Troy-Bilt 8 HP - Manual (Page 20)

forward, release the Forward Inter­
lock Lever briefly. If the system
is working properly, the engine
should start to shut off when you
release the lever. If It does, quickly
squeeze the lever against the han­
dlebar grip and then return the
Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever to
the “NEUTRAL” position (tap or lift
the lever up and release It). Repeat
this test using the other Forward
Interlock Lever.
6. If the engine does not start to
shut off when the Fonward Inter­
lock Levers are released, the sys­
tem is not functioning correctly,
and you should stop the engine.
remove the key (on electric start
models) and disconnect the spark
plug wire from the spark plug. Do
not operate the tiller or PTO Power
Unit again until the system is again
functioning properly. See Section 6
in this Manual for some simple
troubleshooting checks you can do
to correct a faulty Interlock system.
IMPORTANT
To avoid possible damage to the
Forward Interlock Safety System,
do not use high-pressure sprays
around the wire harness recepta­
cle or neutral plunger assembly.
Starting and stopping
the engine
A DANGER
To avoid personal injury, do not run
engine in an enclosed or poorly
vented area. Engine exhaust con­
tains carbon monoxide, an odor­
less and deadly gas.
To start the engine:
IMPORTANT
Use the following steps to practice
starting and stopping the engine
ONLY. Do not attempt to drive the
tiller or PTO Power Unit until you
have read ALL of the operating
instructions in this Section and in
Section 5.
Cold weather operation
Before operating the machine in
cold weather (below 40 °F) you
should take the following steps to
protect your engine and transmis­
sion from possible damage.
1. Use a lighter weight oil in the
engine crankcase. See “Engine Oil
Maintenance” in Section 6.
2. Allow the engine to warm up
thoroughly before putting it under
a load.
3. Use fresh, winter grade fuel
(gasoline suppliers change the
fuel blend seasonally).
4. Use the correct weight gear oil
in the PTO Power Unit transmis­
sion. See “Transmission Gear Oil
Maintenance” in Section 6.
5. While the engine is warming,
place the Wheel Speed Lever in
“FREE WHEEL”, block the wheels
to prevent them from moving, and
put the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever in
“DISENGAGE”. Then squeeze one
of the Forward Interlock Levers
against the handlebar grip and shift
the Wheels/Tines/PTO Drive Lever
into “FORWARD”. This will rotate
the drive shaft inside the transmis­
sion and help to warm the trans­
mission gear oil.
6. Do not try to move the machine
if the wheels are frozen to the
ground. First melt the ice with
warm water.
1. Place the Wheels/Tines/PTO
Drive Lever in “NEUTRAL” (Photo
3-4). To find “NEUTRAL” (while the
engine is not running), push the
lever down until it engages in
“FORWARD”. Then tap or lift the
lever up and release it.
2. Lower the Depth Regulator
Lever until the tines are off the
ground (Photo 3-4).
3. Put the Wheel Speed Lever in
either “SLOW” or “FAST” (Photo
3-4). Be sure to roll the wheels
while shifting the lever until the
wheels are engaged.
NOTE: If using a PTO driven sta­
tionary attachment, put lever in
“FREEWHEEL” and place blocks
around all wheels to prevent
equipment from moving.
4. Move the engine throttle lever
forward, away from the “STOP”
position (Photo 3-4).
5. Put the Tines/PTO Clutch Lever
in the “DISENGAGE” position—
Photo 3-4. (Use the “ENGAGE” po­
sition if you want the tines to turn
or if you want to apply power to a
PTO driven stationary attachment).
6. Move the choke control to the
“FULL CHOKE” position (Photo 3-5
or 3-6). NOTE: A warm engine may
start without choking.
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