Operator's Manual

Operation
Note:Determinetheleftandrightsidesofthe
machinefromthenormaloperatingposition.
Eachtimebeforeyoumow,ensurethattheself-propel
driveandtheblade-controlbaroperateproperly.
Whenyoureleasetheblade-controlbar,theblade
andtheself-propeldriveshouldstop.Iftheydonot,
contactanAuthorizedServiceDealer.
CAUTION
Thismachineproducessoundlevelsin
excessof85dBAattheoperator'searandcan
causehearinglossthroughextendedperiods
ofexposure.
Wearhearingprotectionwhenoperatingthis
machine.
decal98-4387
Figure12
1.Warning—wearhearingprotection.
CheckingtheEngine-Oil
Level
ServiceInterval:Beforeeachuseordaily—Check
theengine-oillevel.
Beforeyouusethemachine,ensurethattheoillevel
isbetweenthelower-limitandtheupper-limitmarks
asshownonthedipstick(Figure13).
g024162
Figure13
1.Dipstick3.Lower-limitmark
2.Upper-limitmark
Iftheoillevelisbelowthelower-limitmark,addoil.
Referto3FillingtheCrankcasewithOil(page9).
FillingtheFuelTank
DANGER
Gasolineisextremelyammableand
explosive.Areorexplosionfromgasoline
canburnyouandothers.
•Topreventastaticchargefromigniting
thegasoline,placethecontainerand/or
machinedirectlyonthegroundbefore
lling,notinavehicleoronanobject.
•Fillthetankoutdoorswhentheengineis
cold.Wipeupspills.
•Donothandlegasolinewhensmokingor
aroundanopenameorsparks.
•Storegasolineinanapprovedfuel
container,outofthereachofchildren.
•Forbestresults,useonlyclean,fresh(lessthan
30daysold),unleadedgasolinewithanoctane
ratingof87orhigher((R+M)/2ratingmethod).
•Oxygenatedfuelwithupto10%ethanolor15%
MTBEbyvolumeisacceptable.
•Ethanol:Gasolinewithupto10%ethanol
(gasohol)or15%MTBE(methyltertiarybutyl
ether)byvolumeisacceptable.Ethanoland
MTBEarenotthesame.Gasolinewith15%
ethanol(E15)byvolumeisnotapprovedforuse.
Neverusegasolinethatcontainsmorethan
10%ethanolbyvolume,suchasE15(contains
15%ethanol),E20(contains20%ethanol),orE85
(containsupto85%ethanol).Usingunapproved
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