Lawn-Boy Insight Gold 10696 User manual

Brand: Lawn-Boy

Model: Insight Gold 10696

Category: Lawnmowers

Type: User manual

Form No. 3354-491 Rev A

Insight Gold™ Lawn Mower

Model No. 10696 —Serial No. 260000001 and Up

Operator's Manual

Introduction

R ead this infor mation carefully to lear n ho w to operate and

maintain y our product properly and to a v oid injur y and

product damag e . Y ou are responsible for operating the

product properly and safely .

Y ou ma y contact La wn-Bo y directly at www .La wn-Bo y .com

for product and accessor y infor mation, help ﬁnding a

dealer , or to register y our product.

W henev er y ou need ser vice , g en uine La wn-Bo y par ts , or

additional infor mation, contact an A uthorized Ser vice

Dealer or La wn-Bo y Customer Ser vice and ha v e the

model and serial n umbers of y our product ready . Figure 1

identiﬁes the location of the model and serial n umbers on

the product. W rite the n umbers in the space pro vided.

Figure 1

1. Model and serial number plate

Model No.

Serial No.

T his man ual identiﬁes potential hazards and has safety

messag es identiﬁed b y the safety aler t symbol ( Figure 2 ),

whic h signals a hazard that ma y cause serious injur y or

death if y ou do not follo w the recommended precautions .

Figure 2

1. Safety alert symbol

T his man ual uses tw o w ords to highlight infor mation.

Impor tant calls attention to special mec hanical infor mation

and Note emphasizes g eneral infor mation w or th y of special

attention.

Warning

CALIFORNIA

Pr oposition 65 W ar ning

T he engine exhaust fr om this pr oduct contains

chemicals kno wn to the State of Calif or nia to cause

cancer , bir th defects, or other r epr oducti v e har m.

Important: T his engine is not equipped with a

spar k ar r ester muf ﬂer . It is a violation of Calif or nia

Public R esource Code Section 4442 to use or operate

the engine on an y f or est-co v er ed, br ush-co v er ed, or

g rass-co v er ed land. Other states or federal ar eas may

ha v e similar la ws.

T his spark ignition system complies with Canadian

ICES-002

T he enclosed Engine Owner’ s Man ual is supplied

f or inf or mation r egarding the US En vir onmental

Pr otection Agency (EP A) and the Calif or nia Emission

Contr ol R egulation of emission systems, maintenance,

and w ar ranty . R eplacements may be order ed thr ough

the engine man uf actur er .

F or models with stated engine horse po w er , the g ross

horse po w er of the engine w as laborator y rated b y the engine

man ufacturer in accordance with SAE J1940. As conﬁgured

to meet safety , emission, and operating requirements , the

actual engine horse po w er on this class of la wn mo w er will

be signiﬁcantly lo w er .

Do not tamper with the engine controls or alter the

g o v er nor speed; doing so ma y create an unsafe condition

resulting in personal injur y .

Safety

T his la wn mo w er meets or ex ceeds the CPSC blade safety

requirements for w alk-behind rotar y la wn mo w ers and the

B71.1 speciﬁcations of the American National Standards

Institute in effect at the time of production.

R ead and under stand the contents of this man ual

bef or e y ou star t the engine.

T he safety aler t symbol ( Figure 2 ) is used to aler t y ou to

potential personal injur y hazards . Obey all safety messag es

that follo w this symbol to a v oid possible injur y or death.

Improperly using or maintaining this mo w er could result in

injur y or death. T o reduce this potential, comply with the

follo wing safety instr uctions .

T he follo wing instr uctions ha v e been adapted from the

ANSI/OPEI standard B71.1-2003.

T his cutting machine is capa ble of amputating hands

and feet and of thr o wing objects. F ailur e to obser v e

the f ollo wing safety instr uctions could r esult in serious

injur y or death.

General Operation

•R ead, understand, and follo w all instr uctions on the

mac hine and in the man ual(s) before star ting .

•Do not put hands or feet near or under the mac hine .

K ee p clear of the disc harg e opening at all times .

•Only allo w responsible adults , who are familiar with the

instr uctions , to operate this mac hine .

•Clear the area of objects suc h as roc ks , wire , to ys , etc .,

whic h could be thro wn b y the blade . Sta y behind the

handle when the engine is r unning .

•Be sure the area is clear of b ystanders before operating .

Stop mac hine if any one enters the area.

•Do not operate mac hine barefooted or while w earing

sandals . Alw a ys w ear substantial footw ear .

•Do not pull mac hine bac kw ard unless absolutely

necessar y . Alw a ys look do wn and behind before and

while mo ving bac kw ard.

•Nev er direct disc harg ed material to w ard any one . A v oid

disc harging material ag ainst a w all or obstr uction.

Material ma y ricoc het bac k to w ard the operator . Stop

the blade when crossing g ra v el surfaces .

•Do not operate mac hine without the entire g rass

catc her , disc harg e guard, rear guard, or other safety

protecti v e devices in place and w orking .

•Nev er lea v e a r unning mac hine unattended.

•Stop the engine and w ait until the blade comes to a

complete stop before cleaning the mac hine , remo ving

g rass catc her , or unclog ging the disc harg e guard.

•Operate mac hine only in da ylight or g ood ar tiﬁcial light.

•Do not operate mac hine while under the inﬂuence of

alcohol or dr ugs .

•Nev er operate mo w er in w et g rass . Alw a ys be sure of

y our footing; w alk; nev er r un.

•Diseng ag e the dri v e system, if so equipped, before

star ting the engine .

•If the mac hine should star t to vibrate abnor mally ,

stop the engine and c hec k for the cause immediately .

Vibration is g enerally a w ar ning of trouble .

•Alw a ys w ear eye protection when operating mac hine .

•See man ufacturer’ s instr uctions for proper operation

and installation of accessories . Only use accessories

appro v ed b y the man ufacturer .

Slope Operation

Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall accidents ,

whic h can result in sev ere injur y . Operation on all slopes

require extra caution. If y ou feel uneasy on a slope , do

not mo w it.

•Mo w across the face of slopes; nev er up and do wn.

Ex ercise extreme caution when c hanging direction on

slopes .

•W atc h for holes , r uts , bumps , roc ks , or other hidden

objects . Unev en ter rain could cause a slip and fall

accident. T all g rass can hide obstacles .

•Do not mo w on w et g rass or ex cessi v ely stee p slopes .

P oor footing could cause a slip and fall accident.

•Do not mo w near drop-offs , ditc hes , or embankments .

Y ou could lose y our footing or balance .

Children

T ragic accidents can occur if the operator is not aler t to

the presence of c hildren. Children are often attracted to

the mac hine and the mo wing acti vity . Nev er assume that

c hildren will remain where y ou last sa w them.

•K ee p c hildren out of the mo wing area and under the

w atc hful care of a responsible adult other than the

operator .

•Be aler t and tur n mo w er off if a c hild enters the area.

•Nev er allo w c hildren to operate the mac hine .

•Use extra care when approac hing blind cor ners , shr ubs ,

trees , or other objects that ma y bloc k y our view of a

c hild.

Service

Safe Handling of Gasoline

T o a v oid per sonal injur y or pr oper ty dama ge, use

extr eme car e in handling gasoline. Gasoline is

extr emel y ﬂamma ble and the v apor s ar e explosi v e.

•Extinguish all cig arettes , cig ars , pipes , and other sources

of ignition.

•Use only an appro v ed g asoline container .

•Nev er remo v e g as cap or add fuel with the engine

r unning . Allo w engine to cool before refueling .

•Nev er refuel the mac hine indoors .

•Nev er store the mac hine or fuel container where there

is an open ﬂame , spark, or pilot light suc h as on a w ater

heater or on other appliances .

•Nev er ﬁll containers inside a v ehicle or on a tr uc k or

trailer bed with a plastic liner . Alw a ys place containers

on the g round a w a y from y our v ehicle before ﬁlling .

•R emo v e g as-po w ered equipment from the tr uc k or

trailer and refuel it on the g round. If this is not possible ,

then refuel suc h equipment with a por table container ,

rather than from a g asoline dispenser nozzle .

•K ee p the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel

tank or container opening at all times until fueling is

complete . Do not use a nozzle loc k-open device .

•If fuel is spilled on clothing, c hang e clothing

immediately .

•Nev er o v erﬁll fuel tank. R e place g as cap and tighten

securely .

Exhaust contains carbon mono xide, an odor less,

deadl y poison that can kill y ou.

Do not r un the engine indoor s or in an enclosed ar ea.

General Service

•Nev er operate mac hine in a closed area.

•K ee p all n uts and bolts tight to be sure the equipment is

in safe w orking condition.

•Nev er tamper with safety devices . Chec k their proper

operation regularly .

•K ee p mac hine free of g rass , lea v es , or other debris

build-up . Clean up oil or fuel spillag e and remo v e

any fuel-soak ed debris . Allo w mac hine to cool before

storing .

•If y ou strik e a foreign object, stop and inspect the

mac hine . R e pair , if necessar y , before star ting .

•Nev er mak e any adjustments or re pairs with the engine

r unning . Disconnect the spark plug wire and g round

ag ainst engine to prev ent unintended star ting .

•Chec k g rass catc her components and the disc harg e

guard frequently and re place with man ufacturer’ s

recommended par ts , when necessar y .

•Mo w er blades are shar p . W rap the blade or w ear glo v es ,

and use extra caution when ser vicing them.

•Do not c hang e the engine g o v er nor setting or o v erspeed

the engine .

•Maintain or re place safety and instr uction labels , as

necessar y .

Safety and Instructional Decals

Important: Safety and instr uction decals ar e located

near ar eas of potential danger . R eplace dama ged

decals.

94-8072

104-7402

104-7403

104-7953

1. Warning—read the Operator’s Manual for information on charging the battery; contains lead; do not discard.2. Read the Operator’s Manual.

107-1938

107-3888

107-3889

1. Do not operate the mower without the rear discharge plug or bagin place; do not operate the mower without the side dischargecover or deector in place.

108-0992

1. Read the Operator’s Manual.

4. Install the fuse.2. Remove the fuse box decal. 5. Replace the fuse box cover.3. Remove the fuse box cover. 6. Start the engine.

108-1013

108-7450

1. Height of cut

108-7451

1. Height of cut

108-7461

Setup

1. Unfolding the Handle1. Mo v e the handle rearw ard and hold the upper handle in

place ( Figure 3 ).

Figure 3

Note: T he handle will clic k into position.

2. Tighten the upper handle knob as tight as y ou can

( Figure 4 ).

Figure 4

2. Filling the Engine with Oil

Important: Y our mo w er does not come with oil in

the engine.

1. R emo v e the dipstic k ( Figure 5 ).

Figure 5

2. Slo wl y pour oil into the oil ﬁll tube , periodically

c hec king the lev el with the dipstic k, until the dipstic k

indicates that the engine is full as illustrated in Figure

5 . Do not o v erﬁll. (Max. ﬁll: 0.58 quar t (0.55 l),

type: SAE 30W detergent oil with an API ser vice

classiﬁcation of SH, SJ , SL, or higher .)

Note: If y ou o v erﬁll the engine , pour some oil out of

it as directed in Changing the Engine Oil.

3. Install the dipstic k securely .

Important: Change the engine oil after the ﬁr st 5

operating hour s ; change it y ear l y ther eafter . R efer

to Changing the Engine Oil.

3. Installing the Mulch Plug orGrass Bag

Important: Y ou must cor r ectl y install the mulch

plug (f or mulching or side-discharging) or g rass ba g

(f or ba g ging) or the engine will not star t .

T he mo w er has a safety switc h, located at the bottom of a

c hannel on the top , right rear of the mo w er , that prev ents

the mo w er from operating without a m ulc h plug or g rass

bag . T his prev ents the mo w er from thro wing debris at the

operator through the rear c hute .

Install the m ulc h plug as directed belo w (for instr uctions

on installing the g rass bag, refer to Bag ging the Clippings

in Operation):

F or the switc h to detect the presence of the m ulc h plug, the

top of the m ulc h plug lev er m ust lie full y in the bottom

of the channel and the bottom of the lev er m ust latch

secur el y in the lev er r etaining clip at the bottom of the

mo w er ( Figure 6 ).

Figure 6

1. Switch channel 3. Lever retaining clip2. Mulch plug lever

1. Inser t the m ulc h plug into the mo w er , if it isn ’ t already

installed ( Figure 7 ).

Figure 7

2. Swing the lev er into the switc h c hannel and lev er

retainer ( Figure 8 ).

Figure 8

3. Ensure that the lev er snaps sn ugly into place in both the

switc h c hannel and lev er retainer ( Figure 9 ). If they do

not, y our mo w er will not star t!

Figure 9

4. Installing the FuseY our mo w er comes with a 40-amp fuse that protects the

electric star ter .

Important: Y ou cannot star t the mo w er with the

electric star ter or charge the batter y unless y ou install

the fuse.

1. R emo v e the 2 screws that fasten the batter y co v er to

the rear of the mo w er ( Figure 10 ).

Figure 10

2. R emo v e the batter y co v er and the foam.

3. Install the fuse in the fuse holder ( Figure 11 ).

Figure 11

4. Inser t the foam and install the batter y co v er with the 2

screws that y ou remo v ed in Ste p 1 .

Note: R emo v e the temporar y decal from the batter y

co v er .

5. Charging the Battery

Warning

CALIFORNIA

Pr oposition 65 W ar ning

Batter y posts, ter minals, and r elated accessories

contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals kno wn

to the State of Calif or nia to cause cancer and

r epr oducti v e har m. W ash hands after handling .

Charg e the batter y for 24 hours initially , then monthly

(ev er y 25 star ts) or as needed. Alw a ys use the c harg er in a

sheltered area and c harg e the batter y at room temperature

(70 °F or 22 °C) whenev er possible .

1. Connect the c harg er to the mo w er wire har ness located

belo w the ignition k ey ( Figure 12 ).

Important: Use onl y the charger supplied with

the mo w er .

Figure 12

2. Plug the c harg er into a w all outlet.

W hen the batter y no long er holds a c harg e , recycle or

dispose of the lead-acid batter y according to local codes .

Product Overview

Figure 13

1. Cutting height lever 7. Electric starter2. Oil ll/Dipstick (not shown)

8. Fuel tank cap3. Recoil start handle

9. Battery (not shown)4. Blade control bar 10. Air lter5. Upper handle 11. Choke6. Upper handle knob 12. Spark plug

Figure 14

1. Grass bag

3. Mulch plug (installed)2. Side discharge chute 4. Battery charger

Operation

Filling the Fuel Tank

Gasoline is extr emel y ﬂamma ble and explosi v e. A

ﬁr e or explosion fr om gasoline can bur n y ou and

other s.

•T o pr ev ent a static charge fr om igniting the

gasoline, place the container and/or mo w er

dir ectl y on the g r ound bef or e ﬁlling , not in a

v ehicle or on an object.

•Fill the tank outdoor s when the engine is cold.

W ipe up spills.

•Do not handle gasoline when smoking or ar ound

an open ﬂame or spar ks.

•Stor e gasoline in an appr o v ed fuel container , out

of the r each of childr en.

Fill the fuel tank with fresh unleaded regular g asoline from

a major name-brand ser vice station ( Figure 15 ).

Important: T o r educe star ting pr oblems, add fuel

sta biliz er to the fuel all season, mixing it with gasoline

less than 30 days old.

Figure 15

Checking the Engine Oil Level1. R emo v e the dipstic k, wipe it clean, and fully install the

dipstic k ( Figure 16 ).

Figure 16

2. R emo v e the dipstic k and c hec k the oil lev el ( Figure 16 ).

If there is no oil on the dipstic k, slo wl y pour oil into

the oil ﬁll tube , periodically c hec king the lev el with the

dipstic k, until the dipstic k indicates that the engine is full

as illustrated in Figure 16 . Do not o v erﬁll. (Max. ﬁll:

0.58 quar t (0.55 l), type: SAE 30W deterg ent oil with an

API ser vice classiﬁcation of SH, SJ , SL, or higher .)

Note: If y ou o v erﬁll the engine , pour some oil out of

it as directed in Changing the Engine Oil.

3. Install the dipstic k securely .

Adjusting the Cutting Height

Adjusting the cutting height may bring y ou into

contact with the mo ving blade, causing serious

injur y .

•Stop the engine and w ait f or all mo ving par ts to

stop .

•Do not put y our ﬁnger s under the housing when

adjusting the cutting height.

Adjust the cutting height as desired. Set all four wheels to

the same height.

Note: T o raise the mo w er , mo v e all 4 cutting height lev ers

forw ard; to lo w er the mo w er , mo v e them rearw ard.

Figure 17

Adjusting the Upper HandleHeight

Y ou ma y raise or lo w er the upper handle to a position

comfor table for y ou.

Note: Y ou cannot raise the upper handle higher than the

angle of the lo w er handle .

1. Loosen the upper handle knob ( Figure 18 ).

Figure 18

2. Mo v e the upper handle to the desired position ( Figure

19 ).

Figure 19

3. Tighten the upper handle knob as tight as y ou can

( Figure 20 ).

Figure 20

Starting the EngineImportant: T he mo w er has a safety s witch that

pr ev ents y ou fr om star ting the mo w er unless y ou ﬁr st

install the mulch plug or the g rass ba g secur el y on

the mo w er .

1. Install the m ulc h plug ( Figure 21 ) or the g rass bag

( Figure 22 ) on the mo w er .

Figure 21

Figure 22

2. T ur n the fuel v alv e lev er to the On position ( Figure 23 ).

Figure 23

3. Mo v e the c hok e lev er to the Chok e position ( Figure 24 ).

Figure 24

4. Hold the blade control bar ag ainst the handle and

immediately star t the engine using either the ignition

k ey or the recoil star ter ( Figure 25 ).

Figure 25

1. Blade control bar

Note: T he c hok e lev er will automatically mo v e to the

Off position while y ou hold the blade control bar .

5. If the mo w er does not star t in 1 or 2 pulls (or within 5

seconds using the electric star ter), re peat ste ps 3 and 4 .

Note: If the mo w er still does not star t, contact an

A uthorized Ser vice Dealer .

Using the Self-propel Drive

T o operate the self-propel dri v e , simply w alk with y our

hands on the upper handle and y our elbo ws at y our sides ,

and the mo w er will automatically k ee p pace with y ou

( Figure 26 ).

Figure 26

Stopping the Engine

T o stop the engine , release the blade control bar ( Figure

27 ). R emo v e the ignition k ey when y ou lea v e the mo w er

unattended.

Important: W hen y ou r elease the blade contr ol

bar , both the engine and blade should stop within 3

seconds. If they do not stop pr oper l y , stop using y our

mo w er immediatel y and contact an Authoriz ed Ser vice

Dealer .

Figure 27

Mulching the Clippings

Y our mo w er comes from the factor y ready to m ulc h the

g rass and leaf clippings bac k into the la wn.

If the g rass bag is on the mo w er , remo v e it (refer to

R emo ving the Grass Bag) before m ulc hing the clippings . If

the side disc harg e c hute is on the mo w er , remo v e it and

loc k the side disc harg e door (refer to R emo ving the Side

Disc harg e Chute) before m ulc hing the clippings .

Important: T he mo w er has a safety s witch that

pr ev ents y ou fr om star ting the mo w er unless y ou ﬁr st

install the mulch plug secur el y on the mo w er .

Install the m ulc h plug as illustrated in Figure 28 .

Figure 28

Bagging the Clippings

Use the g rass bag when y ou w ant to collect g rass and leaf

clippings from the la wn.

If the side disc harg e c hute is on the mo w er , remo v e it and

loc k the side disc harg e door (refer to R emo ving the Side

Disc harg e Chute) before bag ging the clippings .

A w or n g rass ba g could allo w small stones and

other similar de bris to be thr o wn in the operator’ s or

bystander’ s dir ection and r esult in serious per sonal

injur y or death to the operator or bystander s.

Check the g rass ba g fr equentl y . If it is dama ged,

install a new La wn-Boy r eplacement ba g .

T he blade is shar p; contacting the blade can r esult

in serious per sonal injur y .

Stop the engine and w ait f or all mo ving par ts to stop

bef or e lea ving the operating position.

Installing the Grass Bag

1. R otate the latc h rod to the right and remo v e the m ulc h

plug ( Figure 29 ).

Figure 29

2. R oute the star ter rope around the lo w er rope guide

( Figure 30 ).

Figure 30

Note: T he lo w er rope guide releases the star ter rope

when y ou pull the recoil star t handle .

3. Inser t the g rass bag handle into the g roo v es at the top

of the mo w er ( Figure 31 ).

Important: T he mo w er has a safety s witch that

pr ev ents y ou fr om star ting the mo w er unless y ou

ﬁr st install the g rass ba g secur el y on the mo w er .

Figure 31

Removing the Grass Bag

1. R oute the star ter rope around the lo w er rope guide

( Figure 32 ).

Figure 32

2. Lift the g rass bag handle out from the g roo v es at the

top of the mo w er and remo v e the bag from the mo w er

( Figure 33 ).

Figure 33

3. Inser t the m ulc h plug and rotate the latc h rod until it

loc ks into place at both the top and the bottom ( Figure

34 .

Figure 34

Side-discharging the ClippingsUse the side disc harg e for cutting v er y tall g rass .

If the bag is on the mo w er , remo v e it and inser t the

m ulc h plug (refer to R emo ving the Grass Bag) before

side-disc harging the clippings .

Important: T he mo w er has a safety s witch that

pr ev ents y ou fr om star ting the mo w er unless y ou ﬁr st

install the mulch plug secur el y on the mo w er (r efer to

Mulching the Clippings).

Installing the Side Discharge Chute

1. Unloc k the side disc harg e door ( Figure 35 ).

Figure 35

2. Lift open the side disc harg e door ( Figure 36 ).

Figure 36

3. Install the side disc harg e c hute and close the door onto

the c hute ( Figure 37 ).

Figure 37

Removing the Side Discharge Chute

T o remo v e the side disc harg e c hute , rev erse the ste ps abo v e .

Important: Lock the side discharge door after y ou

close it ( Figur e 38 ).

Figure 38

Operating Tips

General Mowing Tips

•Clear the area of stic ks , stones , wire , branc hes , and

other debris that the blade could hit.

•A v oid striking solid objects with the blade . Nev er

deliberately mo w o v er any object.

•If the mo w er strik es an object or star ts to vibrate ,

immediately stop the engine , disconnect the wire from

the spark plug, and examine the mo w er for damag e .

•F or best perfor mance , install a new blade before the

cutting season begins .

•R e place the blade when necessar y with a La wn-Bo y

re placement blade .

Cutting Grass

•Cut only about a third of the g rass blade at a time . Do

not cut belo w the 2 inc h (51 mm) setting unless the

g rass is sparse or it is late fall when g rass g ro wth begins

to slo w do wn. R efer to Adjusting the Cutting Height.

•W hen cutting g rass o v er 6 inc hes (15 cm) tall, mo w

at the highest cutting height setting and w alk slo w er;

then mo w ag ain at a lo w er setting for the best la wn

appearance . If the g rass is too long, the mo w er ma y

plug and cause the engine to stall.

•Mo w only dr y g rass or lea v es . W et g rass and lea v es tend

to clump on the yard and can cause the mo w er to plug

or the engine to stall.

W et g rass or lea v es can cause serious injur y if

y ou slip and contact the blade. Mo w onl y in dr y

conditions.

•Alter nate the mo wing direction. T his helps disperse the

clippings o v er the la wn for ev en fer tilization.

•If the ﬁnished la wn appearance is unsatisfactor y , tr y one

or more of the follo wing:

– R e place the blade or ha v e it shar pened.

– W alk at a slo w er pace while mo wing .

– Raise the cutting height on y our mo w er .

– Cut the g rass more frequently .

– Ov erlap cutting sw aths instead of cutting a full

sw ath with eac h pass .

– Set the cutting height on the front wheels one

notc h lo w er than the rear wheels . F or example , set

the front wheels at 2 inc hes (51 mm) and the rear

wheels at 2-1/2 inc hes (64 mm).

Cutting Leaves

•After cutting the la wn, ensure that half of the la wn

sho ws through the cut leaf co v er . Y ou ma y need to

mak e more than one pass o v er the lea v es .

•If there are more than 5 inc hes (13 cm) of lea v es on the

la wn, set the front cutting height one or tw o notc hes

higher than the rear cutting height.

•Slo w do wn y our mo wing speed if the mo w er does not

cut the lea v es ﬁnely enough.

Maintenance

Note: Deter mine the left and right sides of the mac hine from the nor mal operating position.

Recommended Maintenance Schedule(s)

Maintenance ServiceInterval

Maintenance Procedure

After the rst 5 operating

hours

• Change the engine oil.

Before each use or daily

• Check the engine oil level.• Ensure that the engine stops within 3 seconds after releasing the blade controlbar.

• Check the air cleaner for dirt and /or damage and clean or replace it if necessary.• Clean grass clippings and dirt from under the mower.

Before storage

• Charge the battery.• Empty the fuel tank before repairs as directed and before annual storage.

Yearly

• Clean the air lter (more frequently in dusty operating conditions).• Change the engine oil.• Lubricate the wheel gears.• Lubricate the upper handle.• Replace the blade or have it sharpened (more frequently if the edge dulls quickly).• Refer to your Engine Operator’s Manual for any additional yearly maintenanceprocedures.

Important: R efer to y our Engine Operator’ s Man ual f or additional maintenance pr ocedur es.

Preparing for Maintenance1. Stop the engine and w ait for all mo ving par ts to stop .

2. Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug

( Figure 39 ) before perfor ming any maintenance

procedure .

Figure 39

3. After perfor ming the maintenance procedure(s),

connect the spark plug wire to the spark plug .

Important: Bef or e tipping the mo w er to change

the oil or r eplace the blade, allo w the fuel tank to

r un dr y thr ough nor mal usa ge. If y ou must tip the

mo w er prior to r unning out of fuel, use a hand fuel

pump to r emo v e the fuel. Al w ays tip the mo w er

onto its side with the air ﬁlter up .

Tipping the mo w er may cause the fuel to leak.

Gasoline is ﬂamma ble, explosi v e and can cause

per sonal injur y .

R un the engine dr y or r emo v e the gasoline with a

hand pump; nev er siphon.

Servicing the Air Cleaner1. Press do wn on the latc h tabs on top of the air cleaner

co v er ( Figure 40 ).

Figure 40

1. Latch tabs

2. Open the co v er .

3. R emo v e the air ﬁlter ( Figure 41 ).

Figure 41

4. If the air ﬁlter is damag ed or is w et with oil or fuel,

re place it.

5. If the air ﬁlter is dir ty , tap it on a hard surface sev eral

times or blo w compressed air less than 30 psi (207 kP a)

through the side of the ﬁlter that faces the engine .

Note: Do not br ush the dir t off the ﬁlter; br ushing

forces dir t into the ﬁbers .

6. R emo v e dir t from the air cleaner body and co v er using

a moist rag . Do not wipe dir t into the air duct.

7. Install the ﬁlter into the air cleaner .

8. Close the co v er .

Changing the Engine Oil

Change the engine oil after the ﬁr st 5 operating hour s ;

c hang e it yearly thereafter .

R un the engine a few min utes before c hanging the oil

to w ar m it. W ar m oil ﬂo ws better and car ries more

contaminants .

1. P erfor m the pre-maintenance procedures; refer to

Pre paring for Maintenance .

2. R emo v e the dipstic k ( Figure 42 ).

Figure 42

3. Tip the mo w er onto its side , with the air ﬁlter up , to

drain the used oil out through the oil ﬁll tube ( Figure

43 ).

Figure 43

4. Slo wl y pour oil into the oil ﬁll tube , periodically

c hec king the lev el with the dipstic k, until the dipstic k

indicates that the engine is full as illustrated in Figure

44 . Do not o v erﬁll. (Max. ﬁll: 0.58 quar t (0.55 l),

type: SAE 30W deterg ent oil with an API ser vice

classiﬁcation of SH, SJ , SL, or higher .)

Note: If y ou o v erﬁll the engine , pour some oil out

of it.

Figure 44

5. Install the dipstic k securely .

6. Dispose of the used oil properly at a local recycling

center .

Lubricating the Wheel Gears1. R emo v e the wheel bolt in the center of eac h r ear wheel

and remo v e the rear wheels .

2. Apply a lubricating oil to the inner and outer sides of

the g ears as sho wn in Figure 45 .

Figure 45

3. R otate the g ears to distribute the oil.

4. Install the rear wheels .

Lubricating the Upper Handle

Lubricate the left and right sides of the upper handle with a

lo w-viscosity silicone spra y lubricant yearly or as needed.

1. Spra y the outer plastic end of the inner handle ( Figure

46 ).

Figure 46

Note: Use the stra w that comes with the spra y can to

direct the spra y .

2. Push the upper handle fully do wn and spra y the inner

plastic surface of the outer handle ( Figure 47 ).

Figure 47

Adjusting the Self-propel Drive

If y our mo w er does not self-propel properly , adjust the

self-propel dri v e cable .

1. Loosen the n ut on the cable mount ( Figure 48 ).

Figure 48

1. Cable mount

2. Pull the upper handle bac k fully rearw ard.

Note: If the handle does not mo v e smoothly , refer to

Lubricating the Upper Handle .

3. Pull the cable jac k et do wnw ard until y ou remo v e the

slac k in the exposed cable ( Figure 49 ).

Figure 49

1. Exposed cable

4. Push the cable jac k et upw ard 1/8 inc h (3 mm).

Note: Y ou can place a r uler ag ainst the upper side of

the blac k cable mount and measure ho w far the upper

end of the cable jac k et mo v es ( Figure 50 ).

Figure 50

1. Cable mount 2. Cable jacket

Note: Mo ving the cable jac k et upw ard decreases the

g round speed; mo ving the jac k et do wnw ard increases

the g round speed.

5. Tighten the n ut ﬁr mly .

6. Star t the mo w er and c hec k the adjustment.

Note: If the self-propel dri v e is not properly adjusted,

re peat this procedure .

Replacing the Blade

Important: Y ou will need a torque wr ench to install

the blade pr oper l y . If y ou do not ha v e a torque wr ench

or ar e uncomf or ta ble perf or ming this pr ocedur e,

contact an Authoriz ed Ser vice Dealer .

Examine the blade whenev er y ou r un out of g asoline . If the

blade is damag ed or crac k ed, re place it immediately . If the

blade edg e is dull or nic k ed, ha v e it shar pened or re place it.

T he blade is shar p; contacting the blade can r esult

in serious per sonal injur y .

W ear g lo v es when ser vicing the blade.

1. Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug .

R efer to Pre paring for Maintenance .

2. Tip the mo w er onto its side , with the air ﬁlter up .

3. Use a bloc k of w ood to hold the blade steady ( Figure

51 ).

Figure 51

4. R emo v e the blade , sa ving all mounting hardw are ( Figure

51 ).

5. Install the new blade and all mounting hardw are ( Figure

51 ).

Important: P osition the cur v ed ends of the blade

to point to w ard the mo w er housing .

6. Use a torque wr ench to tighten the blade bolt to

60 ft-lb (82 N ⋅m).

Important: A bolt torqued to 60 ft-lb (82 N ⋅m)

is v er y tight. W hile holding the blade with a block

of w ood, put y our w eight behind the ratchet or

wr ench and tighten the bolt secur el y . T his bolt is

v er y dif ﬁcult to o v er tighten.

Charging the Battery

R efer to Charging the Batter y in Setup .

Replacing the Fuse

If the batter y does not c harg e or the engine does not tur n

with the electric star ter , the fuse ma y be blo wn. R e place

it with a 40-amp plug-in type fuse . R efer to Installing the

Fuse in Setup .

Cleaning the Mower

T he mo w er may dislodge material fr om under the

mo w er housing .

•W ear ey e pr otection.

•Stay in the operating position (behind the

handle).

•Do not allo w bystander s in the ar ea.

1. With the engine r unning on a ﬂat pa v ed surface , spra y a

stream of w ater in front of the right rear wheel ( Figure

52 ).

T he w ater will splash into the path of the blade , cleaning

out the clippings .

Figure 52

2. W hen no more clippings come out, stop the w ater and

mo v e the mo w er to a dr y area.

3. R un the engine for a few min utes to dr y the housing

to prev ent it from r usting .

Storage

Store the mo w er in a cool, clean, dr y place .

Preparing the Mower forStorage

Gasoline v apor s can explode.

•Do not stor e gasoline mor e than 30 days.

•Do not stor e the mo w er in an enclosur e near an

open ﬂame.

•Allo w the engine to cool bef or e storing it.

1. On the last refueling of the year , add fuel stabilizer to

the fuel as directed b y the engine man ufacturer .

2. R un the mo w er until the engine stops from r unning

out of fuel.

3. Prime the engine and star t it ag ain.

4. Allo w the engine to r un until it stops . W hen y ou can no

long er star t the engine , it is sufﬁciently dr y .

5. R emo v e the ignition k ey .

6. Disconnect the wire from the spark plug and connect

the wire onto the retaining post.

7. R emo v e the spark plug, add 1 oz. (30 ml) of oil through

the spark plug hole , and pull the star ter rope slo wl y

sev eral times to distribute oil throughout the cylinder to

prev ent cylinder cor rosion during the off-season.

8. Loosely install the spark plug .

9. Tighten all n uts , bolts , and screws .

10. Charg e the batter y for 24 hours , then unplug the batter y

c harg er and store the mo w er in an unheated area. If y ou

m ust store the mo w er in a heated area, y ou m ust c harg e

the batter y ev er y 90 da ys .

Folding the Handle

If, while f olding the handle f or storing or transpor ting

the mo w er , y ou accidentl y bump the k ey and enga ge

the blade contr ol bar , the engine could star t and

r otate the blade, causing serious per sonal injur y .

Al w ays r emo v e the ignition k ey bef or e y ou f old the

handle.

Upright Position

1. Ste p on the foot pedal and hold it do wn ( Figure 53 ).

Figure 53

2. Mo v e the handle to the upright position ( Figure 54 ).

Figure 54

Forward Position

1. With the handle in the upright position, ste p on the

foot pedal and hold it do wn.

2. Mo v e the handle all the w a y forw ard and loosen the

upper handle knob ( Figure 55 ).

Figure 55

3. T o unfold the handle , refer to Unfolding the Handle .

Removing the Mower fromStorage

1. R emo v e the spark plug and spin the engine rapidly using

the star ter to blo w the ex cess oil from the cylinder .

2. Install the spark plug and tighten it with a tor que

wrenc h to 15 ft-lb (20 N ⋅m).

3. Charg e the batter y .

4. Connect the wire to the spark plug .

Gold, Insight, & InsightGold Walk Power Mowers

The Lawn-Boy No-Worry WarrantyA Two-Year Full Warranty (Limited Warranty for Commercial Use)

Conditions and Products CoveredLawn-Boy® Inc. and its afliate, Lawn-Boy Warranty Company, pursuant to an agreement between them, jointly promise to repair any Lawn-Boy product whenused for residential purposes* if defective in materials or workmanship or if it stops functioning due to the failure of a component. The following time periodsapply from the date of purchase:

Products

Warranty Period

Mowers and attachments 2-year full warranty

Batteries

1-year full warranty

This warranty covers the cost of parts and labor, but you must pay transportation costs. This warranty applies to all Lawn-Boy Gold, Insight, and InsightGold series mowers and their attachments.

Limited Warranty for Commercial UseLawn-Boy products used for commercial, institutional, or rental use are warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for the following time periodsfrom the original date of purchase:

Products

Warranty Period

Mowers and attachments 45 day limited warranty

Components failing due to normal wear are not covered by this warranty.

Items and Conditions Not CoveredThere is no other express warranty except for the special emission system coverage on some products. This express warranty does not cover the following:

•Cost of regular maintenance service or parts, such as lters, fuel, lubricants, oil changes, air lter, blade sharpening/worn blade on mowers,paddles/scrapers/skids on snowthrowers, cable/linkage adjustments, or brake and clutch adjustments

•Any product or part which has been altered, misused, or requires replacement or repair due to accidents or lack of proper maintenance

•Repairs necessary due to improper battery care, electrical supply irregularities, failure to use fresh fuel (less than one month old), or failure to properly preparethe unit prior to any period of non-use over one month

•Operational misuse, neglect, or accidents

•Repairs or attempted repairs by anyone other than an Authorized Lawn-Boy Service Dealer.

•Pickup and delivery charges

Owner ResponsibilitiesYou must maintain your Lawn-Boy product by following the maintenance procedures described in the Operator’s Manual . Such routine maintenance, whetherperformed by a dealer or by you, is at your expense.

Instructions for Obtaining Warranty ServiceIf you think that your Lawn-Boy product contains a defect in materials or workmanship follow this procedure:

1. Contact any Authorized Lawn-Boy Service Dealer to arrange service at their dealership. To locate a dealer convenient to you, refer to the Yellow Pages of yourtelephone directory (look under “Lawn Mowers” or “Snow Removal”) or access our website at www.Lawn-Boy.com . U.S. Customers may also call thenumber listed in item # 3 to use our 24–hour Lawn-Boy dealer locator system.

2. Bring the product and your proof of purchase (sales receipt) to the Service Dealer. The dealer will diagnose the problem and determine if it is to becovered under warranty.

3. If for any reason you are dissatised with the Service Dealer’s analysis or with the assistance provided, contact us at: Customer Care Department, Consumer,Lawn-Boy Warranty Company, 8111 Lyndale Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55420-1196; or call us toll free at 1-866-216-6032 (U.S. customers)or 1-866-216-6031 (Canada customers).

General ConditionsAll repairs covered by these warranties must be performed by an Authorized Lawn-Boy Service Dealer using Lawn-Boy approved replacement parts.

Neither Lawn-Boy® Inc. nor Lawn-Boy Warranty Company is liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages in connection with theuse of the Lawn-Boy products covered by these warranties, including any cost or expense of providing substitute equipment or serviceduring reasonable periods of malfunction or non-use pending completion of repairs under these warranties. Some states do not allowexclusions of incidental or consequential damages, so the above exclusions and limitations may not apply to you. This warranty gives youspecic legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Countries Other than the United States or CanadaCustomers who have purchased Lawn-Boy products exported from the United States or Canada should contact their Lawn-Boy Distributor (Dealer) to obtainguarantee policies for your country, province, or state. If for any reason you are dissatised with your Distributor’s service or have difculty obtaining guaranteeinformation, contact the Lawn-Boy importer. If all other remedies fail, you may contact us at Lawn-Boy Warranty Company.

* Residential purposes means use of the product on the same lot as your home. Use at more than one location is considered commercial use, and the commercialuse warranty would apply.

374-0077 Rev A