MTD 340 Thru 390 - Manual (Page 12)

12
Maintain engine oil as instructed in the separate
engine manual packed with your unit. Read and follow
instructions carefully.
Service air cleaner every ten hours under normal
conditions. Clean every hour under extremely dusty
conditions. Poor engine performance and flooding
usually indicates that the air cleaner should be
serviced. To service the air cleaner, refer to the
separate engine manual packed with your unit.
IMPORTANT: Never run your engine without air cleaner
completely assembled.
The spark plug should be cleaned and the gap reset
every 25 hours of engine operation. Spark plug
replacement is recommended at the start of each tiller
season; check engine manual for correct plug type and
gap specification.
Clean the engine regularly with a cloth or brush. Keep
the cooling system (blower housing area) clean to
permit proper air circulation which is essential to engine
performance and life. Be certain to remove all dirt and
combustible debris from muffler area.
Lubrication
Pivot Points
Remove the belt cover and lubricate all moving parts
and pivot points at least once a season using SAE 30
engine oil.
Chain Drive
The chain case is pre-lubricated and sealed at the
factory.
Cleaning Tine Area
Clean the underside of the tine shield after each use.
The dirt washes off the tines easier if rinsed off
immediately instead of after it dries. Always towel dry
the tiller afterwards and apply a light coat of oil or
silicone to prevent rusting or water damage.
IMPORTANT: Never use a "pressure washer” to clean
your tiller. Water can penetrate tight areas of the tiller
and its chain case and cause serious damage to the
unit.
Belt Replacement
Your tiller has been engineered with belts made of
special material (Kevlar Tensile). They should not be
replaced with an off-the-shelf belt. If belt replacement is
required, order belt or belts by part number from your
nearest authorized service dealer. See parts list.
Reverse Drive Belt (Model Series 390 Only)
• Disconnect and ground the spark plug wire against
the engine. Remove the belt cover from the left side
of the tiller as follows.
• Remove two self-tapping screws and flat washers
from the front of belt cover. See Figure 16.
• Remove the hex stop nut and flat washer from the
side of the belt cover. Remove belt cover.
Figure 16
• Lift the belt off the transmission pulley.
• Remove the hex nut which secures the reverse
idler pulley to the idler bracket. Slide idler pulley out
and remove the belt. See Figure 17.
Figure 17
• Reassemble the new belt, following instructions in
reverse order. Make certain the reverse drive belt is
assembled with the wide side of the belt against the
transmission and engine pulleys.
Be certain to adjust the clutch control as instructed
in the final clutch adjustment section of assembly
instructions.
Forward Drive Belt
• Model Series 340 thru 345: Remove the belt cover
by following steps 1 thru 3 of the previous section.
Model Series 390: Remove the reverse drive belt
as instructed in the previous section.
• Remove the belt keeper from the idler pulley by
removing the idler pulley nut.
• Lift belt off the idler pulley and transmission pulley.
See Figure 18.
• Using a 9/16" wrench, remove bolt from engine
pulley.
• Push reverse idler pulley bracket forward, and
remove engine pulley and belt. See Figure 18.
Lock Nut & Hex Washer
Screw
Flat Washer
Belt Cover
Reverse Idler
Pulley
Hex Nut
Engine Pulley
Forward
Belt
Reverse Belt
Transmission
Pulley
Model 390 Shown