MTD 113-080A - Manual (Page 13)

as it will invite rust and corrosion and may cause
an uneven discharge of grass clippings at the next
cutting.
The deck may be cleaned by tilting the mower for­
ward or on its side and scraping clean with a
suitable tool or by washing with a stream of water
from a garden hose.
A CAUTION
Do not direct the stream of water at
a hot engine as damage to the
engine may result.
ENGINE
Refer to the separate engine manual for engine
maintenance instructions.
AIR CLEANER
Service air cleaner every 25 hours under normal
conditions. Clean every few hours under extreme­
ly 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.
SPARK PLUG
The spark plug should be cleaned and the gap
reset once a season. Spark plug replacement is
recommended at the start of each mowing
season; check engine manual for correct plug
type and gap specifications.
OFF-SEASON STORAGE
The following steps should be taken to prepare
lawn mower for storage.
1. Clean and lubricate mower thoroughly as
described in the lubrication instructions.
2. Refer to engine manual for correct engine
storage instructions.
3. Coat mower’s cutting blade with chassis
grease to prevent rusting.
4. Store mower in a dry, clean area.
HANDLE STORAGE
On units equipped with handle mount brackets,
the handle may be placed in an upright position
for storage.
Move hairpin cotters to outer hole on weld pins.
See figure 4. Press outward on the bottom of the
lower handle and push forward. The handle will
lock in this position.
To place the handle in the operating position,
remove the starter rope from the rope guide bolt.
Grasp the lower handle at the bottom, pull apart
slightly and tip the handle backward. Place the
cotter hairpins in the inner holes. With the spark
plug wire disconnected and grounded, depress
the blade control handle and pull the starter rope
out from the engine. Slip the starter rope into the
rope guide bolt.
NOTE
The use of any accessory on this Rotary Mower
other than those manufactured by the mower
manufacturer is not recommended.
GRASS CATCHER Model 003 is available as optional equipment for the
mower shown in this manual.
t WARNING j
1. DO NOT operate the mower without the entire grass catcher or chute
deflector in place.
2. DO NOT operate the mower without the protective shield on the rear
of the deck in place.
H^NOTE
Under normal usage bag material is subject to wear and should be
checked periodically. Be sure any replacement bag complies with the
mower manufacturer’s recommendations.
For replacement bags, use only factory authorized replacement bag No.
764-0176.
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