Operator's Manual

10
Reviewing the Maintenance
Schedule
Review the Recommended Maintenance Schedule on
page 14. You may need to perform one or more additional
procedures before or soon after you begin operating the
lawn mower.
Operation
Note: Determine the left and right sides of the machine
from the normal operating position.
Each time before you mow, ensure that the self-propel drive
(self-propel model only) and the blade control bail operate
properly. When you release the blade control bail, the
engine and the self-propel drive should stop. If they do not,
contact an Authorized Service Dealer.
Controls
The starter handle and the blade control bail are on the
upper handle as shown in Figure 12.
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2
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Figure 12
1. Blade control bail
2. Upper handle
3. Starter handle
Starting the Engine
1. Connect the wire to the spark plug (Fig. 13).
1
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Figure 13
1. Spark-plug wire 2. Primer
2. Push in the primer 3 times, waiting one second between
each push (Fig. 13).
Note: If the temperature is 55F (13C) or below, push in
the primer 5 times, waiting one second between each push.
Note: Do not use the primer to start a warm engine after a
brief shutdown. However, cool weather may require you to
prime the engine again.
3. Hold the blade control bail against the upper handle
(Fig. 14).
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2
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Figure 14
1. Blade control bail
2. Upper handle
3. Starter handle
4. Start the lawn mower.
• Manual Starting—Pull the starter handle lightly until
you feel resistance, then pull it sharply (Fig. 12). Allow
the rope to return to the handle slowly.
• Electric Starting (electric-start model only)—Insert
the key into the switch. Turn the key to the right and
release it when the engine starts (Fig. 15).
Figure 15
Note: If the battery charge is too low to start the engine,
start the engine manually.
Note: If the engine fails to start after 3 attempts, repeat
steps 2 through 4.
Stopping the Engine
Release the blade control bail. Both the engine and the
blade should stop. If they do not stop properly, contact your
Authorized Service Dealer.
Using the Self-propel Drive
To operate the self-propel drive, simply walk forward with
your hands on the upper handle and your elbows at your
sides, and the lawn mower will automatically keep pace
with you. The faster you walk, the farther the handle will
slide and the faster the lawn mower will propel (Fig. 16).