Craftsman 917.386090, Operator'S Manual

Page 1: ...ngine s exhaust system is equipped with a spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws if any If a 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 states may have similar laws Federal laws apply on federal lands A spark arrester for t...

Page 2: ...cked up and thrown by blade Be sure the area is clear of other people before mowing Stop machine if anyone enters the area Do not operate the mower when bare foot or wearing open sandals Always wear substantial foot wear Do not pull mower backwards unless absolutely necessary Always look down and behind before and while moving backwards Never direct discharged material toward anyone Avoid discharg...

Page 3: ...p and tighten securely V GENERAL SERVICE Never run machine inside a closed area Never make adjustments or repairs with the engine motor running Disconnect the spark plug wire and keep the wire away from the plug to prevent accidental starting Keep nuts and bolts especially blade attachment bolts tight and keep equip ment in good condition Never tamper with safety devices Check their proper operati...

Page 4: ...al FRONT LEFT HAND SIDE RIGHT HAND SIDE BACK or REAR Operating Position What is the right and left side of the lawn mower When right hand RH or left hand LH is mentioned in this manual it means when you are in the operating position standing behind the handle What kind of engine is on my lawn mower When learning how to operate your new lawn mower you will need to know what kind of engine powers th...

Page 5: ...to place on lower handle remove protective padding and tighten both handle knobs Remove handle padding holding opera tor presence control bar to upper handle Your lawn mower handle can be ad justed for your mowing comfort Refer to ADJUST HANDLE in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual NOTE For shipping purposes the rear wheels on your lawn mower may not be adjusted to the same positio...

Page 6: ...e rear door on the mower housing For HINGE BRACKET mounted catcher place the grass catcher frame onto the formed tabs on the rear door hinge bracket For HANDLE BRACKET mounted catcher place frame side hooks into slots in handle brackets For DOOR PIVOT PIN mounted catcher place the grass catcher frame hooks onto the door pivot pins For DOOR SLOT mounted catcher place the grass catcher frame hooks i...

Page 7: ...slots ASSEMBLE TOP TO FRAME AND BAG NOTE For ease of assembly place catcher top upside down on work surface Nest bag and frame assembly into catcher top Install two 2 sharp pointed screws into rear holes first and tighten securely Pull catcher bag forward on frame to remove slack Install two 2 remaining sharp pointed screws in side holes and tighten se curely Align lower frame and catcher top fron...

Page 8: ...ct engine connector male from battery connector female Connect battery charger connector male to battery connector female ALL UNITS Plug battery charger into 110 volt A C outlet Leave battery charger connected for 24 hours before starting your engine for the first time UNITS WITH HANDLE MOUNTED KEY SWITCH ONLY After charging disconnect harness connector female from battery charger connector male C...

Page 9: ...ls have engines equipped with a choke feature Move the lever all the way forward to the CHOKE position when starting a cold engine MODELS WITH ENGINE MOUNTED SPEED CONTROL The engine speed is controlled by a lever located at the carburetor on the engine HIGH or FAST position is for starting engine normal cutting and better grass bagging LOW or SLOW position is for light cutting trimming and fuel e...

Page 10: ... deflector accessory To return to mulching operation install mulcher plate or plug into discharge opening of mower ACAUTION Do not run your lawn mower without mulcher plate plug in place or ap proved clipping deflector or grass catcher in place Never attempt to operate the lawn mower with the rear door removed or propped open MULCHER PLATE MODELS WITH QUICK ADJUST WHEEL HEIGHT ADJUSTERS NOTE For s...

Page 11: ...st be removed from un derside of lawn mower Remove the four 4 screws and lock nuts securing the mulcher plate to the mower Store mulcher plate and hardware in a safe place Mower can now be used for side discharging or optional grass catcher accessory can be attached To return to mulching operation simply reinstall mulcher plate and tighten hard ware securely Screw and lock nut Raise discharge g Mu...

Page 12: ...S Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher To convert to bagging or discharging REAR BAGGING Open rear door and remove mulcher plate Store mulcher plate in a safe place You can now install grass catcher To convert to mulching or discharging operation install mulcher plug into rear discharge opening of mower making sure all tabs are seated properly MULCHER PLUG TYPE C To convert to...

Page 13: ...removed or propped open GRASS CATCHER REAR BAGGING MODELS ONLY TO EMPTY GRASS CATCHER Simply open rear door and lift grass catcher up and away from mower NOTE Do not drag the bag when emptying It will cause unnecessary wear _CAUTION Under normal usage the catcher material is subject to deterioration and wear and should therefore be checked frequently for replacement Any replacement catcher should ...

Page 14: ...nformation Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products in fuel tank or permanent damage may occur TO START ENGINE ACAUTION The mower blade rotates whenever the engine is running Move engine speed control to FAST position or to CHOKE START position on models equipped with choke feature If your mower has a primer to start a cold engine push primer as many times as instructed in the engine manual...

Page 15: ... dry before use FOR MULCHING MOWERS ONLY MULCHING MOWING TIPS IMPORTANT For best performance keep mower housing free of built up grass and trash See CLEANING in the Mainte nance section of this manual The special mulching blade will recut the grass clippings many times and reduce them in size so that as they fall onto the lawn they will disperse into the grass and not be noticed Also the mulched g...

Page 16: ...subjected to op erator abuse or negligence To receive full value from the warranty operator must main tain mower as instructed in this manual Some adjustments will need to be made periodically to properly maintain your unit All adjustments in the Service and Adjust ments section of this manual should be checked at least once each season Once a year replace the spark plug clean or replace air filte...

Page 17: ...rankshaft 5 Use block of wood between blade and lawn mower housing and tighten the blade bolt turning clockwise The recommended tightening torque is 35 40 ft Ibs IMPORTANT Blade bolt is heat treated If bolt needs replacing replace only with approved bolt shown in the Repair Parts section of this manual 17 Blade adapter Lockwasher _ bolt Hardened washer Key d e TO SHARPEN BLADE Crankshaft iCranksha...

Page 18: ...er out Water in engine can shorten engine life GRASS CATCHER IF SO EQUIPPED Grass catcher may be hosed with water but must be dry when used _kCAUTION Under normal usage the catcher material is subject to deterioration and wear and should therefore be checked to ensure compliance with original manufacturer specifications _kCAUTION Before performing any service or adjustments Release operator presen...

Page 19: ...four 4 different height positions Loosen both handle knobs only enough to allow the upper handle to pivot to the desired adjustment position Tighten both handle knobs securely gh Handle knob _Handle adjustment cket Handle knob Knob 3 POSITION QUICK The handle on your lawn mower has three 3 height positions adjust to height that suits you Squeeze the bottom ends of lower handle towards each other u...

Page 20: ...ilding where fumes may reach an open flame or spark Allow the engine to cool before storing in any enclosure LAWN MOWER When lawn mower is to be stored for a pe riod of time clean it thoroughly remove all dirt grease leaves etc Store in a clean dry area Clean entire lawn mower See CLEAN ING in the Maintenance section of this manual Lubricate as shown in the Maintenance section of this manual Be su...

Page 21: ... if us ing fuel stabilizer ENGINE OIL Drain oil with engine warm and replace with clean oil See ENGINE in the Maintenance section of this manual CYLINDER Remove spark plug Pour one ounce 29 ml of oil through spark plug hole into cylinder Pull starter handle slowly to distribute oil Replace with new spark plug BATTERY IF EQUIPPED Disconnect the battery from the engine connector and charge battery 4...

Page 22: ...ing in heavy grass 2 Cutting too much grass 3 Dirty air filter 4 Buildup of grass leaves and trash under mower 5 Too much oil in engine 6 Walking speed too fast CORRECTION 1 Clean replace air filter 2 Fill fuel tank 3 Drain fuel tank and refill tank with fresh clean gasoline 4 Drain fuel tank and refill tank with fresh clean gasoline 5 Connect wire to plug 6 Replace spark plug 7 Tighten blade bolt...

Page 23: ...3 Catcher not venting air 1 Grass is too high or wheel height is too low 2 Rear of lawn mower housing or cutting blade dragging in grass 3 Grass catcher too full 4 Handle height position not right for you CORRECTION 1 Replace blade Tighten blade bolt 2 Set all wheels at same height 3 Clean underside of mower housing 1 Replace blade Tighten blade bolt 2 Contact a qualified service center 1 Depress ...

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