Manual

WARNING
Use extreme care when
handling gasoline.
Gasoline is extremely
flammable and the
vapors are explosive.
Never fuel machine
indoors or while the en-
gine is hot or running.
Extinguish cigarettes,
cigars, pipes, and other
sources of ignition.
Make sure the riding
mower's engine is off,
remove the ignition
key,and set the parking
brake before removing
the shipping brace.
Thedeck chuteshipping
brace,usedfor shipping
purposesonly,mustbe
! removedand discarded
i beforeoperatingyour
i ridingmower.
Opening the Tractor Hood
Toattachthe negativebatterycableandcheckthe
engineoil levelthehoodmustbe open,Locatethe hood
lift notch(Referto Figure4 on page10)at the front/cen-
ter of thedash panel, Graspingthe hoodat the notch,
lift andpivotthe hoodforwardto open,
Attaching the Battery Cables
Thetractoris shippedwithanactivatedsealedbattery,
Thepositivebatterycableis factoryconnected,The
negativecable mustbeconnected,The positivebattery
terminalis markedPos,(+),The negativebattery
terminalis markedMeg,(-),
IMPORTANT:Makesure theignitionswitchis in the
"OFF"positionbeforeattachingthebatterycables.
• Fromthecenternotchat thefrontof the dashpanel,
lift thetractorhoodandpivotforwardto open,
• Removethehex shoulderboltand wingnutfromthe
negative(black)cable,
WingNut
Figure 1
• Pullthe protectivecap,if present,offthe negative
batteryterminal,Attachthe negativecable(heavy
blackwire) to the negativebatteryterminal(-) with
the boltandwing nut,SeeFigure1,
• Thepositivecable(redcable)is securedto the
positivebatteryterminal(+)witha carriagebolt and
hexseresnut at the factory,Makecertainthatthe
rubberboot coversthe positivebatteryterminal,
NOTE:Ifthe batteryis putintoserviceafterthe date
shownontop of battery,chargethe batteryas instructed
onpage24of this manualpriorto operatingthe tractor.
Gas and Oil Fill-up
4_ WARNING:Useextremecarewhen
handlinggasoline.Gasolineis extremely
flammable andthevaporsareexplosive.
Neverfuel machineindoorsor while
theengineishotor running.Extinguish
cigarettes,cigars,pipes,andother
sourcesofignition.
NOTE:Purchasegasolineinsmallquantities.Do notuse
gasolineleft overfromthepreviousseason,to minimize
gum depositsin the fuelsystem.
• Thisengineis certifiedto operateon unleaded
gasoline.Forbestresults,fill thefuel tankwithonly
clean,fresh,unleadedgasolinewitha pumpsticker
octaneratingof 87or higher.Incountriesusingthe
Researchmethod,it shouldbe90 octaneminimum.
• Unleadedgasolineis recommendedbecauseit leaves
lesscombustionchamberdepositsand reduces
harmfulexhaustemissions.Leadedgasolineis not
recommendedandmust notbe usedwhereexhaust
emissionsareregulated.
• Gasohol(upto 10%ethylalcohol,90%unleaded
gasolineby volume)is anapprovedfuel.Other
gasoline/alcoholblendsare notapproved.
• MethylTertiaryButylEther(MTBE)and unleaded
gasolineblends(upto a maximumof 15%MTBEby
volume)areapprovedfuels.Othergasoline/ether
blendsarenotapproved.
Thegasolinetankis underthe rearfender,withthe fuel
fill cap locatedinthe centerof the rearfender. Thefuel
cap is tetheredto the tractorto preventitsloss. Donot
attemptto removethe cap fromthetractor.
IMPORTANT:Yourtractoris shippedwithmotoroil in the
engine.However,you MUSTchecktheoillevelbefore
operating.Referto 'checkingtheoillevel inthe Maintain-
ingyour Tractor-Section6 of thismanual.Becarefulnot
tooverfill.
Mulching Plug and Shipping Brace
Removal
WARNING:Makesuretheriding
mower'sengineis off,removethe
ignitionkey,andset theparkingbrake
beforeremovingtheshippingbrace.
,__ WARNING:Theshippingbrace,used
forpackagingpurposesonly,mustbe
removedanddiscardedbeforeoperating
yourridingmower.
8