Operation Manual

20
Cleaning Under the Belt Cover
Keep the area under the belt cover free of debris.
1. Stop the engine and wait for all moving parts to stop.
2. Remove the bolts that secure the belt cover to the lawn
mower housing (Fig. 28).
281
1
2
Figure 28
1. Belt cover 2. Bolts
3. Lift off the cover and brush out all the debris from the
belt area.
4. Install the belt cover.
Cleaning the Cooling System
After every 100 operating hours or every season, clean the
dirt and the chaff from the cylinder, the cylinder head fins,
and around the carburetor and the linkage. Remove debris
from the air intake slots on the recoil housing. This will
ensure proper cooling and the best engine performance.
Emptying the Fuel Tank
1. Stop the engine and wait for it to cool.
Important Drain gasoline from a cold engine only.
2. Disconnect the wire from the spark plug (Fig. 7).
3. Remove the cap from the fuel tank (Fig. 7).
4. Use a hand pump to pump the gasoline into a clean
approved gasoline container.
5. Connect the wire to the spark plug.
6. Run the engine until it stops.
7. Start the engine again to ensure that all the gasoline is
out of the carburetor.
Storage
To prepare the lawn mower for off-season storage, perform
the recommended maintenance procedures. Refer to
Maintenance on page 14.
Store the lawn mower in a cool, clean, dry place. Cover the
lawn mower to keep it clean and protected.
Preparing the Fuel System
Gasoline can vaporize if you store it over long
periods of time and explode if it comes into contact
with an open flame.
• Do not store gasoline over long periods of time.
• Do not store the lawn mower with gasoline in
the fuel tank or the carburetor in an enclosure
with an open flame. (For example, a furnace or
a water heater pilot light.)
• Allow the engine to cool before storing it in any
enclosure.
Warning
Empty the fuel tank when mowing the last time before
storing the lawn mower.
1. Run the lawn mower until the engine stops from
running out of fuel.
2. Prime the engine and start it again.
3. Allow the engine to run until it stops. When you can no
longer start the engine, it is sufficiently dry.
Preparing the Engine
1. While the engine is still warm, change the oil in the
crankcase. Refer to Changing the Engine Oil on
page 18.
2. Remove the spark plug (Fig. 7).
3. Using an oil can, add about one tablespoon of oil
through the spark plug hole.
4. Slowly rotate the engine several times using the starter
rope to distribute the oil.
5. Install the spark plug but do not connect the wire to the
spark plug.