Craftsman Mower 50 Owners Manual - Page 13

TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL NOTE: Before tipping lawn mower to drain oil, empty fuel tank by running engine until fuel tank is empty. 1. Disconnect spark plug wire from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. 2. Remove engine oil cap; lay aside on a clean surface. 3. Tip lawn mower on its side as shown and drain oil into a suitable container. Rock lawn mower back and forth to remove any oil trapped inside of engine. CAUTION: Petroleum solvents, such as kerosene, are not to be used to clean cartridge. They may cause deterioration of the cartridge. Do not oil cartridge. Do not use pressurized air to clean or dry car tridge. 4. Install cartridge, then replace cover making sure the tabs are aligned with the slots in the back plate. Fasten screw securely. Back plate Slots Lip Cartridge Cover Cover tabs Container MUFFLER Inspect and replace corroded muffler as it 4. Wipe off any spilled oil from lawn could create a fire hazard and/or damage. mower or side of engine. 5. Slowly pour oil down the oil fill spout, SPARK PLUG stopping every few ounces to check the oil level with the dipstick. 6. Stop adding oil when you reach the FULL mark on the dipstick. Wait a minute to allow oil to settle. 7. Continue adding small amounts of oil, rechecking the dipstick until oil level Replace spark plug at the beginning of each mowing season or after every 100 hours of operation, whichever occurs first. Spark plug type and gap setting are shown in the "PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS" section of this manual. settles at FULL. DO NOT overfill, or engine will smoke heavily from the muf- CLEANING fler on startup. IMPORTANT: For best performance, 8. Always be sure to retighten oil dipstick keep mower housing free of built-grass before starting engine. and trash. Clean the underside of your 9. Reconnect spark plug wire to spark plug. mower after each use. CAUTION: Disconnect spark plug wire AIR FILTER from spark plug and place wire where it cannot come in contact with plug. Your engine will not run properly and may be damaged by using a dirty air filter. Replace the air filter cartridge every 100 hours of operation or every season, whichever occurs first. Service air cleaner more often under dusty conditions. • 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 engine life. TO CLEAN AIR FILTER 1. Loosen screw and tilt cover to remove. 2. Carefully remove cartridge. 3. Clean by gently tapping on a flat sur- face. If very dirty, replace cartridge. • Keep finished surfaces and wheels free of all gasoline, oil, etc. • We do not recommend using a garden hose to clean lawn mower unless the electrical system, muffler, air filter and carburetor are covered to keep water out. Water in engine can result in short- 13 ened engine life.