Product Manual

Owner’s Manual for Field and Brush Mower 21
Maintenance and Troubleshooting
• Do not charge a fully charged battery. Heat from
the trickle charger could damage the battery. The
battery will read 12–13.2 volts when fully charged.
• Do not crank the engine when battery charge is low.
• Before charging the battery, observe its external
appearance and keep it clean and dry. Never
charge or use a battery that shows cracks,
changes shape, leaks, or is otherwise damaged.
Charging the Battery
If the battery loses charge, recharge with a trickle char-
ger. The charger must have an output of 12 volts, at no
more than 2 amps.
NOTE: Starting a machine that has significantly dis-
charged using the recoil starter or jumper cables will not
recharge the battery.
To connect a battery charger to the battery:
1. Disconnect battery cables.
2. Connect negative (black) battery charger cable to
battery negative (-) terminal, and connect positive
(red) battery charger cable to battery positive (+)
terminal.
3. Plug battery charger into an outlet.
4. Charge until battery charger indicates it is charged
or battery measures 12–14 volts.
• At 1 amp, charging may take as long as 24 hours.
• At 2 amps, charging may take as long as 12 hours.
5. Disconnect charger from outlet once battery has
charged.
6. Disconnect battery from charger and remove the
cables, removing the negative cable
Troubleshooting
Symptom Possible Cause
Engine starter won’t crank
Verify transmission is in NEUTRAL, and PTO switch is in depressed position.
Verify neutral safety switch plug is connected.
Inspect fuse located under battery.
Verify battery is more than 12 volt. See Battery Care.
Verify all wire connections are clean and tight. Verify ground connections on han-
dlebar and all connections on solenoid are proper. Disconnect green battery
ground wire first to avoid sparks. Reconnect battery ground wire.
Engine starter cranks but
engine won’t start
Verify fuel tank is at least half full and fuel shut off is in ON position.
Verify fuel solenoid switch on carburetor bowl is connected.
Attempt to start with throttle in CHOKE position. If this fails, attempt to start in
RUN position.
Engine lacks power or is not
running smoothly
Refer to the OEM for engine specific procedures.
Inspect throttle lever travel and adjustment. Verify throttle lever is in RUN position.
Air filter may be dirty. Change as necessary.
Spark plug may be dirty or cracked. Change as necessary. If it’s oily, leave it out,
hold a rag over the plug hole(s) and crank the engine several times to blow out
any oil in the cylinders. Wipe off plug and install.
Fuel may be old. Change as necessary.
Inspect the fuel filter. Replace as necessary.