Craftsman 917.37658 - Manual

5 ACCESSORIES These accessories were available when this lawn mower was produced. They are not shipped with your mower. They are also available at most Sears retail outlets and service centers. Some of these accessories may not apply to your lawn mower. Congratulations on making a smart pur-chase. Y...

6 ASSEMBLY / PRE-OPERATION Read these instructions and this manual in its entirety before you attempt to assemble or operate your new lawn mower. IMPORTANT: This lawn mower is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine. Your new lawn mower has been as sem bled at the factory with the exception of...

7 Wheel adjuster (on each wheel) IMPORTANT: This lawn mower is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine. KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER READ THIS OWNER'S MANUAL AND ALL SAFETY RULES BEFORE OP ER AT ING YOUR LAWN MOWER. Compare the illustrations with your lawn mower to familiarize yourself with the locati...

8 DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT Over time, the drive control system may become “loose”, resulting in decreased speed. There is a turnbuckle on the un der side of the drive control housing to increase tension on the drive cable. Pro- ceed as follows:1. Turn unit off and disconnect spark plug wire from spa...

9 TO CONVERT MOWER 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 plug. Store mulcher plug in a safe place. • You can now install the grass catcher or optional clipping defl ector. • To convert to mulc...

10 BEFORE STARTING ENGINE ADD OIL Your lawnmower is shipped without oil in the engine. For type and grade of oil to use, see “EN GINE” in the Maintenance section of this manual. CAUTION: DO NOT overfi ll engine with oil, or it will smoke heavily from the muffl er on startup.1. Be sure lawnmower is l...

11 MULCHING MOWING TIPS IMPORTANT : For best performance, keep mower housing free of built-up grass and trash. See “CLEANING” in the Maintenance section of this manual.• The special mulching blade will recut the grass clip pings many times and reduce them in size so that as they fall onto the lawn t...

12 Check for Loose FastenersClean / Inspect Grass Catcher *Check TiresCheck Drive Wheels ***Clean Lawn Mower ****Clean under Drive Cover ***Check Drive Belt / Pulleys ***Check / Sharpen / Replace BladeLubricationClean and Recharge Battery **Check Engine Oil levelChange Engine OilClean Air FilterInsp...

13 LAWN MOWER Always observe safety rules when per- form ing any main te nance. TIRES • Keep tires free of gasoline, oil, or insect control chemi cals which can harm rubber. • Avoid stumps, stones, deep ruts, sharp objects and other hazards that may cause tire damage. DRIVE WHEELS Check front drive ...

14 ENGINE LUBRICATION Use only high quality detergent oil rated with API service classifi cation SG–SL. Select the oil's SAE viscosity grade according to your expected operating temperature. TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE SAE VISCOSITY GRADES -20 0 30 40 80 100 -30 -20 0 20 30 ...

15 CAUTION: Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug.• Clean the underside of your lawn mower by scraping to remove build-up of grass and trash. • Clean engine often to keep trash from accumulating. A clogged engine runs hotter and shortens ...

16 ENGINE ENGINE SPEED Your engine speed has been factory set. Do not attempt to increase en gine speed Lower handle ROTATE or it may result in personal injury. If you believe that engine is running too fast or too slow, take your mower to a Sears or other qualifi ed service cen ter for repair and a...

17 ENGINE FUEL SYS TEMIMPORTANT : It is important to prevent gum deposits from forming in essential fuel system parts such as carburetor, fuel fi lter, fuel hose, or tank during storage. Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or using ethanol or methanol) can attract moisture which leads to separatio...

198336 03.17.05 BY Printed in U.S.A. 02410 Para pedir servicio de reparación a domicilio, y para ordenar piezas: 1-888-SU-HOGAR SM (1-888-784-6427) Au Canada pour service en français: 1-800-LE-FOYER MC (1-800-533-6937) www.sears.ca To purchase a protection agreement (U.S.A.) or maintenance agreement...