Operator's Manual

Operation
BeforeOperation
BeforeOperationSafety
GeneralSafety
•Becomefamiliarwiththesafeoperationofthe
equipment,operatorcontrols,andsafetysigns.
•Checkthatallguardsandsafetydevices,suchas
deectorsand/orgrasscatcher,areinplaceand
workingproperly.
•Alwaysinspectthemachinetoensurethatthe
blades,bladebolts,andcuttingassemblyarenot
wornordamaged.
•Inspecttheareawhereyouwillusethemachine
andremoveallobjectsthatthemachinecould
throw.
•Adjustingthecuttingheightmaybringyouinto
contactwiththemovingblade,causingserious
injury.
–Shutofftheengine,removetheelectric-start
button(electric-startmodelonly),andwaitfor
allmovingpartstostop.
–Donotputyourngersunderthehousing
whenadjustingthecuttingheight.
FuelSafety
DANGER
Fuelisextremelyammableandhighly
explosive.Areorexplosionfromfuel
canburnyouandothersandcandamage
property.
•Topreventastaticchargefromignitingthe
fuel,placethecontainerand/ormachine
directlyonthegroundbeforelling,notin
avehicleoronanobject.
•Fillthefueltankoutdoors,inanopenarea,
whentheengineiscold.Wipeupanyfuel
thatspills.
•Donothandlefuelwhensmokingor
aroundanopenameorsparks.
•Storefuelinanapprovedcontainerand
keepitoutofthereachofchildren.
WARNING
Fuelisharmfulorfatalifswallowed.
Long-termexposuretovaporscancause
seriousinjuryandillness.
•Avoidprolongedbreathingofvapors.
•Keepyourhandsandfaceawayfromthe
nozzleandthefuel-tankopening.
•Keepfuelawayfromyoureyesandskin.
FillingtheFuelTank
•Forbestresults,useonlyclean,fresh,unleaded
gasolinewithanoctaneratingof87orhigher
((R+M)/2ratingmethod).
•Oxygenatedfuelwithupto10%ethanolor15%
MTBEbyvolumeisacceptable.
•Donotuseethanolblendsofgasoline,such
asE15orE85,withmorethan10%ethanolby
volume.Performanceproblemsand/orengine
damagemayresult,whichmaynotbecovered
underwarranty.
•Donotusegasolinecontainingmethanol.
•Donotstorefueleitherinthefueltankorinfuel
containersoverthewinterunlessfuelstabilizer
hasbeenaddedtothefuel.
•Donotaddoiltogasoline.
Fillthefueltankwithfreshunleadedregulargasoline
fromamajorname-brandservicestation(Figure14).
Important:Toreducestartingproblems,addfuel
stabilizertothefuelallseason,mixingitwith
gasolinelessthan30daysold.
g194642
Figure14
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