicleoron atruckor trailer

bedwitha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontainersonthe

groundawayfromyourvehiclebeforefilling.

5. Removegas-poweredequipmentfromthe truckortrailer

andrefuelit onthe ground.Ifthisis notpossible,thenrefuel

suchequipmentonatrailerwitha portablecontainer,rather

thanfroma gasolinedispensernozzle.

6. Keepthe nozzlein contactwiththe rimofthefueltankor

containeropeningat alltimesuntilfuelingis complete.Do

notusea nozzlelock-opendevice.

7. Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars,pipesand othersources

of ignition.

8. Neverfuel machineindoorsbecauseflammablevaporswill

accumulatein thearea.

9. Neverremovegascap oradd fuelwhileengineishotor

running. Allowengineto coolatleasttwominutesbefore

refueling.

10.Neveroverfillfueltank. Filltankto nomorethanY2inch

belowbottomoffiller neckto provideforfuelexpansion.

11.Replacegasolinecapandtightensecurely.

12.Ifgasolineis spilled,wipeitoff theengineand equipment.

Moveunittoanotherarea.Wait5minutesbeforestarting

engine.

13.Neverstorethemachineorfuel containernearanopen

flame,sparkor pilotlightasona waterheater,space

heater,furnace,clothesdryer,orothergas appliances.

14.Toreducefire hazard,keepmowerfreeofgrass,leaves,

orother debrisbuild-up.Cleanupoil orfuelspillageand

removeanyfuel soakeddebris.

15.Allowamowertocoolat least5 minutesbeforestoring.

GeneralService:

1. Neverrunanengineindoorsorin apoorlyventilatedarea.

Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorlessand

deadlygas.

2. Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspecting,makecertainthe

bladeandall movingpartshavestopped.Disconnectthe

sparkplugwireandgroundagainstthe engineto prevent

unintendedstarting.

3. Checkthe bladeandenginemountingboltsatfrequent

intervalsfor propertightness.Also,visuallyinspectbladefor

damage(e.g.,bent,cracked,worn)Replacebladewiththe

originalequipmentmanufacture's(O.E.M.)bladeonly,listed

inthismanual."Useof partswhichdo notmeetthe original

equipmentspecificationsmayleadto improperperformance

andcompromisesafety!"

4. Mowerbladesaresharpandcancut.Wrapthebladeor wear

gloves,anduseextracautionwhenservicingthem.

5. Keepallnuts,bolts,andscrewstightto besuretheequip-

mentis insafeworkingcondition.

6. Nevertamperwithsafetydevices.Checktheirproperopera-

tionregularly.

7. Afterstrikingaforeignobject,stopthe engine,discon-

nectthesparkplugwireandgroundagainsttheengine.

Thoroughlyinspectthe mowerforanydamage.Repairthe

damagebeforestartingandoperatingthemower.

8. Neverattemptto makeawheelor cuttingheightadjustment

whiletheengineis running.

9. Grasscatchercomponents,dischargecover,andtrail

shieldaresubjecttowear anddamagewhichcould expose

movingpartsor allowobjectsto bethrown.Forsafety

protection,frequentlycheckcomponentsandreplaceim-

mediatelywithoriginalequipmentmanufacturer's(O.E.M.)

partsonly,listedinthis manual."Useofpartswhich do

notmeetthe originalequipmentspecificationsmayleadto

improperperformanceandcompromisesafety!"

10.Do notchangetheenginegovernorsettingor overspeedthe

engine.Thegovernorcontrolsthe maximumsafeoperating

speedoftheengine.

11.Maintainor replacesafetylabels,asnecessary.

12.Observeproperdisposallawsandregulations.Improper

disposaloffluidsandmaterialscanharmtheenvironment.

WARNING

Thissymbol points

out importantsafety

instructionswhich, if

notfollowed,could

endangerthe personal

safety and/or property

ofyourself andothers.

Readand followall

instructions inthis man-

ual beforeattemptingto

operatethis machine.

Failureto comply with

these instructionsmay

result inpersonalinjury.

Whenyousee this

symbol.

HEED iTS WARNING

Your

Responsibility

Restrictthe use

ofthis powermachine

to personswho read.

understand

and followthe warnings

and instructions

inthis manual

and onthe machine.

T_:_ X

f 1. Forshippingpurposes,thechutedeflectoron your

discarded before

operatingthe moWer.

NOTE:Yourmower

sshippedwith the

handlein thehigher

height position.

NOTE: Eachend of

the lowerhandlemust

beplaced in the same

relativeoosition.

IMPORTANT

This unit isshipped

without gasolineor oil

in theengine. Fill up

gasoline and oilas

instructedin the engine

operation section

BEFOREoperating

your mower.

Step 1

Step 2

mowerisheldinan uprightpositionbya retainer.

Removetheretaineras follows:

a. Push chutedeflectoruptowardsengine.Holding

deflectorin thisposition,removetheretainerand

discard.SeeStep1.

b. Lowerthechutedeflectorcarefullykeepingyour

fingersoutoftheway.

,_ WARNING: The chute retainer

must be removed and discarded

before operating the mower.

Performthefollowingsequenceforhandlesetup:

a. LifttheupperhandleupfromfoldedpositionAand

pullittoextendedpositionBfollowingthearrowin

Step2.Thehandleshouldclickintothisposition.

b. Makesurethecarriageboltis seatedproperly

in thehandle.Tightenwingnutssecuringupper

handletothelowerhandle

3. If satisfiedwith heightof handle,tightenwingnuts

attheendsofthelowerhandleshownin Step3.For

convenienceof operating,youmayadjustthehandle

heightbyremovingthewingnutsshownin Step3and

removingthelowerhandle.

a. Positioneachhandlebracketstudintothetophole

in thelowerhandle.SeeStep3 inset.

b. Tightenthewingnuts.

4. Insertpostoncabletiesintoholesprovidedon the

lowerhandle.Pullcabletietightandtrimexcess.See

Step4.

Step 3 Step 4

5. RopeguideSetupasfollowsin Step5:

a. Holdthebladecontrolagainsttheupperhandle.

b. Slowlypullstarterropeoutofengine.

c. Slipstarterropeintotheropeguide.

d. Tightenropeguidewingnut.

6. Eachwheelhasa heightadjustmentlevertochange

thecuttingheightofthe mower.

a. Depressheightadjustmentlevertowardswheel.

b. Slidelevertodesiredpositionfora changein

cuttingheight.SeeStep6.

c. Releaselevertowardsdeck.

7. Installmulchingbaffleonthe rightsideofthemower

followingthestepsbelow:

a. Lift upandholdtheside-dischargechutedeflector

andinsertbottomlip ofthemulchingbaffleinside

thechuteopeningSeeStep7.

b. Snaphooksd themulchingbaffleoverthehinge

pinofthechutedeflector.Thehooksmustsnap

intoplaceon thehingepin,lockingthemulching

bafflefirmlyontomower.Releasechutedeflector.

Step 5

Step 6

CUTTINGHEIGHT

Step 6

Allwheels must be

placedinthe same

relativeposition. For

roughor unevenlawns,

movethe heightadjust-

mentleverto a higher

position,This will stop

scalping of grass.

MULCHING BAFFLE

Step 7

Forproperassembly,

installbottom lipinside

chute opening before

placinghooks overthe

hingepin.

iMPORTANT

Thisunit isshipped

without gasolineoroil

in the engine.Fill up

gasolineand oil as

instructedin the engine

operationsection

BEFOREoperating

yourmower.

Step 7

WARNING

The blade control

mechanism is a

safety device. Never

attempt to bypass its

operations.

I Useextreme care

when handling

gasoline.Gasoline is

extremely flammable

and the vapors are

explosive. Never fuel

the machine indoors

or while the engine

is hot or running.

Extinguish cigarettes,

cigars, pipes and

other sources of

ignition.

Keep hands and feet

away from the chute

area on cutting deck.

Referto warning

label onthe unit.

Know Your Lawn Mower

Control

Drive Control

Recoil

Starter

Control

GasolineFill

Mulching

Height Adjustment

Levers

Figure 1

Nowthatyouhavesetupyourlawnmower,it'simportant

tobecomeacquaintedwith itscontrolsandfeatures.

Blade Control

Thebladecontrolisattachedtothe upperhandleof

themower.Depressand squeezeitagainsttheupper

handletooperatetheunit. Releaseittostopengineand

blade.

,__ WARNING:Thisblade control mecha-

nism isa safetydevice. Neverattempt

to bypass itsoperations.

Drive Control

Thedrivecontrolislocatedontheundersideofthe

upperhandleand isusedtoengagethedrive.Squeeze

itagainsttheupperhandleto engagethedrive; release

ittoslowdownor stopmowerfrompropelling.

Mulching Baffle

insteadofcollectingthegrassclippingsinthegrass

catcher,yourmowerhastheoptionof recirculatingthe

clippingsbacktothelawn.Removegrasscatcher(if

applicable),andoperatewiththemulchingbaffleonly

forthispurpose.

Recoil Starter

Therecoilstarteris attachedtotherightupperhandle.

Standbehindtheunitand pullthe recoilstarterropeto

startthe unit.

Choke Control

Thechokecontrolislocatedontheleftsideofthehandle

andwhenactivated,closesthechokeplateon the

carburetorandaidsin startingtheengine.

Gas and Oil Fill-Up

1. Addoilprovidedbeforestartingunitforthefirsttime

outofthebox.Followengineoperationsectionfor

this.

2. Servicetheenginewithgasolineasinstructedinthe

engineoperationsection.

__L ARNING:Useextremecarewhenhan-

dling gasoline.Gasolineis extremely

flammableand the vapors areexplosive.

Neverfuel the machine indoorsor while

the engine ishot or running. Extinguish

cigarettes, cigars, pipesand other

sources of ignition.

Cutting Height Adjustment Levers

Oneadjustmentleverislocatedoneachwheelandis

usedtoadjustthecuttingheight.All fourleversmustbe

atthesamepositiontoensurea uniformcut.

,,,

_ ARNING:The operationof any lawn if

mowercanresult inforeign objects

being thrownintothe eyes,whichcan

damageyoureyesseverely.Always

wearsafetyglasseswhileoperating

the mower,or whileperforming any

adjustmentsor repairson it.

Starting Engine

WARNING:Besureno one otherthan

,_i_ theoperatorisstandingnearthe lawn

mowerwhilestartingengine or operat-

ingmower.Neverrun engineindoors

orin enclosed,poorly ventilatedareas.

Engine exhaustcontainscarbon monox-

ide,an odorlessand deadly gas. Keep

hands, feet,hair and loose clothing

awayfrom any movingpartson engine

and lawnmower.

Figure 2

WARNING:Alwayskeep hands

and feet clear of equipment

movingparts. Do not usea pres-

surized startingfluid. Vaporsare

flammable.

Besurelawnisclearofstones,sticks,wire,orother

objectswhichcoulddamagelawnmoweror engine.

Suchobjectscouldbeaccidentlythrownbythemower

inanydirectionandcauseseriouspersonalinjurytothe

operatorandothers.

1. Pulloutthechokeknoblocatedon theleftsideof the

upperhandle.See Figure2.

NOTE:Useofthechokemaybe necessaryiftheengine

iswarmor theair temperatureishigh.

2. Standingbehindthe mower,depressthebladecontrol

and holditagainsttheupperhandle.

3. Pullthestartergriplightlyuntilresistanceisfelt,

thenpullrapidlytoovercomecompression,prevent

kickbackandstartengine.Repeatifnecessary.See

Figure2.

IMPORTANT:Donotallowthestartergriptosnap

backagainsttheropeguide.Returnitgentlytoprevent

damagetothe starter.

4. Whenenginewarmsup,pushinthechokeknob.See

Figure2.

Stopping Engine

1. Releasebladecontroltostoptheengineand blade.

UsingYour Lawn Mower

_ ARNING:Neveroperateyour mower

without eitherthe reardoor or the entire

grass catcher assembly firmly secured.

WARNING:ifyou strike aforeign

object,stopthe engine.Remove

spark plug boot from the spark plug,

thoroughly inspectmower for any

damage,and repair damagebefore

restartingand operating.Extensive

vibration ofmowerduring operation

isan indicationofdamage.Theunit

should bepromptly inspectedand

repaired.

1. Oncetheengineisrunning,squeezethedrive

controlagainsttheupperhandleto propelmower.

2. Forbest results,do notcut wetgrass.

3. Fora healthierlawn,nevercut offmorethanone-

thirdofthetotallengthofthegrass.

Using as Mulcher

Formulchinggrass,removethegrasscatcher(if

apllicable)andinstallmulchingbafflefollowinginstruc-

tionsonpage7.

1. Foreffectivemulching,do notcut wetgrass.

2. Newor thickgrassmayrequirea narrowercut.

Adjustgroundspeedaccordingtoconditionoflawn.

3. If thegrasshasbeenallowedto growinexcessof

4 inches,mulchingisnotrecommended.Usethe

grasscatchertobagclippingsinstead.

Mower

WARNING

The operation of any

lawn mower can result

inforeign objects

being thrown into

the eyes, which can

damage your eyes

severely. Always wear

safety glasseswhile

operating the mower,

or whileperforming

any adjustments or

repairs on it.

Be sureno one other

than the operator is

standing near the lawn

mower while starting

engine oroperating

mower. Never run

engine indoorsor

n enclosed, poorly

ventilated areas. En-

gineexhaust contains

carbon monoxide, an

odorless and deadly

gas. Keep hands, feet,

hair and loose clothing

away from any moving

partson engine and

lawn mower.

A ,vavs

disconnectspark

plugl and ground

performingany type

Wedo not rec0mmend

the useofa pressure

washerorgarden

hoseto clean

uniLThese maycause

damage to e ectriC

compOnentSspindles

pulleys;bearingS,or

the enginel The use

of water Willresult in

shorten edlife and

reduceServiceability,

Figure 3

General Recommendations

1. Alwaysobservesafetyruleswhenperforming

anymaintenance.

2. Thewarrantyon thislawnmowerdoesnotcover

itemsthathavebeensubjectedtooperatorabuse

ornegligence.Toreceivefullvaluefromwarranty,

operatormustmaintainthelawnmoweras

instructedhere.

3. Changingofengine-governedspeedwillvoid

enginewarranty.

4. Alladjustmentsshouldbecheckedat leastonce

eachseason.

5. Periodicallycheckallfastenersand makesurethese

aretight.

Lubrication

1. Lubricatepivotpointson thebladecontrolanddrive

controlatleastoncea seasonwithlightoil.These

controlsmustoperatefreelyinbothdirections.See

Figure3.

2. Lubricatethewheelsatleastoncea seasonwith

lightoil (ormotoroil). If wheelsareremovedforany

reason,lubricatesurfaceofthepivotarmandinner

surfaceof thewheelwithlightoil.SeeFigure3.

3. Lubricatethetorsionspringandpivotpointoneach

endofthesidemulchingplug/chutedeflectorperiodi-

callywithlightoil topreventrust.SeeFigure3.

4. Thetransmissionispre-lubricatedand sealedatthe

factoryanddoesnotrequirelubrication.

5. Followtheenginemaintenancesectionforlubrication

scheduleandinstructionforenginelubrication.

Deck Care

1. Disconnectsparkplugboot.Draingasolinefrom lawn

mower,or placea pieceof plasticunderthegascap.

2. Tipmowersothat itrestsonthe housing.Keepthe

sidewiththeaircleanerfacingup.Holdmowerfirmly.

WARNING:Nevertip the mowermore

than 90 degreesin anydirections and

do not leavethe mower tipped for any

length of time. Oil can drain intothe

upper part of the engine causinga

starting problem.

3. Scrapeandcleantheundersideofthedeckwitha

suitabletool.Donotspraywithwater.

4. Putthemowerbackonitswheelsontheground.If

youhadputplasticunderthegascapearlier,make

sureto removeitnow.

_bL ARNING:Alwaysstop engine,

disconnect spark plug, and ground

against engine beforecleaning,

lubricatingor doing any kind of

maintenanceon your machine.

Engine Care

1. Maintainoil levelasinstructedintheenginemainte-

nancesection.

Serviceaircleanerevery25 hoursundernormal

conditions.Cleaneveryfewhoursunderextremely

dustyconditions.Refertotheenginemaintenance

section.

3. Cleansparkplugand resetthegaponcea season.

Checktheenginemaintenancesectionforcorrect

plugtypeandgapspecifications.

4. Cleanengineregularlywitha clothorbrush.Keepthe

coolingsystem(blowerhousingarea)cleantopermit

properaircirculation.Removeall grass,dirtand

combustibledebrisfrommufflerarea.

Blade Care

__lk ARNING:Whenremovingcutting

bladefor sharpeningor replacement,

protectyourhandswitha pairof heavy

gloves or usea heavyragto hold blade.

1. Disconnectsparkplugbootfrom sparkplug.Turn

moweron itssidemakingsurethattheairfilterand

thecarburetorareup.

2. Removebolt,bladebellsupport,blade,andblade

adapterfromtheenginecrankshaft.SeeFigure4.

3. Thebladecanbe sharpenedwitha fileor on a grind-

ing wheel.Donotattempttosharpenthebladewhile

it isstillon themower.Whensharpeningblade,follow

originalangleofgrind.Grindcuttingedgesequallyto

keepbladebalanced.

4. Removebladefromtheadapterfortestingbalance.

Balancethebladeona roundshaftscrewdriverto

check.Removemetalfromtheheavysideuntilit

balancesevenly.

Figure 4

_ WARNING:Anunbalanced bladewill

causeexcessivevibration whenrotating

athigh speeds, itmay causedamage

to mower,and could breakcausing

personalinjury.

5. Lubricatetheenginecrankshaftandtheinnersurface

ofthebladeadapterwithlightoil.Slidetheblade

adapterontotheenginecrankshaft.Placetheblade

on theadaptersuchthatthesideoftheblademarked

"Bottom"(orwithpartnumber)facesthegroundwhen

themowerisin theoperatingposition.Makesurethat

bladeisalignedandseatedon bladeadapterflanges.

6. Placebladebellsupportonthe blade.Alignnotches

on thebladebell supportwith smallholesin blade.

Replacehexboltandtightenhexboltto torque:450

in.Ibs.rain.,600 in.Ibs.max.

Toensuresafeoperationofyourmower,periodically

checkthebladeboltforcorrecttorque.

Belt Care

1. Removethefrontdrivecoverbyslidingoffthe

two plasticrivetson eachsideofthecoverwitha

screwdriver.SeeFigure5.

2. Loosenscrewholdingbelttensionspringtotrans-

mission.SeeFigure5 inset.Donotremovescrew

completely.Asyouloosenit, tensiononthebeltwillbe

released.

Pushtransmissionup a littleandslidebeltoffthe

transmissionpulley.Lift mowertoaccessbeltfrom

undersideofmower.Slidebeltoff ofenginepulleyand

aroundtheblade.SeeFigure6.

Figure 5

Figure 6

4. Replacewith newbelt,workingaroundblade.Make

surebeltisfirmlyseatedonenginepulleywhile

pullingfromtheothersideand slidingitaroundthe

transmissionpulley.Tightenscrewloosenedearlier

tosecurebelttensionspringtothetransmission.

Reassemblefrontdrivecover.

_ _ i i i iii _ _ ii _i ii ii

Maintaining

You r LaWn

MOwer

WARNING

When removing

the cutting blade

for sharpening or

replacement or

when sliding the belt

around it, protect

your hands with a

pair of heavy gloves

or use a heavy rag to

hold the blade.

An unbalanced blade

will cause excessive

vibrationwhen rotat-

ing at high speeds. It

may cause damage

to mower, and could

break causing per-

sonal injury.

Problem Cause Remedy

En inef Istostart 1 Bade controd sengaged 1 Engagebade contro

g a ....

2. Sparkplugbootdisconnected. 2. Connectwireto sparkplug•

3. Fueltankemptyor stalefuel• 3. Filltankwithclean,freshgasoline•

4. CHOKEnotactivated• 4 Chokeengineas instructed-in

a t ug. OperatingYourLawnMower.

Trouble

Shootin 2. F ulysparkpl 5. Clean,adjustgap orreplace

6. Blockedfuel line. 6. Cleanfuelline.

7. Engineflooded. 7. Waita fewminutestorestart.

Engineruns erratic 1. Sparkplugbootloose. 1. Connectand tightenspark

plugboot.

2. Blockedfuellineor stalefuel. 2. Cleanfuelline;fill tankwithclean,

freshgasoline.

3. Ventingascapplugged. 3. Clearvent.

4. Waterordirt infuelsystem. 4. Drainfueltank.Refillwith

freshfuel.

5. Dirtyaircleaner. 5. Refertoenginemaintenance

Forrepairsbeyond section.

the minor adjust- 6. UnitrunningwithCHOKEapplied. 6. PushCHOKEknobin.

ments listed here,

contact an authorized Engineoverheats 1. Engineoil levellow. 1. Fillcrankcasewithproperoil.

service dealer. 2. Airflow restricted. 2. Removeb owerhousing

andclean.

Occasional skips 1. Sparkpluggaptooclose. 1. Adjustgapto.030".

(hesitates)at

highspeed

Idles oorl 1 Sparkpug foued fauty or gap 1 Resetgapto 030"orrepace

P Y •

toowide. sparkplug.

2. Dirtyaircleaner. 2. Referto enginemaintenance

secton.

Excessive 1. Cuttingbladelooseor unbalanced. 1. Tightenbladeandadapter.

Vibration Balanceblade.

2. Bentcuttingblade. 2. Seeanauthorizedservicedealer.

not I 1. Wetgrass. 1. Donotmowwhengrassiswet;

Mowerwill

mulch rass (If wat unti aterto cut

Equpped) 2 Excessivel h h rass 2 Mowonceata h ghcuttngheght

Y g g " " thenmowagainatdesiredheight

I ormakea narrowercuttingpath.

3 Dullblade

• " 3. Sharpenor replaceblade.

Unevencut 1. Wheelsnotpositionedcorrectly. 1. Placeall fourwheelsinsame

heightposition.

2. Dullblade. 2. Sharpenor replaceblade.

Mowerwill Rot 1. Beltnotinstalledproperly. 1. Checkbeltfor properpulleyinstal-

If r I atonandmovement

se pope I

2. Debrs coggng drveoperaton. 2. Stopengne,dsconnectsparkpug

I bootandcleanoutdebris.

3. Damagedorwornbelt. 3. Inspectandreplacebelt.

'% ..........

Off-Season Storage

Thefollowingstepsshouldbetakentoprepareyourlawn

mowerforstorage.

1. Cleanandlubricatemowerthoroughlyasdescribedin

thelubricationinstructions.

2. Wedonotrecommendtheuseofa pressurewasher

or gardenhosetocleanyourunit.

3. Refertoenginemanualforcorrectengine

storageinstructions.

4. Coatmower'scuttingbladewithchassisgreaseto

preventrusting.

5. Storemowerina dry,cleanarea.Donotstorenext

tocorrosivematerials,suchas fertilizer.

Whenstoringanytypeof powerequipmentin apoorly

ventilatedor metalstorageshed,careshouldbetaken

torust-prooftheequipment.Usinga lightoilor silicone,

coattheequipment,especiallycablesandall moving

partsofyourlawnmowerbeforestorage.

Safety Labels Found On Your Lawn Mower

engine.Readand follow Operating Instructions before running 1

Gasoline is flammable. Allow engine to cool at least /

2 minutes before refueling.

Engines emit carbon monoxide. DO NOT run in enclosed

area.

_i _i i _iii i__ i iii ii_

DONOTremove safety

(or any) labels from

mower for any reason.

WARNING

Gasolineand itsvapors

areextremelyflam-

mableand explosive.

, Fireorexplosioncan

causesevereburns

i ordeath.If gasolineis

spilledonyourselfor

yourclothes,washyour

I skinand changeclothes

_immediately.

i Starting enginecreates

i sparking.Sparkingcan

I ignite nearbyflamma-

b e gases. Explosion

and firecould result.

Unintentionalsparking

can resultin fire or

electric shock.Unin-

tentional start-upcan

result inentanglement,

:raumaticamputation,

or laceration.

WARNING: Gasoline and its vaporsare extremelyflammableand explosive.Fireor

explosioncancause severe burnsordeath. Ifgasoline isspilled onyourself or your

clothes,wash yourskin and changeclothes immediately.

Gasolineand its vaporsare

extremely flammable and

explosive.Fire or explosioncan

cause severe burns or death. If

gasoline isspilled on yourself

or yourclothes, wash your skin

and change clothesimmediately.

Whenaddingfuel,turnengineOFFandletengine

coolat least2 minutesbeforeremovinggascap.

Fillfueltankoutdoorsor inwellventilatedarea.

Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

Neverfillcontainersinsideavehicleor ona truckor

trailerbedwitha plasticliner.Alwaysplacecontain-

ersonthegroundawayfromyourvehiclebefore

filling.

• If possible,removegas-poweredequipmentfromthe

truckor trailerandrefueliton theground.Ifthis is

notpossible,thenrefuelsuchequipmentona trailer

witha portablecontainer,ratherthanfroma gasoline

dispensernozzle.

• Keepthenozzlein contactwiththerimof thefuel

tankorcontaineropeningat alltimesuntilfuelingis

complete.Donotusea nozzlelock-opendevice.

• Donotoverfillfueltank.Filltanktoapproximately

2 cmbelowlowestportionof necktoallowforfuel

expansion.

• Keepgasolineawayfromsparks,openflames,pilot

lights,heat,andotherignitionsources.

• Neverfuelequipmentindoorsbecauseflammable

vaporswillaccumulatein thearea.

• Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars,pipes,andother

sourcesofignition.

• Checkfuelline,tank,cap,andfittingsfrequentlyfor

cracksor leaks.Replaceif necessary.

• Whenstartingengine,makesuresparkplug,muffler,

fuelcapandaircleanerarein place.

• Donotcrankenginewithsparkplugremoved.

• If fuelspills,waituntilitevaporatesbeforestarting

engine.

• Whenoperatingequipment,donottipengineor

equipmentatanglewhichcausesgasolinetospill.

• Donotchokecarburetorto stopengine.

• Whentransportingequipment,transportwithfueltank

EMPTY.

Whenstoringgasolineorequipmentwithfuelin tank,

storeawayfromfurnaces,stoves,waterheatersor

otherappliancesthathavepilotlightorotherignition

sourcebecausetheycanignitegasolinevapors.

,_ Starting engine creates spark-

ing. Sparking can ignite nearby

__ flammable gases. Explosion and

fire could result.

• If thereisa naturalor LPgasleakageinarea,donot

startengine.

• Donotusepressurizedstartingfluidsbecausevapors

areflammable.

_ ngines give off carbon mon-

oxide, an odorless, colorless,

poisonous gas.Breathing carbon

monoxide can cause nausea,

fainting, or death.

• Startandrunengineoutdoors.

• Donotstartor runengineinenclosedarea,evenif

doorsor windowsare open.

__ nintentional sparking can result

infire or electric shock. Unin-

tentional start-up can result in

entanglement, traumatic amputa-

tion, or laceration.

• Beforepeformingadjustmentsor repairs,disconnect

sparkplugwireand keepitawayfromsparkplug.

• Whentestingforspark,useapprovedsparkplug

tester.

• Donotcheckforsparkwithsparkplug removed.

Runningengineproduces heat.

Engineparts, especially muffler,

become extremely hot. Severe

thermal burns canoccur on

contact. Combustibledebris,

suchas leaves,grass, brush, etc.,

cancatchfire.

• Allowmuffler,enginecylinder,andfinstocoolbefore

touching.

• Keepchildrenawayfromhotor runningengines.They

can sufferburnsfroma hotmuffler.

Removeaccumulatedcombustiblesfrommufflerand

cylinderarea.

_ Rotating engine partscan

contactor entangle hands, feet,

hair, clothing,or accessories.

Traumaticamputation or severe

lacerationcan result.

Operateequipmentwithguardsin place.

Keephandsandfeetawayfromrotatingparts.

SafetyAlert

• Tieuplonghairand removejewelry.

Donotwearloose-fittingclothing,danglingdraw-

stringsor itemsthatcouldbecomecaught.

,__ Rapid retraction of starter cord

(kickback) will pull hand and

arm toward engine faster than

you can let go. Brokenbones,

fractures, bruisesor sprains

could result.

• Whenstartingengine,pullcordslowlyuntilresis-

tanceisfelt,thenpullrapidly.

• Removeall externalequipment/engineloadsbefore

startingengine.

• Directcoupledequipmentcomponentssuchas, but

notlimitedtoblades,impellers,pulleys,sprockets,

etc.,mustbesecurelyattached.

Safety Label Location

Thislabelwarnsyouofpotentialhazardsthat can

causeseriousinjury.Readitcarefully.SeeFigure1for

explanationof symbols.

If thelabelcomesoffor becomeshardtoread,contact

thedealerforreplacement.

International Symbols and Meanings

Hot Surface

ToxicFumes GasolineIs

Flammable

ReadOwner's

UnleadedFuel Start Run

Manual

Figure 1

WARNING

Runningengine

produces heat.Engine

parts,especially muf-

fler, become extremely

hot. Severethermal

burnscan occuron

contact.Combustible

debris,suchas leaves,

grass,brush,etc., can

catch fire.

Rotatingengineparts

can contactorentangle

hands,feet. hair.cloth-

ing,or accessories.

Traumaticamputation

orsevere laceration

can result.

Rapidretractionof

startercord (kickback)

will pull handand

armtowardengine

fasterthan you can

let go. Broken bones.

fractures, bruisesor

sprainscould result.

IMPORTANT:Thisengine

isshippedwithoutgaso-

lineoroil inthe engine.

Runningthe enginewith

insufficientoil cancause

seriousenginedamage

andvoidthe engine

warranty.

IMPORTANT:Usingnon-

detergentoilor2-stroke

engineoilcouldshorten

the engine'sservicelife.

Besureto checkthe

engineon a levelsurface

withthe enginestopped.

Know Your Engine

f Fuel Cap

Starter

Grip

Air Cleaner

Oil Fiii Cap

Oil Drain

Mufflel Spark Plug

:!P65Eng!neSh°w ,

Figure9-1:Themajorcomponentsoftheengine.Theshroudonyourenginemaydiffer.

Readthissectionbeforestartingyourlawnmowerengine.Comparetheillustrationsin Figure9-1withyourlawn

mowerenginetofamiliarizeyourselfwiththelocationofvariouscontrolsandadjustments.

Pre-Operation Check

Oil Recommendations

IMPORTANT:Thisengineis shippedwithoutgasolineor

oil intheengine.Runningtheenginewithinsufficientoil

cancauseseriousenginedamageandvoidtheengine

warranty.

• Beforestartingengine,fillwithoil. Donotover-fill.Oil

capacityisabout20oz.

Usea 4-stroke,oran equivalenthighdetergent,

premiumqualitymotoroilcertifiedtomeetorexceed

U.S.automobilemanufacturer'srequirementsforservice

classificationSG,SE MotoroilsclassifiedSG,SFwill

showthis designationon thecontainer.

SAE10W-30is recommendedforgeneral,alltem-

peratureuse.If singleviscosityoil isused,selectthe

appropriateviscosityfortheaveragetemperaturein your

areafromthecharttotheright.

m30

20w40, 20w50 _ _ _ _

t I iv

15w40, 15w50=m=_ ==== mmm _ ====hb,,

®,

10w40 ______

10w30 __mm=__m

(°C}-30 ° -20° -10° 0° 10° 200 300 400

(°F)-20o 0o 200 400 600 80° 1000

Ambient Temperature

1. SingleViscosity

2. MultiViscosity

IMPORTANT:Using nondetergent oil or 2-stroke

engineoil couldshortenthe engine'sservicelife.

Check Oil Level

iMPORTANT:Besure to checkthe engine ona level

surfacewith theengine stopped.

1. Removetheoil fillercapandwipethedipstickclean,

Figure9-2.

Insertthedipstickintotheoil fillerneck,butdo not

screwitin.

If thelevelislow,slowlyaddoil totheupperlimiton

thedipstick.

4. Tightendipstickfirmlybeforestartingengine.

iMPORTANT:Donot overfill. Overfilling with oil may

causesmoking,hardstarting, spark plugfouling, or

oil saturation of air cleaner.

Fuel Recommendations

Useautomotivegasoline(Unleadedor Iowleadedto

minimizecombustionchamberdeposits).Neverusean

oil/gasolinemixtureor dirtygasoline.Avoidgettingdirt,

dust,or waterinthefueltank.

_ ARNING:Gasoline isextremelyflam-mableand isexplosiveunder certain

conditions.

Refuel ina well-ventilatedarea with theengine

stopped. Donot smoke or allow flames or sparks

inthe areawhere the engine isrefueledorwhere

gasoline isstored.

Donot overfill thefuel tank (thereshouldbe no fuel

inthe filler neck). Afterrefueling, makesure thetank

cap isclosed properlyand securely.

Be careful not to spill fuel when refueling. Spilled

fuel or fuel vapormayignite.If anyfuel isspilled,

makesure the areaisdry beforestarting the engine.

Avoidrepeatedor prolongedcontact with skin or

breathing of vapor.

Check Fuel Level

1. Cleanaroundfuelfill beforeremovingcaptofuel.

2. Filltankto approximatelyoneinchbelowlowest

portionofnecktoallowforfuelexpansion.Becareful

notto overfill.

iMPORTANT:Beforerefueling,allow engineto cool

two minutes.

Starting The Engine

_ ARNING:Alwayskeephandsand

feet clearofequipmentmoving parts.

Donot usea pressurizedstarting fluid.

Vaporsare flammable.

1. Pulloutthechokeknoblocatedontheleft sideofthe

upperhandle,Figure9-3.

NOTE:Useof the chokemaynot be necessary ifthe

engine iswarm or the air temperature ishigh.

Figure9-2:Checkingtheoil level.

Figure9-3:Startingthe mower.(Yourmowermaydifferfrom

thatshown)

2. Standingbehindthemower,depressthebladecontrol

handleandholditagainsttheupperhandle.

3. Pullthe startergrip lightlyuntilresistanceisfelt,

thenpull rapidlytoovercomecompression,prevent

kickbackandstartengine.Repeatifnecessary.

iMPORTANT:Donot allow thestartergripto snap

back against the rope guide. Return itgently to

preventdamageto the starter.

4. Whenenginewarmsup,pushinthechokeknob.

Stopping The Engine

1. Releasethebladecontrolhandle.

Your

WARNING

A!way keophandsaod

feet clear ofequipment

moving Parts,Donot usea

Pressurizedstarting fluid,

Vaporsareflammable,

IMPORTANT:Donot

allowthe starter gripto

snapbackagainst the

engine. Returnitgently

....................

starter.

Shut off the engine

any maintenance;To

preventaccidental

start,upi disconnect

Beforetippingengine

or equipment to

drain oil, drainfuel

fromtank by running

;ngine until fuel tank

; empty;

IMPORTANT

Besureto check

engineon

surface withthe engine

stopped: Draintheoil

while theengine iSstili

warm to assure rapid

and Completedraining:

_ ARNING:Shut off theenginebefore

performing any maintenance.To

prevent accidental start-up, disconnect

the spark plug boot.

IMPORTANT:Ifenginemustbe tippedtotransport

equipmentorto inspector removegrass,keepspark

plugsideofengineup.Transportingor tippingengine

sparkplugdownmaycausesmoking,hardstarting,

sparkplugfouling,or oilsaturationofaircleaner.

Periodicinspectionandadjustmentof theengineis

essentialifhighlevelperformanceisto bemaintained.

Regularmaintenancewillalsoensurea longservicelife.

Therequiredserviceintervalsandthekindofmainte-

nancetobe performedare describedin thetablebelow.

Followthehourlyor calendarintervals,whicheveroccur

first.Morefrequentserviceis requiredwhenoperatingin

adverseconditions.

Tasks

ChangeEngine

Oil

ServiceAir

Cleaner

Service Spark

Plug

CleanAround

Muffler

Eachuseor

every5 hours

First5 hours

Maintenance Schedule

Everyseason Everyseason

or 25 hours or 50hours

1 Servicemorefrequentlywhenusedindustyareas.

ff Ifoperatingunderheavyloador highambienttemperature.

Everyseason

or 100hours

ServiceDates_

Plug

Oil Change

IMPORTANT:Be suretocheckengineona levelsurface

withtheenginestopped.Draintheoilwhiletheengineis

stillwarmto assurerapidandcompletedraining.

Removeoilfillcapanddrainoilbyeitherremoving

drainplugor turningmoweron itsside(aircleanerside

up)andallowingoil todrainintoa suitablecontainer.

SeeFigure5.

__IL WARNING:Beforetipping engineor

equipmentto drain oil, drain fuel from

tank byrunningengineuntil fuel tank is

empty.

Figure 5

Oil Service

• Checkoil levelregularly.

• Besurecorrectoil levelismaintained.Checkevery

5 hoursordailybeforestartingengine.Seeoil

checkingprocedureintheOperationsection.

2. Reinstallthedrainplug(if removed),andtightenit

securely.

3. Refillwiththe recommendedoil (seeOperation

section)andchecktheoil level.SeeFigure5.

4. Reinstalltheoilfillcapsecurely.

IMPORTANT:Usedmotoroilmaycauseskincancer

if repeatedlyleft incontactwiththeskinforprolonged

periods.Althoughthisisunlikelyunlessyouhandleused

oilon a dailybasis,itis stilladvisabletothoroughlywash

yourhandswithsoapandwaterassoonaspossible

afterhandlingusedoil.

NOTE:Pleasedisposeofusedmotoroil in a mannerthat

iscompatiblewiththeenvironment.Wesuggestyoutake

itin a sealedcontainertoyourlocalservicestationfor

reclamation.Donotthrowit inthetrashor pouritonthe

ground.

Air Cleaner Service

Adirty aircleanerwillrestrictairflowtothecarburetor.

Topreventcarburetormalfunction,servicetheaircleaner

regularly.Servicemorefrequentlywhenoperatingthe

enginein extremelydustyareas.

PaperElement

Foam

Figure 6

_ ARNING:Neveruse gasolineorlow

flash pointsolventsfor cleaningthe

air cleanerelement.Afire or explosion

couldresult.

IMPORTANT:Neverruntheenginewithouttheair

cleaner.Rapidenginewearwillresult.

1. Removethewingboltandtheaircleanercover.

Removetheelementsandseparatethem.SeeFigure

6.Carefullycheckbothelementsforholesortears

andreplaceifdamaged.

2. Foamelement:Washtheelementin a solutionof

householddetergentandwarmwater,thenrinse

thoroughly,or washin nonflammableorhighflash

pointsolvent.Allowtheelementtodrythoroughly.

Soaktheelementin cleanengineoil andsqueezeout

theexcessoil.Theenginewillsmokeduringinitial

start-upif toomuchoil isleft inthefoam.

3. Paperelement: Taptheelementlightlyseveraltimes

ona hardsurfaceto removeexcessdirt,or blow

compressedair throughthefilterfromtheinsideout.

Nevertry tobrushthedirtoff; brushingwillforce

dirtintothefibers.Replacethepaperelementifit is

excessivelydirty.

Spark Plug Service

__IL ARNING:DONOTcheckfor spark

with spark plugremoved.DONOT

crank enginewith spark plugremoved.

Figure 7

,_ WARNING:ifthe engine hasbeen

running,the muffler will bevery hot. Be

careful not to touch the muffler.

2. Visuallyinspectthesparkplug.Discardthesparkplug

ifthereisapparentwear,or iftheinsulatoriscracked

orchipped.Cleanthe sparkplugwitha wirebrushifit

istobe reused.

3. Measurethepluggapwitha feelergauge.Correctas

necessarybybendingsideelectrode.SeeFigure8.

Thegapshouldbe:0.030in.

Toensureproperengineoperation,thesparkplugmust

be properlygappedand freeofdeposits.

1. Removethe sparkplugbootandusea sparkplug

wrenchtoremovetheplug.SeeFigure7.

WARNING

Never usegasoline

or lowflash pointsol-

ventsfor cleaning the

air cleaner element.

Afire or explosion

could result.

DO NOTcheck for

spark with spark plug

removed. DO NOT

crankengine with

spark plug removed.

if the engine has

been running, the

muffler will be very

hot. Be careful not to

touch the muffler.

WARNING

Accumulationof

debrisaround muffler

Couldcauseafire.

inspect and

iMPORTANT

Donotsprayengine

with watertOclean

becauseWatercould

contaminatefuel:

Usinga gardenhose

or pressurewashing

equipmentcan also

force water intothe

aircleaner Ormuffler

oPeninglWater in the

air cleanerWillsoak

the paperelemenL

andwater that passes

through the element

or muffler Canenter

the cylinderi causing

Electrode

,, ,, 0.030 in.

Figure 8

4. Checkthatthe sparkplugwasherisin goodcondition

andthreadthe sparkplugin byhandtopreventcross-

threading.

5. Afterthesparkplugisseated,tightenwitha sparkplug

wrenchtocompressthewasher.

NOTE:Wheninstallinga newsparkplug,tighten1/2turn

afterthesparkplugseatstocompressthewasher.When

reinstallinga usedsparkplug,tighten1/8-1/4turnafterthe

sparkplugseatstocompressthewasher.

IMPORTANT:Thesparkplugmustbe securelytightened.

Animproperlytightenedsparkplugcanbecomevery hot

andmaydamagetheengine.

Clean Engine

If theenginehasbeenrunning,allowitto coolforatleast

halfanhourbeforecleaning.Periodicallyremovegrass

anddirtbuild-upfromengine.Cleanfingerguardand

aroundmuffler.Cleanwitha brushorcompressedair.

IMPORTANT: Do not spray engine with water to clean

because water could contaminate fuel. Using a garden

hose or pressure washing equipment can also force

water into the air cleaner or muffler opening. Water in

the air cleaner will soak the paper element, and water

that passes through the element or muffler can enter the

cylinder, causing damage.

_ ARNING:Accumulationof debris

around muffler could cause a fire.

Inspect and cleanbefore every use.

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MTD 26M Owner's manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 26M

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: Owner's manual

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