Craftsman 247.887760 - Manual (Page 15)

OPERATION
TO START ENGINE
1. Standing behind the mower, squeeze the blade control handle
against upper handle. See Figure 11.
2. This mower has two separate starting systems, electric and recoil.
Electric Start: Turn ignition key to the right to start the engine.
Release the key after the engine starts.
Recoil Start: Grasp starter handle and pull rope out slowly
until engine reaches start of compression cycle (rope will pull
slightly harder at this point). Let the rope rewind slowly. Pull rope
with a rapid, continuous, full arm stroke. Keeping a firm grip on
the starter handle, let the rope rewind slowly.
AWARNING
Rapid retraction of starter cord (kickback) will pull hand and arm
toward engine faster than you can let go. Broken bones, fractures,
bruises or sprains could result.
NOTE: If engine floods, wait a tew minutes to restart.
TO STOP ENGINE
1. Release blade control to stop the engine and blade.
AWARNING
Wait for the blade to stop completely before performing any work on
the mower or to remove the grass catcher.
1. Once the engine is running, squeeze the drive control against the
upper handle to propel mower. Release it to disengage the drive.
2. Use the shift lever to select the forward speed of the mower -1
is the slowest speed, 6 is the fastest. When changing speed
selection, release the drive control.
IMPORTANT: Move the shift lever only when the engine is running.
Changing the shift lever setting with the engine off can damage the
mower.
USING YOUR LAWN MOWER
Be sure lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wire, or other objects which
could damage lawn mower or engine. Such objects could be accidently
thrown by the mower in any direction and cause serious personal injury
to the operator and others.
AWARNING
The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects being
thrown into the eyes, which can damage your eyes severely. Always
wear safety glasses while operating the mower, or while performing
any adjustments or repairs on it.
USING AS MULCHER
For mulching grass, remove the grass catcher or the side discharge
chute from the mower, and reattach the mulching baffle. For effective
mulching, do not cut wet grass. If the grass has been allowed to grow
in excess of four inches, mulching is not recommended. Use the grass
catcher to bag clippings instead.
USING GRASS CATCHER
You can use the grass catcher to collect clippings while you are
operating the mower.
1. Attach grass catcher following instructions in the Assembly
section. Grass clippings will automatically collect in the bag as
you run the mower.
2. Operate the mower till the grass bag is full.
3. Stop engine completely by releasing the blade control. Make sure
that the unit has come to a complete stop.
4. While holding the grass bag by both the rear handle and the lower
handle, lift the grass bag straight up off the adapter. The chute
door will move the rope out of the way of the bag.
5. Continuing to hold the lower handle, raise the rear of the grass
bag and release the lower handle over a proper receptacle. The
grass bag will open and the grass clippings will disperse. When
replacing the grass bag, be sure the top of the bag rests on the
wire support between the handles.
AWARNING
If you strike a foreign object, stop the engine. Remove wire from the
spark plug, thoroughly inspect mower for any damage, and repair
damage before restarting and operating. Extensive vibration of mower
during operation is an indication of damage. The unit should be
promptly inspected and repaired.
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