MTD 50M9, Operator'S Manual

Page 1: ...e Operation Practices Set Up Operation Maintenance Service Troubleshooting Warranty s L Push Mower m Moclel 50M9 MTD LLC P O BOX 361131 CLEVELAND OHiO 44136 0019 PrintedIn USA FormNo 769 05017 April27 2009 ...

Page 2: ...e address and mailing address can be found on this page We want to ensure your complete satisfaction at all times Throughout this manual all references to right and left side of the machine are observed from the operating position Tableof Contents Safe Operation Practices 3 Assembly Set Up 9 Controls Features 12 Operation 13 Maintenance Adjustment 14 Service 15 Troubleshooting 16 Engine Operation ...

Page 3: ...ion piece of power equipment not a plaything Therefore exercise extreme caution at all times This machine has been designed to perform one job to mow grass Do not use it for any other purpose 4 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 should ...

Page 4: ...unning Only use parts and accessories made for this machine by the manufacturer Failure to do so can result in personal injury When starting engine pull cord slowly until resistance is felt then pull rapidly Rapid retraction of starter cord kickback will pull hand and arm toward engine faster than you can let go Broken bones fractures bruises or sprains could result If situations occur which are n...

Page 5: ...sually inspect blade for damage e g bent cracked worn Replace blade with the original equipment manufacture s O E M blade 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 Mower blades are sharp and can cut Wrap the blade or wear gloves and use extra caution when servicing them 5 Keep all nuts bo...

Page 6: ...on or near any unimproved forest covered brush covered or grass covered land unless the engine s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws if any Ira spark arrester is used it should be maintained in effective working order by the operator In the State of California the above is required by law Section 4442 of the California Public Resources Code Other...

Page 7: ... parts DANGER THROWN DEBRIS Remove objects that can be thrown by the blade in any direction Wear safety glasses DANGER SLOPES Use extra caution on slopes Do not mow slopes greater than 15 _ _ WARNING GASOLINEIS FLAMMABLE Allow the engine to cool at least two minutes before refueling WARNING CARBON MONOXIDE Never run an engine indoors or in a poorly ventilated area Engine exhaust contains carbon mo...

Page 8: ...es where you may not operate safely WARNING Do not operate your lawn mower on such slopes Do not mow on inclines with a slope in excess of 15 degrees a rise of approximately 2 1 2 feet every 10 feet A riding mower could overturn and cause serious injury Operate riding mowers up and down slopes never across the face of slopes Operate walk behind mowers across the face of slopes never up and down sl...

Page 9: ...ove the retainer and discard See Fig 3 1 b Lower the chute deflector carefully keeping your fingers out of the way Figure 3 1 Handle Perform the following sequence for the handle setup NOTE Your mower is shipped with the handle in the higher height position a Lift the upper handle up from folded position and pull it to extended position following the arrow in Fig 3 2 The handle should click into t...

Page 10: ... the cable tie provided to secure cable to the lower handle Pull the cable tie tight and trim excess See Fig 3 5 f _ Figure 3 5 RearWheels Install rear wheels as follows in Fig 3 6 wheels maybe already installed at factory if so disregard this step f C d Figure 3 4 Slip the starter rope into the rope guide Tighten the rope guide wing nut Figure 3 6 1 Place rear of the mower deck on raised blocks 2...

Page 11: ...e the lever to the desired position for a change in cutting height See Fig 3 8 F Figure 3 8 3 Release the lever towards deck IMPORTANT When adjusting the cutting height be sure to set all four wheels at the same height For rough or uneven lawns move the height adjustment lever to a higher position to prevent scalping of the grass Set Up Gasand OilFill Up Refer to the Engine Operation section in th...

Page 12: ...ass its operations The recoil starter is attached to the right upper handle Stand behind the unit and pull the recoil starter rope to start the unit MulchingBaffle if Equipped The mulching baffle is used to recirculate grass clippings back to the lawn Attach it as instructed in the Assembly Set Up section of this manual CuttingHeightAdjustmentLever One adjustment lever is located on each wheel and...

Page 13: ...e if equipped UsingYourlawn Mower Be sure lawn is clear of stones sticks wire or other objects which could damage lawn mower or engine Such objects could be accidently thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury to the operator and others _ WARNING The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects being thrown into the eyes which can damage your eyes severely...

Page 14: ...on DeckCare Clean underside of the mower deck after each use to prevent build up of grass clippings or other debris Follow steps below for this job 1 Disconnect spark plug wire Drain gasoline from lawn mower or place a piece of plastic under the gas cap 2 Tip mower so that it rests on the housing Keep the side with the air cleaner facing up Hold mower firmly _ ARNING Never tip the mower more than ...

Page 15: ...er and could break causing personal injury 5 Lubricate the engine crankshaft and the inner surface of the blade adapter with light oil Slide the blade adapter onto the engine crankshaft Place the blade on the adapter such that the side of the blade marked Bottom or with part number faces the ground when the mower is in the operating position Make sure that the blade is aligned and seated on the bl...

Page 16: ...ill tank with clean fresh gasoline Clear vent Drain fuel tank Refill with fresh fuel Refer to engine manual Push CHOKE knob in applied Engine overheats 1 Engine oil level low 1 Fill crankcase with proper od 2 Air flow restricted 2 Clean area around and on top of engine Occasional skips 1 Spark plug gap too close 1 Adjust gap to 030 hesitates at high speed Idles poorly 1 Spark plug fouled faulty or...

Page 17: ...tomobile manufacturer s requirements for service classification SG SF Motor oils classified SG SF will show this designation on the container SAE 10W 30 is recommended for general all temperature use If single viscosity oil is used select the appropriate viscosity for the average temperature in your area from the chart to the right Figure 9 1 _ 20w m__ 20 mlmlllm Iilmllm m 3o 2ow4o _ow5o_____ I 15...

Page 18: ...e the engine is refueled or where gasoline is stored Avoid repeated or prolonged contact with skin or breathing of va pot WARNING Do not overfill the fuel tank there should be no fuel in the filler neck After refueling make sure the tank cap is closed properly and securely Be careful not to spill fuel when refueling Spilled fuel or fuel vapor may ignite If any fuel is spilled make sure the area is...

Page 19: ... and the kind of maintenance to be performed are described in the table below Follow the hourly or calendar intervals whichever occur first More frequent service is required when operating in adverse conditions _1 WARNING If the engine has been running the muffler will be very hot Be careful not to touch the muffler EachUseor EveryS Hrs EverySeason or25 Hours Every Season or SO Hours Every Season ...

Page 20: ...ikely unless you handle used oil on a daily basis it is still advisable to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water as soon as possible after handling used oil NOTE Please dispose of used motor oil in a manner that is compatible with the environment We suggest you take it in a sealed container to your local service station for reclamation Do not throw it in the trash or pour it on the ground...

Page 21: ...a wire brush if it is to be reused 3_ 4_ 5_ Measure the plug gap with a feeler gauge Correct as necessary by bending side electrode See Fig 10 4 The gap should be set to 0 030 in Electrode Figure 10 4 Check that the spark plug washer is in good condition and thread the spark plug in by hand to prevent cross threading After the spark plug is seated tighten with a spark plug wrench to compress the w...

Page 22: ... from forming in fuel system or on essential carburetor parts If the gasoline in your engine deteriorates during storage you may need to have the carburetor and other fuel system components serviced or replaced 1 Remove all fuel from tank by running engine until it stops from lack of fuel _i ARNING Never leave engine unattended while running 2 3 4 Change oil See Oil Change section Remove spark plu...

Page 23: ...ovider Repairs or adjustments to correct starting difficulties dueto any of the following failure to follow proper maintenance procedures rotary mower blade striking an object contaminants in the fuel system improper fuel or fuel oil mixture consult your Operator s Manual if in doubt failure to drain the fuel system prior to any period of non use over three months Any starting problem which result...

Page 24: ...Model50M9 3O 14 29 28 31 32 27 27 14 26 19 31 17 18 38 40 12 10 11 ...

Page 25: ...t Arm LH Rear Pivot Arm RH Front Lever Bell Washer 760 OD x 1 25 OD Shoulder Screw Front Wheel Ref Part Number 21 710 0599 22 736 0270 23 710 0216 24 738 04267 25 734 04082 26 682 3062A 682 3063A 27 720 04072 28 731 2537 29 17098P 30 710 1174 31 720 0426 32 732 0984B 33 732 1014 34 17032A 35 747 0710 36 931 1034B 3Z 741 04242 38 687 02342 39 631 04045 40 710 04744 Description TT Screw 1 4 20 x 5 B...

Page 26: ...epurchaser a GeneralEmissions WarrantyCoverage_ MTDmustwarrantto the ultimatepurchaserandeachsubsequentpurchaserthatthe engineis 1 Designed built andequippedsoas to conformwithallapplicableregulationsadoptedby the AirResourcesBoardpursuantto itsauthorityin Chapters1and2 Part5 Division26of the HealthandSafetyCode and 2 Freefromdefectsin materialsandworkmanship thatcausethe failureof a warrantedpart...

Page 27: ...d The use ofany non exempted add on or modified parts shall begrounds fordisallowing awarranty claim made inaccordance with this article The engine manufacturer shall not be liable under this article towarrant failures ofwarranted parts caused bythe use ofnon exempted add on ormodified part c MTDwill includea copyof the followingemissionwarrantypartslistwitheach newengine usingthoseportionsof the ...

Page 28: ...og splitter pumps valves and cylinders havea separate one year warranty Routine maintenance items such as lubricants filters blade sharpening tune ups brake adjustments clutch adjustments deck adjustments and normal deterioration of the exterior finish due to use or exposure c Service completed by someone other than an authorized service dealer d MTD does not extend any warranty for products sold ...