Operator's Manual

Operation
Note:Determinetheleftandrightsidesofthe
machinefromthenormaloperatingposition.
BeforeOperation
BeforeOperationSafety
GeneralSafety
•Becomefamiliarwiththesafeoperationofthe
equipment,operatorcontrols,andsafetysigns.
•Checkthatallguardsandsafetydevices,suchas
deectorsand/orgrasscatcher,areinplaceand
workingproperly.
•Alwaysinspectthemachinetoensurethatthe
blades,bladebolts,andcuttingassemblyarenot
wornordamaged.
•Inspecttheareawhereyouwillusethemachine,
andremoveallobjectsthatcouldinterferewith
theoperationofthemachineorthatthemachine
couldthrow.
•Adjustingthecuttingheightmaybringyouinto
contactwiththemovingblade,causingserious
injury.
–Shutofftheengine,removetheignitionkey
(electric-startmodelonly),andwaitforall
movingpartstostop.
–Donotputyourngersunderthehousing
whenadjustingthecuttingheight.
FuelSafety
•Fuelisextremelyammableandhighlyexplosive.
Areorexplosionfromfuelcanburnyouand
othersandcandamageproperty.
–Topreventastaticchargefromignitingthefuel,
placethecontainerand/ormachinedirectlyon
thegroundbeforelling,notinavehicleoron
anobject.
–Fillthefueltankoutdoors,inanopenarea,
whentheengineiscold.Wipeupanyfuelthat
spills.
–Donothandlefuelwhensmokingoraroundan
openameorsparks.
–Donotremovethefuelcaporaddfueltothe
tankwhiletheengineisrunningorhot.
–Ifyouspillfuel,donotattempttostartthe
engine.Avoidcreatingasourceofignitionuntil
thefuelvaporshavedissipated.
–Storefuelinanapprovedcontainerandkeep
itoutofthereachofchildren.
•Fuelisharmfulorfatalifswallowed.Long-term
exposuretovaporscancauseseriousinjuryand
illness.
–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(Figure10).
Important:Toreducestartingproblems,add
fuelstabilizertothegasolineallseason.Mixthe
stabilizerwithgasolinelessthan30daysold.
g230458
Figure10
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