Craftsman 917.293301 User Manual

Page 11

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^CAUTION: Fill to within 1/2 inch of top

of fuel tank to prevent spills and to allow

for fuel expansion, if gasoline is accident
tally spilled, move machine away from

area of spill. Avoid creating any source of
ignition until gasoline vapors have disap­
peared.

Do not overfill. Wipe off any spilled oil or

fuel. Do not store, spill or use gasoline

near an open flame.

TO START ENGINE

A

c

AUTION: Keep tine control in “OFF”

position when starting engine.

When starting engine for the first time or if

engine has run out of fuel, it will take extra
pulls of the recoil starter to move fuel from
the tank to the engine.
• Make sure spark plug wire is properly

connected and access cover is com­

pletely closed to create proper seal.

« Move shift lever Indicator to “N” (neutral)

position.

a Place throttle control in “FAST” position.
® Turn fuel shut-off valve to “ON” position.
® Push stop switch to “ON” position.
» Move choke control to full “CHOKE”

position. Grasp recoil starter handle with
one hand and grasp tiller handle with
other hand. Pul! rope out slowly until
engine reaches start of compression
cycle (rope will pull slightly harder at this
point).

® Pull recoil starter handle quickly. Do not

let starter handle snap back against
starter. Repeat if necessary.

Choke Control

Starter
Handle

To Open:

1/4Turrr

Counter­
Clockwise'

Stop
Switch

Fuel shut-off Valve

If engine fires but does not start, move

choke control to half choke position. Pull

recoil starter handle until engine starts.

When engine starts, slowly move choke
control to “RUN” position as engine
warms up.

NOTE: A warm engine requires less chok
Ing to start.
® Move throttle control to desired running

position.

o Allow engine to warm up for a few min­

utes before engaging tines,

NOTE: If at a high altitude (3000 feet) or
in cold temperatures (below 32°F), the car

buretor fuel mixture may need to be

adjusted for best engine performance.
See ‘TO ADJUST CARBURETOR” in the
Service and Adjustments section of this

manual.
NOTE: if engine does not start, see trou­

bleshooting points.

TILLING HINTS

A

c

AUTION: Until you are accustomed ti

handling your tiller, start actual field use

with throttle in slow position (mid-way

between “FAST’ and “IDLE").

® Tilling is digging into, turning over, and

breaking up packed soil before planting.

Loose, unpacked soil helps root growth.
Best tilling depth is 4” to 6". A tiller will

also clear the soil of unwanted vegeta­

tion. The decomposition of this veg­

etable matter enriches the soil.

Depending on the climate (rainfall and

wind), it may be advisable to till the soil

at the end of the growing season to fur­

ther condition the soil,

a 3Qjj conditions are important for proper

tilling. Tines will not readily penetrate

dry, hard soil which may contribute to
excessive bounce and difficult handling
of your tiller. Hard soil should be mois­

tened before tilling: however, extremely
wet soil will “ba!i-up” or clump during till­

ing. Wait until the soil is less wet in orde

to achieve the best results. When tilling

in the fall, remove vines and long grass

to prevent them from wrapping around
the tine shaft and slowing your tilling

operation.

® You will find tilling much easier if you

leave a row unfilled between passes.

Then go back between tilled rows. Then

are two reasons for doing this. First,

wide turns are much easier to negotiate
than about-faces. Second, the tiller
won’t be pulling itself, and you, toward
the row next to it,

® Do not lean on handle. This takes

weight off the wheels and reduces trac­
tion.

11

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