Craftsman 917.273840 - Manual (Page 20)

TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS
Corrosion and dirt on the battery and
terminals can cause the battery to “leak”
power.
1. Disconnect BLACK battery cable first
then RED battery cable and remove
battery from tractor.
2. Rinse the battery with plain water and
dry.
3. Clean terminals and battery cable ends
with wire brush until bright.
4. Coat terminals with grease or petro­
leum jelly.
5. Reinstall battery (See “REPLACING
BATTERY" in the Service and Adjust­
ments section of this manual).
TRANSAXLE COOLING
The transmission fan and cooling fins
should be kept clean to assure proper
cooling.
Do not attempt to clean fan or transmis­
sion while engine is running or while the
transmission is hot. To prevent possible
damage to seals, do not use high pressure
water or steam to clean transaxle.
• Inspect cooling fan to be sure fan blades
are intact and clean.
• Inspect cooling fins for dirt, grass clip­
pings and other materials. To prevent
damage to seals, do not use com­
pressed air or high pressure sprayer to
clean cooling fins.
TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID
The transaxle was sealed at the factory
and fluid maintenance is not required for
the life of the transaxle. Should the trans­
axle ever leak or require servicing, contact
a Sears or other qualified service center.
V-BELTS
Check V-belts for deterioration and wear after
100 hours of operation and replace if neces­
sary. The belts are not adjustable. Replace
belts if they begin to slip from wear.
ENGINE
LUBRICATION
Only use high quality detergent oil rated with
API service classification SF-SJ. Select the
oil’s SAE viscosity grade according to your
expected operating temperature.
SAE VISCOSITY GRADES
] I I
I I [
30 32 40
TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT Oil CHANGE
Change the oil after every 50 hours of op­
eration or at least once a year if the tractor
is not used for 50 hours in one year.
Check the crankcase oil level before start­
ing the engine and after each eight (8)
hours of operation.
TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL
Determine temperature range expected
before oil change. All oil must meet API
service classification SF-SJ.
• Be sure tractor is on level surface.
• Oil will drain more freely when warm.
• Catch oil in a suitable container.
1. Remove oil fill cap/dipstick. Be careful
not to allow dirt to enter the engine
when changing oil.
2. Remove yellow cap from end of drain
valve and install the drain tube onto the
fitting.
Oil Drain Valve
Closed
and
Locked
Position
Yellow Cap
Drain Tube
ffli, vfsc, crsart4 &
3. Unlock drain valve by pushing inward
slightly and turning counterclockwise.
4. To open, pull out on the drain valve.
5. After oil has drained completely, close
and lock the drain valve by pushing
inward and turning clockwise until the
pin is in the locked position as shown.
6. Remove the drain tube and replace the
cap onto the end of the drain valve.
7. Refill engine with oil through oil fill dip­
stick tube. Pour slowly. Do not overfill.
For approximate capacity see “PROD­
UCT SPECIFICATIONS” section of this
manual.
8. Use gauge on oil fill cap/dipstick for
checking level. For accurate reading,
insert dipstick into the tube and push
down firmly into place before removing.
Keep oil up to, but not over, the “FULL’
line on dipstick. Push dipstick dow
firmly into the tube when finished.
ENGINE OIL FILTER
Replace the engine oil filter every season
or every other oil change if the tractor is
used more than 100 hours in one year.
20