Cub Cadet 997 - Manual (Page 10)

10
SECTION 5: OPERATING YOUR LAWN MOWER
NOTE: For shipping purposes your mower is set with
the wheels in a low cutting height position. For best
results, raise the cutting position until it is determined
which height is best for your lawn. See the Adjustment
Section for details.
Gas & Oil Fill-Up
• Check oil level and add oil if necessary. Follow
relevant instructions in the engine manual for this.
• Service the engine with gasoline as instructed in
the engine manual.
Starting Engine
• Push primer once. Do not prime to restart a warm
engine after a short shutdown.
• Standing behind the mower, depress the blade
control and hold it against the upper handle.
• 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.
Electric Start: Turn ignition key to the right to start
the engine. Release the key after the engine starts.
Stopping Engine
• Release the blade control to stop engine and blade.
Wait till the blade stops completely.
• Disconnect spark plug wire and move away from
spark plug to prevent accidental starting.
Using Your Lawn Mower
• For best results, do not cut wet grass. It may stick to
the underside of the mower, preventing proper
discharge of grass clippings, and could cause you
to slip and fall. New grass or thick grass may
require a narrower cut.
• For a healthy lawn, always cut off one-third or less
of the total length of the grass.
IMPORTANT: Move the shift lever only when the engine
is running. Changing the shift lever setting with the
engine off can cause damage to the mower.
Mulching
IMPORTANT: Be sure that the 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.
For effective mulching, do not cut wet grass. New or
thick grass may require a narrower cut. If the grass has
grown in excess of 4”, mulching is not recommended.
Mow using the side discharge to reduce the grass
height to 3.25” maximum before mulching.
Bagging Grass Clippings
You can use the grass catcher bag to collect clippings
while you are operating the mower.
The grass bag is equipped with a bag-fill indicator to
add convenience to your work. While the mower is
running, air will flow through the bag and into the Grass
Gauge. If the grass catcher is empty, air flows through
easily pushing the gauge up. If the grass catcher is full,
air does not flow through it allowing the gauge to fall. So
the position of the gauge acts as a bag-fill indicator
signifying when to empty the grass bag.
WARNING: Read, understand, and follow all
instructions and warnings on the machine and
in this manual before operating.
WARNING: Use extreme care when
handling gasoline. Gasoline is extremely
flammable and the vapors are explosive. Never
fuel the machine indoors or while the engine is
hot or running. Extinguish cigarettes, cigars,
pipes and other sources of ignition.
WARNING: Be sure no one other than the
operator is standing near the lawn mower while
starting engine or operating mower.
WARNING: Never run engine indoors or in
enclosed, poorly ventilated areas. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide, an
odorless and deadly gas.
WARNING: Keep hands, feet, hair and
loose clothing away from any moving parts on
engine and lawn mower.
WARNING: When starting the unit for the
first time, face the mower against a wall or a
fence. Start the unit and if it shows any signs of
motion while the drive clutch control is still
disengaged, shut engine off immediately.
WARNING: Do not operate the mower
without mulching baffle, discharge chute or
grass catcher properly installed.
WARNING: If the mower strikes a foreign
object, stop the engine. Remove spark plug
wire from the spark plug and thoroughly inspect
for any damage. Repair the damage promptly
before restarting and operating the mower.