Manual

Preparation (Continued)
Mulching Tips
Mulching finely cuts the grass so that the grass can be easily
recycled. Becausethe nutrients are returned to the soil, the
lawn will need less fertilizer. To correctly mulch the lawn,
follow the tips below.
• Thegrass must be dry. If the grass is wet, it will be
difficult to cut and cause heavyclumps of grass.
• Thegrass must not be too tall. The maximum height to
effectively cut is 4 1/2 inches.Set the height adjusters
so that only the top third of the grass is cut.
• If the grass is more than 4 1/2 inches high, two
mowings will be necessary.For the first mowing, set the
height adjusters in the highest position. Then, lower the
height adjusters for the second mowing.
• Keepa sharp edge on the blade. A bladethat is not
sharp will causethe ends of the grass to become brown.
• Cleanthe underside of the mower housing. Grassand
other debris can keep the mower from working
correctly.
If the quality of cut is marginal, try the following:
• Set the height adjusters at a higher cutting height.
• Cutthe grass more frequently.
• Operatethe mower at a slower ground speed.
• Overlapthe cutting swaths instead of cutting a full
swath with each pass.
• Mow across the marginal areasa second time.
m.
Preparing the Engine
ENGINEDOESNOTCONTAINOIL ORGASOLINE
Using the bottle of oil supplied in the carton, fill the engine
with the proper amount of oil. Seethe engine manufacturer's
instructions for the type of gasoline and oil to use. Before
you use the unit, readthe information on safety, operation,
maintenance,and storage.
WARNING:Followthe enginemanufacturer's
instructionsfor the type of gasoline and oil to
use. Alwaysuse a safetygasolinecontainer.
Donot smokewhen addinggasolineto the
engine.When insidean enclosure,do not
fill with gasoline. Beforeyou add gasoline,
stopthe engine. Letthe enginecoolfor
severalminutes.
Note: Theoperation of a new engine will sometimes result in
a slight amount of smoke. Thissmoke is caused by paint or
oil on or around the muffler This is normal and only
expectedduring initial operation.
IMPORTANT:This unit is equippedwith an internal
combustion engine and must not be used on or nearany
unimproved forest-covered, brush-covered or grass-covered
and unless the engine's exhaust system is equipped with a
spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws (if any).
If a spark attester is used, it must be maintained in effective
working order by the operator.
In the Stateof California the above is required by law
(Section 4442 of the California Public ResourcesCode).
Other states may havesimilar laws. Federallaws apply on
federal lands. Seean Authorized Service Centerfor a spark
attester for the muffler.
Note.Actual sustained enginepower will fikely be lower due
to operating fimitations and environmental factors.
Final Preparation
Before you use the mower, check the assembly of the
wheels, the handle, and the controls. Makesure all the
fasteners are tight. Make sure the throttle control (if
equipped) and the engine stop lever work correctly.
If the mower is equippedwith height adjusters, makesure
the height adjusters function properly. Before starting the
engine, makesure each height adjuster is set at the desired
height. See"Adjusting The Height Of Cut" in the Maintenance
sections.