MTD 31A-6ACE700 User manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 31A-6ACE700

Category: Snow throwers

Type: User manual

Safety ° Assembly ° Operation ° Maintenance °Troubleshooting ° Parts Lists °Warranty

O P RA-rO R'S MANUAL

Two-Stage Snow Thrower m C, D Style

IMPORTANT

READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATION

Warning: Thisunitisequippedwithan internalcombustionengineandshouldnotbeusedon or nearanyuniiprovedforest-covered,brush-

coveredor grass-coveredlandunlesstheengine'sexhaustsystemisequippedwithasparkattestermeetingapplicablelocalor statelaws(if any),

If a sparkarresterisused,it shouldbemaintainedineffectiveworkingorderbytheoperator,IntheStateofCaliforniatheaboveisrequiredbylaw

(Section4442oftheCaliforniaPublicResourcesCode),Otherstatesmayhavesimilarlaws,Federallawsapplyonfederallands,A sparkattester

forthemufflerisavailablethroughyournearestengineauthorizedservicedealerorcontacttheservicedepartment,P.O,Box361131Cleveland,

Ohio44136-0019,

PRINTEDIN U,S,A

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

FORMNO,769-01274E

05/25/2006

This Operator's Manual is an important part of your new snow thrower. It will help you assemble,

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

Table of Contents

Safety Labels ...................................................... 3

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

Setting Up Your Snow Thrower .......................... 6

Operating Your Snow Thrower ........................... 8

MakingAdjustments ......................................... 12

Maintaining Your Snow Thrower ...................... 14

Off-Season Storage .......................................... 18

Trouble- Shooting ............................................. 19

Parts List ........................................................... 20

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

Finding and Recording Model Number

BEFOREYOU STARTASSEMBLING

YOURNEW EQUIPMENT,

please locatethe modelplate onthe equipmentand copythe

informationtothe samplemodel plate providedto the right.

Youcan locatethe modelplate by standingat theoperating

position andlookingdown atthe rear ofthe deck. This

informationwill be necessaryto usethemanufacturer'sweb

site and/or obtain assistancefrom the CustomerSupport

Departmentoran authorizedservice dealer.

,,www.mtdproducts.com

IVITD LLC

P. O. BOX 361131

CLEVELAND,OH 44136

330-220-4683

800-800-731 0

Customer Support

Please do NOTreturn the unit to the retailer from which it was purchased,

without first contacting Customer Support.

Ifyou have difficultyassemblingthis productorhave anyquestions regardingthe controls, operationor maintenanceofthis unit,

you canseek help from the experts.Choosefromthe options below:

1. Visitmtdproducts.com formanyusefulsuggestions.Clickon

CustomerSupportbuttonandyouwillgettheoptionsreproducedin

thescreenshotbelow.Clickontheappropriatebuttonandhelpis

immediatelyavailable.

2. Phonea Customer Support Representativeat 1(800)800-7310.

Theenginemanufactureris responsibleforallengine-relatedissues

with regardto performance,power-rating,specifications,warrantyand

service.Pleaserefertotheenginemanufacturer'sOwner's/Operator's

Manual,packedseparatelywithyourunit,formoreinformation.

1.KEEPAWAYFROMROTATINGIMPELLER

ANDAUGER.CONTACTWITHIMPELLEROR

AUGERCANAMPUTATEHANDSANDFEET.

USECLEAN-OUTTOOLTOUNCLOG

DISCHARGECHUTE.

DISENGAGECLUTCHLEVERS,STOPENGINE,

ANDREMAINBEHINDHANDLESUNTILALL

MOVINGPARTSHAVESTOPPEDBEFORE

UNCLOGGINGORSERVICINGMACHINE.

TOAVOIDTHROWNOBJECTSINJURIES,

NEVERDIRECTDISCHARGEATBYSTANDERS.

USEEXTRACAUTIONWHENOPERATINGON

GRAVELSURFACES.

5. READOPERATOR'SMANUAL.

_CLEAN-OUT TOOL I1_,

ChuteClean-outTool

Achuteclean-outtool isfastenedtothetopofthe

augerhousingwitha mountingclip. Thetoolisdesigned

tocleara chuteassemblyoficeandsnow,

Thisitemisfastenedwitha cabletieatthefactory.Cut

thecabletiebeforeoperatingthesnowthrower,

WARNING: Never use your

hands to clear a clogged chute

assembly. Shut off engine and

remain behind handles until

all moving parts have stopped

before using the clean-out tool

to clear the chute assembly.

WARNING

Thissymbolpoints

out importantsafety

instructionswhich,if

notfollowed,could

endangerthepersonal

safetyand/or property

of yourselfandothers.

Readand followall

instructionsinthis

manualbeforeat-

temptingto operate

this machine.Failure

to complywith these

instructionsmayresult

in personalinjury.When

youseethissymbol.

HEED ITS WARNING!

Your Responsibility

Restrictthe use

of this power machine

to personswho read,

understand

and follow thewarnings

and instructions

inthis manual

and onthe machine.

WARNING

Thissymbolpoints

outimportantsafety

instructionswhich,if

notfollowed,could

endangerthe personal

i safetyand/or property

i ofyourselfand others.

Readandfollowall

instructionsinthis

manualbeforeat-

temptingto operate

this machine.Failure

to complywiththese

i instructionsmay result

i inpersonalinjury.When

youseethis symbol.

i HEED ITS WARNING!

Your Responsibility

Restrictthe use

ofthis powermachine

to personswho read,

understand

andfollowthe warnings

and instructions

i inthis manual

and onthe machine.

WARNING: EngineExhaust,some of itsconstituents,andcertain vehiclecompo-

nentscontain or emit chemicals knownto Stateof Californiato cause cancer and

birth defectsor other reproductiveharm.

DANGER: This machinewas builtto beoperatedaccordingto the rulesfor safe operation in this

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

result inseriousinjury.This machine iscapableof amputatinghands andfeet andthrowing objects.

Failureto observethe followingsafety instructionscould resultinserious injury or death.

Training

1. Read,understand,andfollowall instructionsonthe 1.

machineandin themanual(s)beforeattemptingto

assembleand operate.Keepthismanualina safe placefor

futureandregularreferenceandfor orderingreplacement

parts. 2.

2. Befamiliarwithall controlsandtheirproperoperation.

Knowhowto stopthe machineanddisengagethemquickly.

3. Neverallowchildrenunder14yearsoldto operatethis

machine.Children14yearsoldandovershouldreadand

understandtheoperationinstructionsandsafetyrulesin 3.

thismanualandshouldbetrainedandsupervisedbya

parent.

4. Neverallowadultsto operatethis machinewithoutproper

instruction.

5. Thrownobjectscancauseseriouspersonalinjury.Plan 4.

yoursnow-throwingpatternto avoiddischargeof material

towardroads,bystanders,andthe like.

6. Keepbystanders,helpers,pets,andchildrenatleast75

feetfromthe machinewhileit isin operation.Stopmachine

ifanyoneentersthearea. 6.

7. Exercisecautiontoavoidslippingor falling,especially 7.

whenoperatingin reverse.

Preparation

Thoroughlyinspectthe areawherethe equipmentisto be

used.Removealldoormats,newspapers,sleds,boards,

wires,and otherforeignobjects,whichcould betrippedover

orthrownbythe auger/impeller.

Alwayswearsafetyglassesor eyeshieldsduringoperation

andwhile performinganadjustmentorrepairto protectyour

eyes.Thrownobjectswhich ricochetcancause serious

injurytothe eyes.

Do notoperatewithoutwearingadequatewinterouter

garments.Do notwearjewelry,longscarves,orother

looseclothingwhichcouldbecomeentangledin moving

parts.Wearfootwearwhich willimprovefootingonslippery

surfaces.

Useagroundedthree-wireextensioncordand receptacle

forall unitswithelectric startengines.

Adjustcollectorhousingheighttocleargravelorcrushed

rocksurfaces.

Disengageallcontrolleversbeforestartingthe engine.

Neverattemptto makeanyadjustmentswhileengineis

running,exceptwherespecificallyrecommendedinthe

operator'smanual.

Letengineandmachineadjusttooutdoortemperature

beforestartingtoclearsnow.

Toavoidpersonalinjuryor propertydamageuseextreme

careinhandlinggasoline.Gasolineisextremelyflammable

andthe vaporsareexplosive.Seriouspersonalinjurycan

occurwhengasolineis spilledonyourselforyourclothes,

whichcanignite.Washyourskinand changeclothes

immediately.

a. Useonlyanapprovedgasolinecontainer.

b. Extinguishallcigarettes,cigars,pipesandothersources

ofignition.

c. Neverfuel machineindoors.

d. Neverremovegascap oradd fuelwhilethe engineis hot

or running.

e. Allowengineto coolat leasttwo minutesbeforerefuel-

ing.

f. Neveroverfillfueltank. Filltankto nomorethanY2-inch

belowbottomoffiller neckto providespacefor fuel

expansion.

g. Replacegasolinecap andtightensecurely.

h. Ifgasolineis spilled,wipeitoff theengineand equip-

ment.Movemachinetoanotherarea.Waitfiveminutes

beforestartingtheengine.

i. Neverstorethe machineorfuel containerinsidewhere

there isan openflame,sparkor pilotlight(e.g.furnace,

waterheater,spaceheater,clothesdryeretc.).

j. Allowmachinetocoolat leastfive minutesbefore

storing.

Operation

1. Donot puthandsorfeet nearrotatingparts,inthe

auger/impellerhousingor chuteassembly.Contactwiththe

rotatingpartscanamputatehandsandfeet.

2. The auger/impellercontrolleveris asafetydevice.Never

bypassitsoperation.Doingsomakesthe machineunsafe

andmaycausepersonalinjury.

3. The controlleversmustoperateeasilyin bothdirections

andautomaticallyreturntothe disengagedpositionwhen

released.

4. Neveroperatewitha missingor damagedchuteassembly.

Keepall safetydevicesin placeandworking.

5. Neverrunan engineindoorsor ina poorlyventilatedarea.

Engineexhaustcontainscarbonmonoxide,anodorlessand

deadlygas.

6. Donotoperatemachinewhile underthe influenceofalcohol

or drugs.

7. Mufflerandenginebecomehotandcan causeaburn.Do

nottouch.

8. Exerciseextremecautionwhenoperatingonor crossing

gravelsurfaces.Stayalertfor hiddenhazardsortraffic.

9. Exercisecautionwhenchangingdirectionandwhileoperat-

ingonslopes.

10.Planyoursnow-throwingpatternto avoiddischargetowards

windows,walls,carsetc.Thus,avoidingpossibleproperty

damageor personalinjury causedbyaricochet.

11.Neverdirectdischargeatchildren,bystanders,and petsor

allow anyonein frontofthe machine.

12.Donotoverloadmachinecapacity byattemptingto clear

snowattoofast ofa rate.

13.Neveroperatethis machinewithoutgoodvisibilityorlight.

Alwaysbesureofyourfootingand keepafirm holdonthe

handles.Walk,neverrun.

14.Disengagepowerto the auger/impellerwhentransportingor

notin use.

15.Neveroperatemachineat hightransportspeedsonslippery

surfaces.Lookdownandbehindand usecarewhen

backingup.

16.Ifthe machineshouldstartto vibrateabnormally,stopthe

engine,disconnectthesparkplugwireand groundit against

the engine.Inspectthoroughlyfordamage.Repairany

damagebeforestartingandoperating.

17.Disengageallcontrolleversandstopenginebeforeyou

leavethe operatingposition(behindthe handles).Wait

untilthe auger/impellercomestoa completestop before

uncloggingthe chuteassembly,makinganyadjustments,or

inspections.

18.Neverputyourhandin thedischargeor collectoropenings.

Alwaysusethe clean-outtoolprovidedtounclogthe dis-

chargeopening.Donot unclogchuteassemblywhileengine

isrunning.Shutoffengineand remainbehindhandlesuntil

all movingpartshavestoppedbeforeunclogging.

19.Useonlyattachmentsandaccessoriesapprovedbythe

manufacturer(e.g.wheelweights,tire chains,cabsetc.).

20. Ifsituationsoccurwhicharenotcoveredinthismanual,use

careand goodjudgment.Contactyourdealeror callthe

customerservice numberfoundonpagetwo.

Maintenance & Storage

1. Nevertamperwithsafetydevices.Checktheirproper

operationregularly.Refertothe maintenanceandadjust-

mentsectionsofthis manual.

2. Beforecleaning,repairing,or inspectingmachinedisen-

gageall controlleversandstopthe engine.Wait untilthe

auger/impellercometoa completestop. Disconnectthe

sparkplugwireand groundagainstthe engineto prevent

unintendedstarting.

3. Checkboltsand screwsfor propertightnessatfrequent

intervalstokeepthe machineinsafeworkingcondition.

Also,visuallyinspectmachineforanydamage.

4. Do notchangethe enginegovernorsettingor over-speed

theengine.Thegovernorcontrolsthemaximumsafe

operatingspeedoftheengine.

5. Snowthrowershaveplatesand skidshoesaresubjectto

wearanddamage.Foryoursafetyprotection,frequently

checkallcomponentsand replacewith originalequipment

manufacturer's(OEM) partsonly."Useof partswhichdo

notmeetthe originalequipmentspecificationsmayleadto

improperperformanceandcompromisesafety!"

6. Checkcontrolsperiodicallytoverify theyengageand

disengageproperlyandadjust,if necessary.Referto the

adjustmentsection inthisoperator'smanualfor instructions.

7. Maintainor replacesafetyandinstructionlabels,asneces-

sary.

8. Observeproperdisposallawsandregulationsfor gas,oil,

etc.toprotectthe environment.

9. Priorto storing,runmachineafew minutestoclearsnow

frommachineandpreventfreezeupof auger/impeller.

10.Neverstorethe machineorfuel containerinsidewhere

thereisan openflame,sparkor pilotlightsuchasa water

heater,furnace,clothesdryeretc.

11.Alwaysreferto theoperator'smanualforproperinstructions

onoff-seasonstorage.

Do not modify engine

Toavoidseriousinjuryordeath,donot modifyengineinany

way.Tamperingwiththegovernorsettingcan leadto arunaway

engineandcauseit tooperateatunsafespeeds.Nevertamper

withfactorysettingofenginegovernor.

Notice regarding Emissions

Engineswhicharecertifiedto complywithCaliforniaandfederal

EPAemissionregulationsforSORE(SmallOff RoadEquipment)

arecertifiedtooperateonregularunleadedgasoline,and may

includethefollowingemissioncontrolsystems:EngineModifica-

tion(EM)andThreeWayCatalyst(TWC)ifso equipped.

Your Responsibility

Restrictthe useofthispowermachineto personswhoread,un-

derstandand followthe warningsandinstructionsin thismanual

andonthe machine.

Practices

WARNING

Thissymbol points

out importantsafety

instructions,which if

notfollowed,could

endangerthe personal

safetyand/or property

of yourselfand others.

Readand followall

instructions inthis man-

ual beforeattemptingto

operatethis machine.

Failureto comply with

these instructionsmay

result inpersonalinjury.

Whenyou seethis

symbol.

HEED IT'S WARNING!

Your Responsibility

Restrictthe use

of this powermachine

to personswho read,

understand

andfollow the warnings

and instructions

in this manual

andon the machine.

NOTE:Referencesto right

or leftsideofthesnow

throwerare determined

frombehindthe unitinthe

operatingposition(standing

directlybehindthesnow

thrower,facingthe handle

_panel).

NOTE:Snowthrowersvary

bymodelwith regardto

featuresandcomponents.

Yoursnowthrowermay

NOTresemble,in detail.

snowthrowersillustrated

infigures throughoutthis

manual.

NOTE:Tworeplacement

augershearpinsare

includedwiththis manual

(orstowedinthe plastic

handlepanel).Referto

i Augerson page16formore

informationregardingshear

pinreplacement.

1, Observethelowerrearareaofthesnowthrowerto

besurebothcablesarealignedwith rollerguides

beforepivotingthehandleupward,

2, Securethehandlebytighteningtheplasticwing

knoblocatedon boththeleftand rightsidesofthe

handle,Removeanddiscardanyrubberbands,if

present,Theyare forpackagingpurposesonly,

3, Positionthechuteassemblyoverthebase,

4, Closetheflangekeepersto securethechute

assemblytothechutebase,Theflangekeeperswill

clickintoplacewhenproperlysecure,

NOTE:Iftheflangekeeperswillnoteasilyclickinto

place,usethe palmofyourhandtoapplyswift,firm

pressuretothebackofeach,

Removetheflatwasherandhairpinclipfromtheend

ofthechutedirectionalcontrol.

Inserttheendofthechutedirectionalcontrolintothe

lowerbracketand securewiththeflatwasherand hair-

pin clipjust removed.If necessary,thelowerbracket

canbeadjusted.Referto ChuteBracketAdjustment.

on Page13.

IMPORTANT:Priortooperatingyoursnowthrower,refer

toAugerControlTeston page11.Readandfollowall

instructionscarefullyandperformalladjustmentstoverify

yoursnowthrowerisoperatingsafelyand properly.

Tire Pressure

Beforeoperating,checktirepressureand reducepres-

surein bothtirestobetween15psiand20 psi.

NOTE:If thetirepressureisnotequalinbothtires,the

unitmaynottravelina straightpathandtheshaveplate

maywearunevenly.

IMPORTANT

Priorto operatingyour

snowthrower,refer

to Auger ControlTest

on page 11.Readand

fo lowall instructions

carefullyand perform

all adjustmentsto verify

your snowthrower is

operating safelyand

properly.

WARNING

Read, understand,

andfollow all instruc-

tions and warnings

onthe machineand

in this manual before

operating.

Useextreme care

when handling

gasoline.Gasoline is

extremelyflammable

and the vapors are

explosive.Neverfuel

the machineindoors

or while the engine

is hot or running.

Extinguishcigarettes,

cigars,pipesand

other sourcesof

ignition.

!;_ r;fl _'_ [<] E]

NOTE:Snowthrowersvary

bymodelwith regardto

featuresand components.

Yoursnowthrowermay

NOTresemble,indetail,

snowthrowersillustrated

infigures througboutthis

manual,

Know Your Snow Thrower

DriveControl

ElectricStartButton

ChuteAssembly

OilFill

CleanOut

Tool

Augers

GasCap

SkidShoe

z AugerControl

__t_ jChute DirectionalControl

Ignition

Key

Choke

Control

EngineControls

RecoilStarter

Handle

ElectricStarterOutlet

Primer

Control

Figure 1

Now that you have set up your snow thrower for

operation, get acquainted with its controls and fea-

tures. These are described below and illustrated in

Figure 1.This knowledge will allow you to use your

new equipment to its fullest potential.

NOTE: Fordetailedstartinginstructionsandmore

informationonall enginecontrols,refertothe Tecumseh

EnginesmanualpackedseparatelyandStarting The

Engine onpage10ofthismanual,

Shift Lever

Theshiftleverislocatedbetweenthelowerhandles,

Placetheshiftleverintoanyofeightpositionsto control

thedirectionoftravelandgroundspeed,

Forward

Therearefiveforward(F)speeds,Positionone(1)isthe

slowestandpositionfive(5) isthefastest,

Reverse

Therearetworeverse(R)speeds,One(1)istheslower

andtwo(2) isthefaster.

Choke Control

Thechokecontrolisfoundontherearoftheengineand

isactivatedbyrotatingtheknobclockwise,Activatingthe

chokecontrolclosesthechokeplateon thecarburetor

andaidsinstartingtheengine,

Throttle Control

Thethrottlecontrolis locatedon the

engine,Itregulatesthespeedofthe

engineandwillshutofftheenginewhen

pusheddowncompletely,

Primer

Depressingtheprimerforcesfueldirectly

intotheengine'scarburetortoaidin

cold-weatherstarting,

Oil Fill

Engineoil levelcanbecheckedandoil

addedthroughtheoil fill,

Auger Control

AUGER

CONTROL

Theaugercontrolislocatedontheleft handle.Squeeze

thecontrolgripagainstthehandletoengagetheaugers

andstartsnowthrowingaction.Releasetostop.

Drive Control

f DRIVE _

CONTROL

Thedrivecontrolislocatedontherighthandle.Squeeze

thecontrolgripagainstthehandletoengagethewheel

drive.Releasetostop.

Chute Directional Control

CHUTE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL

DISCHARGE _'_DISCHARGE

ADJUSTABLE

CHUTETILT

Thechutedirectionalcontrolislocatedon leftsideofthe

snowthrower.

Tochangethedirectionin whichsnowisthrown,turn

chutedirectionalcontrolasfollows:

• Crankclockwisetodischargeto theleft.

• Crankcounterclockwisetodischargetotheright.

Ignition Key

Theignitionkeyisa safetydevise.It mustbefully

insertedin orderfortheenginetostart.Removethe

ignitionkeywhenthesnowthrowerisnotinuse.

Donotturntheignitionkeyinan attempttostartthe

engine.Doingsomaycauseittobreak.

Clean-Out Tool

__lb ARNING"Never use your hands

to clear a clogged chute assem-

bly.Shutoff engineand remain

behind handles until allmoving

parts havestopped before

unclogging.

Thechuteclean-outtoolisfastenedto thetopofthe

augerhousingwitha mountingclip.Thetoolisdesigned

toclearacloggedchuteassembly.

NOTE: Thisitemisfastenedwitha cabletietotherear

oftheaugerhousingatthefactory.Cutthecabletie

beforeoperatingthe snowthrower.

Skid Shoes

Positiontheskidshoesbasedonsurfaceconditions.

Adjustupwardforhard-packedsnow.Adjustdownward

whenoperatingongravelorcrushedrocksurfaces.

Recoil Starter Handle

Thishandleis usedtomanuallystarttheengine.

Electric Starter Button

Pressingtheelectricstarterbuttonengagestheengine's

electricstarterwhenpluggedintoa 120Vpowersource.

Electric Starter Outlet

Requirestheuseofa three-prongoutdoorextensioncord

anda 120Vpowersource/walloutlet.

Augers

Whenengaged,theaugersrotateanddrawsnowintothe

augerhousing.

Chute Assembly

Snowdrawnintotheaugerhousingisdischargedoutthe

chuteassembly.

Gas Cap

Unthreadthegascapto addgasolinetothefueltank.

WARNING

The operation of

any snowthrower

can result inforeign

objects beingthrown

intothe eyes, which

can damage your

eyesseverely.Always

wear safety glasses

while operatingthe

snowthrower,or while

performing anyadjust-

ments or repairson it.

Besure no one other

thanthe operator is

standing near the sno_

throwerwhile starting

engineor operating

snowthrower. Never

run engineindoors or

in enclosed, poorly

ventilated areas. En-

gine exhaustcontains

carbon monoxide,an

odorless and deadly

gas. Keep hands,feet,

hairand looseclothinc

awayfrom any moving

parts on engineand

snowthrower.

WARNING

Read, understand,

andfollow all instruc-

tions and warnings

onthe machineand

in this manual before

operating.

Useextreme care

when handling

gasoline.Gasoline is

extremelyflammable

andthe vapors are

explosive.Neverfuel

the machineindoors

or while the engine

is hot or running.

Extinguishcigarettes,

cigars,pipes and

other sourcesof

ignition.

Ifyour home's

wiringsystem is nota

three-wire grounded

system,do not use

this electric starter

under anyconditions.

Ifyour home

electricalsystem

is grounded, buta

three-hole receptacle

is not available,do

not useyour snow

thrower'selectric

starter.

Gas & Oil Fill-Up

Servicetheenginewithgasolineandoil asinstructedin

the TecumsehEnginesmanualpackedseparatelywith

yoursnowthrower.Readinstructionscarefully,

StartingTheEngine

1, Attachsparkplugwireto sparkplug.Makecertain

themetalloopon theendofthe sparkplugwire

(insidetherubberboot)isfastenedsecurelyoverthe

metaltipon thesparkplug.

2, Makecertainboththeaugercontrolanddrivecontrol

arein thedisengaged(released)position,

3, Movethrottlecontrolupto FASTposition.Insert

ignitionkeyintoslot.Makesureitsnapsintoplace.

Donotattempttoturnthekey.

NOTE:Theenginecannotstartunlessthekeyis

insertedintoignitionswitch,

Electric Starter

1, Determinethatyourhome'swiringisa three-wire

groundedsystem,Ask a licensedelectricianifyou

arenotcertain.

WARNING:The optional electric

starter is equipped witha

groundedthree-wire power cord

and plug, and isdesigned to op-

erate on 120 volt AC household

current. Itmust be usedwith a

properly groundedthree-prong

receptacleat all times to avoid

the possibilityof electricshock.

Followall instructionscarefully

prior to operatingthe electric

starter.

If youhavea groundedthree-prongreceptacle,proceed

asfollows:

1, Plugtheextensioncordintotheoutletlocatedon

theengine'ssurface,Plugtheotherendofextension

cordintoa three-prong120-volt,grounded,ACoutlet

ina well-ventilatedarea.

2, RotatechokecontroltoFULLchokeposition(fora

coldenginestart),

NOTE:Iftheengineisalreadywarm,placechoke

controlin theOFFpositioninsteadof FULL.

3, Pushtheprimertwoor threetimesforcoldengine

start,makingsuretocoverventholein thecenterof

theprimerwhenpushing,

NOTE:DONOTuseprimertorestartawarmengine

aftera shortshutdown.

4, Pushstarterbuttontostartengine.

5, Oncetheenginestarts,releasestarterbutton.

6, Astheenginewarms,slowlyrotatethechokecontrol

totheOFFposition.If theenginefalters,quicklyrotate

thechokecontrolbacktoFULLandthenslowlyinto

theOFFpositionagain.

7, Whendisconnectingtheextensioncord,alwaysunplug

theendatthethree-prongwalloutletbeforeunplug-

gingtheoppositeendfromthesnowthrower,

Recoil Starter

1, RotatechokecontroltoFULLchokeposition(cold

enginestart),

NOTE:Iftheengineisalreadywarm,placechokecontrol

in theOFFpositioninsteadofFULL.

2, Pushtheprimertwo orthreetimesforcoldengine

start,makingsuretocoverventholein thecenterof

theprimerwhenpushing,

NOTE:DONOTuseprimertorestarta warmengineafter

a shortshutdown.

NOTE:Additionalprimingmaybe necessaryifthe

temperatureisbelow15oFahrenheit,

3, Grasptherecoilstarterhandleandslowlypulltherope

out,Atthepointwhereitbecomesslightlyharderto

pulltherope,slowlyallowtheropeto recoil.

4, Pullthestarterhandlewith afirm,rapidstroke,Donot

releasethehandleandallowit tosnapback,Keepa

firmholdonthestarterhandleandallowit toslowly

recoil,

Astheenginewarms,slowlyrotatethechokecontrol

totheOFFposition.If theenginefalters,quicklyrotate

thechokecontrolbacktotheFULLpositionandthen

slowlyintotheOFFpositionagain.

NOTE:Allowtheenginetowarmupforafewminutes

afterstarting.Theenginewillnotdevelopfullpoweruntilit

reachesoperatingtemperatures.

Stopping The Engine

Runenginefora fewminutesbeforestoppingto helpdry

offanymoistureontheengine.

Chute Clean-Out Tool

Thechuteclean-outtoolisconvenientlyfastenedtothe

rearoftheaugerhousingwitha mountingclip.Should

snowandicebecomelodgedin thechuteassembly

duringoperation,proceedasfollowstosafelycleanthe

chuteassemblyandchuteopening:

1. ReleaseboththeAugerControlandtheDriveControl.

2. Stoptheenginebyremovingtheignitionkey.

3. Removetheclean-outtoolfromtheclipwhichsecures

ittothe rearoftheaugerhousing.

4. Usetheshovel-shapedendof theclean-outtoolto

dislodgeandscoopanysnowandicewhichhas

formedinand nearthechuteassembly.

5. Refastentheclean-outtooltothemountingcliponthe

rearoftheaugerhousing,reinserttheignitionkeyand

startthesnowthrower'sengine.

6. Whilestandingintheoperator'sposition(behindthe

snowthrower),engagetheaugercontrolfora few

secondstoclearanyremainingsnowandicefromthe

chuteassembly.

To Engage Drive

WiththethrottlecontrolintheFast(rabbit)position,

moveshiftleverintooneofthesixforward(F)

positionsortwo reverse(R)positions.Selecta speed

appropriateforthesnowconditionsanda paceyou're

comfortablewith.

2. Squeezetheaugercontrolagainstthehandleandthe

augerswillturn.Releaseitandtheaugerswillstop.

3. Squeezethedrivecontrolagainstthehandlethe snow

throwerwillmove.Releaseit anddrivemotionwill

stop.

To Engage Augers

Toengagetheaugersandstartthrowingsnow,

squeezetheaugercontrolagainsttheleft handle.

Releaseto stoptheaugers.

Auger Control Test

Performthefollowingtestbeforeoperatingyoursnow

throwerforthefirsttimeandatthestartofeachwinter.

Checktheadjustmentoftheaugercontrolasfollows:

1. Whentheaugercontrolis releasedandin the

disengaged"up"position,thecableshouldhavevery

littleslack.It shouldNOTbetight.

2. Ina well-ventilatedarea,startthesnowthrowerengine

asinstructedonthe previouspage.Makesurethe

throttleissetin theFASTposition.

3. Whilestandingintheoperator'sposition(behindthe

snowthrower),engagetheauger.

4. Allowtheaugertoremainengagedforapproximately

ten(10)secondsbeforereleasingtheaugercontrol.

Repeatthisseveraltimes.

5. Withthethrottlecontrolin theFAST(rabbit)position

andtheaugercontrolinthedisengaged"up"position,

walktothefrontofthemachine.

6. Confirmthattheaugerhascompletelystopped

rotatingandshowsNOsignsofmotion.Iftheauger

showsANYsignsofrotating,immediatelyreturnto

theoperator'spositionandshutofftheengine.Wait

forALLmovingpartstostopbeforere-adjustingthe

augercontrol.

7. Toreadjustthecontrolcable,loosentheupperhex

nutontheaugercablebracket.

8. Positionthebracketupwardtoprovidemoreslack(or

downwardtoincreasecabletension).See Figure2.

9. Retightentheupperhexnut.

10.RepeatAuger Control Testtoverifyproperadjust-

menthasbeenachieved.

Figure 2

DriveSpeed, usethe

slowerspeeds until

you are comfortable

and familiar withthe

NEVER reposition the

shift lever (change

speeds or directior

of travel)without first

releasing the drive

controland bringing

the snowthrower

to a complete stop

Doingsowill resultin

prematurewear to the

snowthrower'sdrive

system,

WARNING

Never use your hands

to clean snow and

assembly or auger

The muffler,engine

areas become hot

burn, Donot touch,

WARNING

Read, understand,

andfollow all instruc-

tions and warnings

onthe machineand

in this manual before

operating.

Never attemptto

makeany adjust-

mentswhile the

engine isrunning,

exceptwhere speci-

fied in operator's

manual.

Auger Control

RefertoAugerControlTeston Page11to adjustthe

augercontrol.

Drive Control

Whenthedrivecontrolisreleasedandin thedisen-

gaged"up"position,thecableshouldhaveverylittle

slack.It shouldNOTbetight.

Checktheadjustmentofthedrivecontrolasfollows:

1. Withthedrivecontrolreleased,pushthesnow

throwergentlyforward.Theunitshouldrollfreely.

2. Engagethedrivecontroland gentlyattempttopush

thesnowthrowerforward.Thewheelsshouldnot

turn.Theunitshouldnotrollfreely.

3. Withthedrivecontrolreleased,movetheshiftlever

backand forthbetweenthe R2positionandtheF6

positionseveraltimes.Thereshouldbe noresistance

inthe shiftlever.

4. If anyoftheabovetestsfailed,thedrivecableisin

needof adjustment.Proceedasfollows:

5. Loosenthelowerhexnutonthedrivecablebracket.

SeeFigure3.

6. Positionthebracketupwardtoprovidemoreslack(or

downwardto increasecabletension).

7. Retightentheupperhexnut.

Chute Assembly

Thedistancesnowisthrowncanbeadjustedbychang-

ingtheangleof thechuteassembly.Todo so:

1. Stoptheenginebyremovingtheignitionkeyand

loosenthe plasticwingknobfoundontheleft sideof

thechuteassembly.

2. Pivotthechuteupwardordownwardbeforeretight-

eningthewingknob.SeeFigure4.

Figure 3

Figure 4

i¸ i

Skid Shoes

Thespacebetweentheskidshoesandthegroundcan

beadjusted.SeeFigure5.

• Forclosesnowremovalona smoothsurface,raise

skidshoeshigheron theaugerhousing.

° Usea middleor lowerpositionwhentheareatobe

clearedisuneven,suchasagraveldriveway.

Toadjusttheskidshoes:

1. Loosenthefourhexnuts(twooneachside)and

carriagebolts.Moveskidshoestodesiredposition.

2. Makecertaintheentirebottomsurfaceofskidshoeis

againstthegroundtoavoidunevenwearon theskid

shoes.

3. Retightennutsand boltssecurely.

Chute Bracket Adjustment

If thespiralat thebottomofthechutedirectionalcontrol

isnotfullyengagingwiththechuteassembly,thechute

bracketcanbeadjusted.Todo so:

1. loosenthetwo nutswhichsecurethechutebracket

andrepositionit slightly.See Figure6.

2. Retighteningthenuts.

Tire Pressure

Beforeoperating,checktirepressureandreducepres-

suretobetween15psiand 20psi.

If thetirepressureisnotequalin bothtires,theunitmay

pulltoonesideortheother.

Figure 5

Figure 6

WARNING

_oosegravelcanbe picked

Jpandthrownbytheauger,

causinginjurytotheoperator

andbystandersand/or

dar_agetothesnowthrower

andsurroundingproperty,

WARNI NG

repairing, orinspect,

Avoidoilspillage on

rubberfrictionwheel

and aluminumdrive

Platel

Engine

RefertotheseparateTecumsehEnginesmanual

packedwithyourunitforall enginemaintenance.

Lubrication

Engine

RefertotheseparateTecumsehEnginesmanual

packedwithyourunitforall enginelubricationinstruc-

tions.

Gear Shaft

Thegear(hex)shaftshouldbelubricatedatleastonce

a seasonor afterevery25 hoursofoperation.

1. Removethelowerframecoverbyremovingthetwo

screwswhichsecureit.

2. Applya lightcoatingofan all-weathermulti-purpose

greasetothehexshaft.SeeFigure7.

Wheels

Atleastoncea season,removebothwheels.Cleanand

coattheaxleswitha multipurposeautomotivegrease

beforereinstallingwheels.

Chute Directional Control

Oncea season,thejoystickshouldbelubricatedwith

petroleumjelly,linseedoil,mineraloil,paraffinwaxor

3-in-1oil.

Auger Shaft

Atleastoncea season,removetheshearpinson auger

shaft.Spraylubricantinsideshaft,aroundthe spacers.

Alsolubricatetheflangebearingsfoundateitherendof

theshaft.SeeFigure8.

Gear Case

Theaugergearcasehasbeenfilledwithgreaseatthe

factory.If disassembledforanyreason,lubricatewith

twoouncesofgrease(PartNumber737-0168).

NOTE:Donotoverfillthegearcase.Damagetothe

sealscouldresult.Besuretheventplugisfreeof

greasein orderto relievepressure.

Shave Plate and Skid Shoes

Theshaveplateand skidshoesonthebottomofthe

snowthroweraresubjecttowear.Theyshouldbe

checkedperiodicallyandreplacedwhennecessary.

Toremoveskidshoes:

1. Removethefourcarriageboltsandhexflangenuts

whichsecurethemtothesnowthrower.

2. Reassemblenewskidshoeswiththefourcarriage

bolts(twooneachside)andhexflangenuts.Refer

toFigure9.

Toremoveshaveplate:

1. Removethecarriageboltsand hexnutswhich

attachittothesnowthrowerhousing.

2. Reassemblenewshaveplate,makingsureheadsof

carriageboltsaretotheinsideofhousing.Tighten

securely.

Figure 7

Spacers

Figure 8

NOTE:Augersnotshownfor clarity,

Figure 9

Auger Belt Replacement

Toremoveandreplaceyoursnowthrower'saugerbelt,

proceedasfollows:

1. Removethe plasticbeltcoveronthefrontofthe

enginebyremovingthetwoself-tappingscrews.

NOTE:Drainthegasolinefromthesnowthrower,or

placea pieceofplasticunderthegascap.

2. Carefullypivotthesnowthrowerup andforwardso

thatit restson theaugerhousing.Removetheframe

coverfromtheundersideofthesnowthrowerby

removingfourself-tappingscrewswhichsecureit.

3. Rolltheaugerbeltoff theenginepulley.

4. a. Loosenand removetheshoulderscrewwhich

actsasa beltkeeper.

b. Unhookthesupportbracketspringfromthe

frame.

5. Removethe beltfromaroundtheaugerpulley,and

slipthe beltbetweenthesupportbracketandthe

augerpulley.Reassembleaugerbeltbyfollowing

instructionsin reverseorder.

NOTE:DoNOTforgettoreinstalltheshoulderscrew

andreconnectthespringtotheframeafterinstallinga

replacementaugerbelt.

ntaining

SnoW

iiii _i_i_I _i_ i_ i

NOTE: Although

multi-viscosity(

(5W30.10W30 etc:

improve startingin cold

weather,

viscosity oilsalso result

in higher oi!consumpi

tion when usedabove

32°ECheck your snow

thrower!s engineoil

levelmore frequentlyto

gine

amage fromrunning

low onoil.

NOTE: Do not sand'

blast spark plug spark

plugshould becleaned

by scraping or wire

brushing and washing

with a commercial

NEVERreplace the

auger shearpinswith

standardpins,

e to theauger

earboxor othercom-

ponent& as a resultof

doing so, wil!NOTbe

covered byyour snow

throwerls Warranty,

NEVERreplace

theaugershear

pinswithanything

otherthanOEM

PartNo.738-04124

replacementshear

pins.Anydamageto

theaugergearbox

i orothercomponents

asaresultoffailing

todosowillNOTbe

coveredbyyoursnow

thrower'swarranty.

Augers

• Theaugersaresecuredtothespiralshaftwithtwo

shearpinsandcotterpins,If theaugershouldstrikea

foreignobjector icejam,thesnowthrowerisdesigned

sothatthepinsmayshear,RefertoFigure9,

If theaugerswillnotturn,checkto seeifthe pinshave

sheared,Onesetof replacementshearpinshasbeen

providedwiththesnowthrower.Whenreplacingpins,

sprayanoil lubricantintoshaftbeforeinsertingnew

pins,

Drive Belt Replacement

Toremoveand replaceyoursnowthrower'saugerbelt,

proceedasfollows:

1, Removetheplasticbeltcoveron thefrontofthe

enginebyremovingthetwoself-tappingscrews,

• Drainthegasolinefromthe snowthrower,or placea

pieceofplasticunderthegascap,

• Carefullypivotthesnowthrowerupand forwardso

thatit restson theaugerhousing,

2, Removetheframecoverfromtheundersideofthe

snowthrowerbyremovingfourself-tappingscrews

whichsecureit,

3, a, Grasptheidlerpulleyandpivotittowardtheright,

b, Rolltheaugerbeltoff theenginepulley,

c, Liftthedrivebeltoffenginepulley,

4, Slipthedrivebeltoff thepulleyandbetweenfriction

wheelandfrictionwheeldisc,

• Removeandreplacebeltinthe reverseorder,

Friction Wheel Removal

If thesnowthrowerfailstodrivewiththedrivecontrol

engaged,and performingthedrivecontrolcableadjust-

menton page14failsto correcttheproblem,thefriction

wheelmayneedtobe replaced,Followtheinstructions

below,Examinethefrictionwheelforsignsofwearor

crackingandreplaceifnecessary

• Placetheshiftleverin thirdForward(F3)position,

• Drainthegasolinefromthesnowthrower,or placea

pieceofplasticunderthegascap,

• Carefullypivotthesnowthrowerupandforwardso

thatit restson theaugerhousing,

1, a, Removetheframecoverfromtheundersideof

thesnowthrowerbyremovingfourself-tapping

screwswhichsecureit,

b, Removethe right-handwheelbyremovingthe

screwandbellwasherwhichsecureitto theaxle,

2, Carefullyremovethehexnutandwasherwhich

securesthehexshafttothesnowthrowerframeand

lightlytaptheshaft'sendtodislodgetheballbearing

fromthe rightsideoftheframe,

3, Carefullypositionthehexshaftdownwardandto

theleftbeforecarefullyslidingthefrictionwheel

assemblyoff theshaft,

NOTE:Ifyou'rereplacingthefrictionwheelassembly

asa whole,discardthewornpartandslidethenewpart

ontothehexshaft,Followthestepsabovein reverse

orderto reassemblecomponents.Ifyou'redisassem-

blingthefrictionwheeland replacingonlytherubber

ring,proceedasfollows:

4, Removethefourscrewswhichsecurethefriction

wheel'ssideplatestogether,

• Removethe rubberringfrombetweentheplates,

• Reassemblethesideplateswitha newrubberring,

• Slidethefrictionwheelassemblybackontothehex

shaftandfollowthestepsabovein reverseorderto

reassemblecomponents,

Maintaining

Your Snow

Whenreassembling

thefriction wheel as-

sembly,tighten each

screwonly one rota-

tion beforeturning the

wheelclockwise and

proceedingwiththe

nextscrew. Repeat

this processseveral

timesto ensurethe

platesare secured

with equalforce.

NEVERreplace

theauger shear

pinswithanything

otherthan OEM

PartNo.738-04124

replacementshear

pins.Any damageto

theauger gearbox

orother components

as a result offailing

to doso will NOTbe

coveredby yoursnow

thrower'swarranty.

WARNING

Neverstoresnowthrower

withfuelin tankindoors

i or in poorlyventilated

areas,wherefuel fumes

may reachanopenflame,

sparkorpilotlightas on

a furnace,waterheater,

clothesdryeror gas

appliance.

Drainfuel intoanapproved

containeroutdoors,away

ifrom anyopenflame. Be

certainengineiscool.

i Donotsmoke.Fuelleft

i in engineduringwarm

Iweatherdeterioratesand

;;willcauseserious

i startingproblems.

i Donotdraincarburetorif

usingfuel stabilizer.Never

i useengineorcarburetor

i cleaningproducts=nthe

Irue tankorpermanent

Idamagemayoccur.

Ifthe snowthrowerwillnotbe usedfor30 daysor longer,

or if itistheendofthesnowseasonwhenthelast pos-

sibilityofsnowisgone,theequipmentneedstobestored

properly.Followstorageinstructionsbelowtoensuretop

performancefromthesnowthrowerformanymoreyears.

Preparing Engine

,__ WARNING:Neverstoresnowthrower

withfuel in tankindoors orinpoorly

ventilatedareas,wherefuel fumes may

reachanopenflame,sparkor pilot

lightas ona furnace,waterheater,clothesdryeror

gasappliance.

NOTE:It isimportanttopreventgumdepositsfromform-

ingin essentialfuelsystempartsoftheenginesuchas

thecarburetor,fuelfilter,fuelhoseor tankduringstorage.

CAUTION:Alcoholblendedfuels(calledgasoholorusing

ethanolor methanol)canattractmoisturewhichleadsto

separationandformationofacidsduringstorage.Acidic

gascandamagethefuelsystemofanenginewhilein

storage.

Toavoidengineproblems,thefuelsystemshouldbe

emptiedbeforestoragefor30daysorlonger.Follow

theseinstructionsto prepareyoursnowthrowerfor

storage:

WARNING:Drainfuel into an approved

container outdoors, awayfrom any

open flame.Be certain engine is cool.

Donot smoke. Fuelleft in engine dur-

ing warm weather deteriorates andwill cause serious

starting problems.

1. Removeall gasolinefromthecarburetorandthefuel

tankto preventgumdepositsfromformingon these

partsand harmingtheengine.

Runtheengineuntilthefueltankisemptyandit stops

due tolackoffuel.

Draincarburetorbypressingupwardon bowldrain,

locatedbelowthecarburetorcover(refertothe

Tecumsehenginemanualformoredetailedinstruc-

tion).

WARNING:Donotdraincarburetorif

usingfuel stabilizer.Neveruseengine

or carburetorcleaningproductsinthe

fuel tankor permanentdamagemay

occur.

NOTE:Fuelstabilizer(suchasSTA-BIL)isanaccept-

ablealternativein minimizingtheformationoffuelgum

depositsduringstorage.Addstabilizertogasolinein fuel

tankor storagecontainer.Alwaysfollowmixratiofoundon

stabilizercontainer.Runengineatleast 10minutesafter

addingstabilizertoallowitto reachthecarburetor.Donot

draincarburetorif usingfuelstabilizer.

Removethesparkplugand pourone(1)ounceof

engineoilthroughthesparkplugholeintothecylinder.

Coversparkplugholewitha ragandcranktheengine

severaltimestodistributetheoil.Replacesparkplug.

NOTE:Refertothe Tecumsehenginemanualfor more

informationonpreparingthesnowthrowerenginefor

storage.

Preparing Snow Thrower

• Whenstoringthesnowthrowerinan unventilatedor

metalstorageshed,careshouldbe takento rustproof

theequipment.Usinga lightoil or silicone,coatthe

equipment,especiallyanychains,springs,bearings

and cables.

• Removeall dirtfromexteriorofengineandequipment.

° Followlubricationrecommendationsin Maintenance

sectionofthis manual.

• Storeequipmentina clean,dryarea.

Problem Cause Remedy

En n f r 1 Chokenot nONposton 1 MovechoketoONposton

g e a stostat

2. Sparkplugwiredisconnected. 2. Connectwiretosparkplug.

31Fuel tankemptyoi Stalefuel• 31 Filltankwithclean,freshgasolinel

Enginenotpiirned. 41 Primeengineasinstructed

OPeratingYou[SnowTh[ovver_

5 Fa it s k lu 5 Clean,adjustgap,orreplace

: u y par p g: •

6. Blockedfuel linel 6, Cleanfue!line,

7i Safetykeynotin ignitionon enginel ! 7: insertkeyfu!!yintothe swi!ch;

Engineruns erratic 1, UnitrunningonCHOKE,

1, MovechokelevertoOFFposition,

2, Blockedfuellineor stalefuel,

3, Waterordirt infuelsystem,

4, Carburetoroutofadjustment,

2. Cleanfuelline;fill tankwithclean,

freshgasoline•

3. Drainfueltank.Refillwith

freshfuel•

4. ContactMTDServiceCenter.

Engine oVerheats 1 carburetornotadjustedproperly 1 contact MTDservicecenter

Excessive 1. Loosepartsordamagedauger. 1. Stopengineimmediatelyand

Vibration disconnectsparkplugwire.Tighten

all boltsandnuts,If vibration

continues,haveunitservicedbya

MTDServiceCenter.

Lossof power 1• Sparkplugwireloose. 1• Connectandtightensparkplug

wire.

2 Gasca- venthole-lu--ed 2• Removeiceandsnowfromgas

• _, v uu • I cap.Becertainventholeisclear.

I 3• ContactMTDServiceCenter.

3, Exhaustportplugged,

Unitfails 1. Drivecontrolcablein needofadjust- 1. Adjustdrivecontrolcable.Referto

to propel itself ment. "MakingAdjustments".

2, Drivebeltlooseor damaged. 2. Replacedrivebelt.

Unitfails 1• Chuteassemblyclogged. 1• Stopengineimmediatelyand

to d scharclesnow I disconnectsparkplugWire.Clean

v I chuteassembyand nsdeofauge

housingwith clean-outtoolora

stick

2• Foreignobjectlodgedin auger. 2, Stopengineimmediatelyand

disconnectsparkplugwire.

Removeobjectfromaugerwith

cean-outtoolora stick.

3• Augercontrolcableinneedofadjust- ^ ..........

L_ Heferto Augerbontro lest on

ment

• page11.

4 Augerbet looseor damaged

• • 4• Referto Maintenancesection.

5 Shearpin(s)sheared

I 5. Repacewthnewshearpn(s).

ili_iii/i_i/i!_i_/_ii/i i_i!/_ii_i_!!ii_

Shooting

NOTE:This section

addresses minor

service issues,For

furtherdetails,

a MTD authorized

service centeror call

1 (800)800,7310 for

assistance.

Styles C & D

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MTD 31A-6ACE700 User manual

Brand: MTD

Model: 31A-6ACE700

Category: Snow throwers

Type: User manual

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MTD 31A-6ACE700 User manual

MTD 31A-6ACE700 User manual

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