SHINDAIWA OWNER’S/ OPERATOR'S MANUAL AH231 ARTICULATED HEDGE TRIMMER Shindaiwa Inc. P.O. Box 2810 Tualatin, Oregon 97062 Telephone: 503 692-3070 FAX: 503 692-6696 www.shindaiwa.com Shindaiwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. Head Office: 6-2-11 Ozuka Nishi, Asaminami-ku Hiroshima, 731-3167, Japan Telephone: 81-82-849-2220 FAX: 81-82-849-2481 WARNING! Minimize the risk of injury to yourself and others! Read this manual and familiarize yourself with the contents.
Contents Attention Statements PAGE Attention Statements ........................... 1 Introduction ......................................... 2 Throughout this manual are special attention statements. DANGER! Safety Precautions ............................... 2 Operating Precautions ........................ 5 Operating the Trimmer ...................... 7 Specifications .......................................
Introduction SAFETY The Shindaiwa AH231 Articulatied Hedge Trimmer is designed and built to deliver superior performance and reliability without compromise to quality, comfort, safety or durability. Shindaiwa’s high-performance engines represent the leading edge of 2-cycle engine technology, delivering exceptionally high power with remarkably low displacement and weight.
Safety Precautions SAFETY Read and follow this manual, make sure anyone using the trimmer does likewise. Failure to do so could result in serious personal injury or machine failure. Keep this manual for future reference Always wear a hard hat to reduce the risk of head injuries during operation of this machine. In addition, always wear eye and hearing protection. Shindaiwa recommends wearing a face shield as additional face and eye protection.
Emission System Warranty Statement The California Air Resources Board, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Shindaiwa Kogyo Co., Ltd. are pleased to explain the emission control system warranty on your new small offroad (non-road) engine. In California, new small off-road engines must be designed, built, and equipped to meet the State’s stringent anti-smog standards. In other states, new 1997 and later non-road engines must meet the Federal EPA’s stringent anti-smog standards. Shindaiwa Kogyo Co.
Operating Precautions Troubleshooting Guide (continued) SAFETY WARNING! Use Good Judgement ■ Always make sure the cutter attachment is properly installed and firmly tightened before operation. ■ Never use a cracked or warped cutter or cutter bar: replace it with a serviceable one and make sure it fits properly. ■ Before starting the engine, make sure the cutter is not contacting anything.
Troubleshooting Guide (continued) Poor acceleration. Engine stops abruptly. Possible Cause Remedy Clogged air cleaner element. Clean the air cleaner element. Clogged fuel filter. Replace the fuel filter. Carburetor mixture too lean. Consult with an authorized servicing dealer. Idle speed set too low. Adjust: 2.750 (Ⳳ250) rpm (min-1) Switch turned off. Reset the switch and re-start. Fuel tank empty. Refuel. Clogged fuel filter. Replace filter. Water in the fuel.
Operating the Articulated Hedge Trimmer Troubleshooting Guide (continued) SAFETY LOW POWER OUTPUT What To Check Always wear a hard hat to reduce the risk of head injuries during operation of this unit. Secure long hair so it is above shoulder level. Wear non-slip heavyduty gloves to improve your grip on the trimmer handle. Wear snugfitting clothes that also permit freedom of movement. NEVER wear shorts! Is the engine overheating? Always wear eye and hearing protection.
Troubleshooting Guide AH231 Specifications ENGINE DOES NOT START What To Check Consult with an authorized servicing dealer. NO Loose spark plug. Excess wear on cylinder, piston, rings. Tighten and re-test. Consult with an authorized servicing dealer. NO Fuel incorrect, stale, or contaminated; mixture incorrect.
Product Description Long Term Storage Whenever the unit will not be used for 30 days or longer, use the following procedures to prepare it for storage: Top Engine Cover Screw Air Filter Assembly Spark Plug DESCRIPTION Cutter Assembly Adjustment Lever Hedge Trimmer Cutter Assembly ■ Clean external parts thoroughly and apply a light coating of oil to all metal surfaces.
Cutter Blade Adjustment WARNING! The cutter blades are very sharp! Always wear gloves when working around the cutter assembly. CAUTION! Cutter performance of your unit depends in great measure on cutter blade clearance. Properly adjusted blades will oscillate freely yet help prevent binding of cut material between blades. Adjust blades as follows (Figure 32): Spark Plug 2. Tighten each blade shoulder bolt firmly, and then loosen the shoulder bolts 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Main Shaft Outer Tube 3.
Assembly: AH231 135-hour Maintnenace Disconnect the spark plug boot and loosen the three engine cover screws (top screw is captive) 1. Remove the spark plug boot. 2. Loosen the three cylinder cover screws, and then lift off the cylinder cover. Top Engine Cover Screw AH231_10 Lower Engine Cover Screws WARNING! 5. Remove the rear muffler shield bolt and, while noting the orientation of parts, separate the muffler shield. 6. Remove the spark arrester screen and clean with a stiff bristle brush. 7.
50-Hour Maintenance Assembly; AH231 Every 50 hours of operation (more frequently in dusty or dirty conditions): ■ Remove and clean the cylinder cover and clean dirt and debris from the cylinder cooling fins. Black Wire AH231_35 ■ Lubricate the gearcase. To perform this operation, first remove the gearcase from the outer tube as follows (Figure 28.): Outer Tube Figure 29 Servicing the fuel filter Spark Plug Wire CAUTION! Make sure you do not pierce the fuel line with the end of the hooked wire.
Adjusting the Hedge Trimmer Cutter Assembly WARNING! ■ The cutter blades are very sharp. Do not grasp the blades with your hands. Do not brush the blades against your body. ■ Never run the engine nor operate the articulated hedge trimmer when the cutter assembly is in the storage/ transport position. 2. With the index finger of your left hand, press the latch release. With your left thumb, press the latch lock. See Figure 12.
Daily Maintenance Prior to each work day, perform the following: ■ Remove all dirt and debris from the engine, check the cooling fins and air cleaner for clogging, and clean as necessary. See Figure 24. Keep cooling fins clean AH231_29 Keep air passages clean WARNING! Always wear gloves when working around the cutter assembly. ■ Clean any debris or dirt from the hedge trimmer cutter blades. Lubricate the blades before use and after refueling. Check the cutters for damage or incorrect adjustment.
General Maintenance Mixing Fuel CAUTION! Some types of gasoline contain alcohol as an oxygenate. Oxygenated gasoline may cause increased operating temperatures. Under certain conditions, alcoholbased gasoline may also reduce the lubricating qualities of some 2cycle mixing oils. Never use any type of gasoline containing more than 10% alcohol by volume! Generic oils and some outboard oils may not be intended for use in high-performance 2-cycle type engines, and should never be used in your Shindaiwa engine.
Adjusting The Carburetor WARNING! The cutter attachment must never oscillate at engine idle speed. If the idle speed cannot be adjusted by the procedures described here, return the trimmer to your Shindaiwa dealer for inspection. The engine must return to idle speed whenever the throttle trigger is released. Idle speed is adjustable and must be set low enough to permit the engine clutch to disengage the cutter attachment when throttle trigger is released. Check and Adjust Idle Speed 2.
Cranking The Engine WARNING! WARNING! When the engine starts or is running–even at idle–the hedge trimmer cutter blade may move (oscillate). Keep your hands and your body away from the cutter assembly while starting the engine! The cutter attachment will engage and oscillate as the engine starts and accelerates. AH231_24 WARNING! Figure 19 CAUTION! If The Engine Fails To Start The recoil starter can be damaged by abuse. Repeat the appropriate cranking procedure (warm or cold engine).