Columbia 260 series, Operator'S Manual

5

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4. 

Use extreme care when approaching blind corners, 

doorways, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure 

your vision of a child who may run into the string trimmer.

5. 

Keep children away from hot or running engines. They can 

suffer burns from a hot muffler. 

6. 

Never allow children under 14 years of age to operate this 

machine. Children 14 and over should read and understand 

the instructions and safe operation practices in this manual 

and on the machine and be trained and supervised by an 

adult.

Service

Safe Handling Of Gasoline:

1. 

To avoid personal injury or property damage use extreme 

care in handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely flammable 

and the vapors are explosive. Serious personal injury can 

occur when gasoline is spilled on yourself or your clothes, 

which can ignite. Wash your skin and change clothes 

immediately.

2. 

Use only an approved gasoline container.

3. 

Never fill containers inside a vehicle or on a truck or trailer 

bed with a plastic liner. Always place containers on the 

ground away from your vehicle before filling.

4. 

Remove gas-powered equipment from the truck or 

trailer and refuel it on the ground. If this is not possible, 

then refuel such equipment on a trailer with a portable 

container, rather than from a gasoline dispenser nozzle.

5. 

Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the fuel tank or 

container opening at all times until fueling is complete. Do 

not use a nozzle lock-open device.

6. 

Extinguish all cigarettes, cigars, pipes and other sources  

of ignition.

7. 

Never fuel machine indoors because flammable vapors will 

accumulate in the area.

8. 

Never remove gas cap or add fuel while engine is hot or 

running.  Allow engine to cool at least two minutes before 

refueling.

9. 

Never over fill fuel tank. Fill tank to no more than 1 inch 

below bottom of filler neck to provide for fuel expansion.

10.  Replace gasoline cap and tighten securely.
11.  If gasoline is spilled, wipe it off the engine and equipment. 

Move machine to another area. Wait 5 minutes before 

starting engine.

12.  Never store the machine or fuel container near an open 

flame, spark or pilot light as on a water heater, space 

heater, furnace, clothes dryer or other gas appliances. 

13.  To reduce fire hazard, keep machine free of grass, leaves, 

or other debris build-up. Clean up oil or fuel spillage and 

remove any fuel soaked debris. 

14.  Allow machine to cool at least 5 minutes before storing.

General Service:

1. 

Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. 

Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an odorless 

and deadly gas.

2. 

Before cleaning, repairing, or inspecting, make certain the 

spindle and all moving parts have stopped. Disconnect the 

spark plug wire and ground against the engine to prevent 

unintended starting. 

3. 

Check the spindle and engine mounting bolts at frequent 

intervals for proper tightness. Also, visually inspect 

spindle for damage. Replace with the original equipment 

manufacture’s (O.E.M.) parts only, listed in this manual. 

“Use of parts which do not meet the original equipment 

specifications may lead to improper performance and 

compromise safety!”  

4. 

Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure the 

equipment is in safe working condition.

5. 

Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper 

operation regularly.

6. 

After striking a foreign object, stop the engine, disconnect 

the spark plug wire and ground against the engine. 

Thoroughly inspect the string trimmer for any damage. 

Repair the damage before starting and operating the string 

trimmer.

7. 

Trimmer components, guards and shields are subject 

to wear and damage which could expose moving parts 

or allow objects to be thrown. For safety protection, 

frequently check components and replace immediately 

with original equipment manufacturer’s (O.E.M.) parts only, 

listed in this manual. “Use of parts which do not meet the 

original equipment specifications may lead to improper 

performance and compromise safety!”

8. 

Do not change the engine’s governor setting or over-speed 

the engine. The governor controls the maximum safe 

operating speed of the engine. 

9. 

Check fuel line, tank, cap, and fittings frequently for cracks 

or leaks. Replace if necessary.

10.  Do not crank engine with spark plug removed.
11.  Maintain or replace safety and instruction labels, as 

necessary.

12.  Observe proper disposal laws and regulations. Improper 

disposal of fluids and materials can harm the environment.

13.  According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission 

(CPSC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 

this product has an 

Average Useful Life

 of seven (7) years, 

or 140 hours of operation. At the end of the 

Average Useful 

Life

 have the machine inspected annually by an authorized 

service dealer to ensure that all mechanical and safety 

systems are working properly and not worn excessively. 

Failure to do so can result in accidents, injuries or death.

Do not modify engine

To avoid serious injury or death, do not modify engine in any 

way. Tampering with the governor setting can lead to a runaway 

engine and cause it to operate at unsafe speeds. Never tamper 

with factory setting of engine governor.