Operation
g270452
Figure10
1.SafeZone-Usethemowerhereonslopeslessthan15
degrees
2.DangerZone-Useawalk-behindmowerand/orhand
trimmeronslopesgreaterthan15degrees
3.Water
4.W=widthofthemachine
5.Keepasafedistance(twicethewidthofthemachine)
betweenthemachineandanyhazard.
•Avoidstarting,stoppingorturningthemachine
onslopes.Avoidmakingsuddenchangesinspeed
ordirection;turnslowlyandgradually.
•DoNotoperateamachineunderanyconditions
wheretraction,steeringorstabilityisinquestion.
Beawarethatoperatingthemachineonwetgrass,
acrossslopesordownhillmaycausethemachine
tolosetraction.Lossoftractiontothedrive
wheelsmayresultinslidingandalossofbraking
andsteering.Themachinecanslideevenifthe
drivewheelsarestopped.
•Removeormarkobstaclessuchasditches,holes,
ruts,bumps,rocksorotherhiddenhazards.Tall
grasscanhideobstacles.Uneventerraincould
overturnthemachine.
•Useextracarewhileoperatingwithaccessories
orattachments,suchasgrasscollectionsystems.
Thesecanchangethestabilityofthemachine
andcausealossofcontrol.Followdirectionsfor
counterweights.
•Ifpossible,keepthedeckloweredtotheground
whileoperatingonslopes.Raisingthedeckwhile
operatingonslopescancausethemachineto
becomeunstable.
CheckingtheEngineOil
Level
Beforeyoustarttheengineandusethemachine,
checktheoillevelintheenginecrankcase;referto
CheckingtheOilLevelinEngineMaintenance
section.
StartingtheEngine
1.Sitdownontheseat.Engagetheparkingbrake.
•ForE-andS-SeriesModels,movethecontrol
leversoutwardfromthecenterintothe
T-slots.
•ForX-SeriesModels,pullthebrakeleverup
andrearward.
2.Disengagethebladesbypushingdowntheblade
controlswitchto“OFF”.
g333872
Figure11
1.Ignition5.Bladecontrol
switch–OFFposition
2.Off6.Chokecontrol
3.Run7.Throttlelever
4.Start
3.Engagethechokebeforestartingacoldengine
(ifapplicable).
Note:Awarmorhotenginemaynotrequire
choking.
4.Turntheignitionkeyto“START”toenergizethe
starter.Whentheenginestarts,releasethekey.
Important:DoNotengagethestarterfor
morethan5secondsatatime.Iftheengine
failstostart,allowa60secondcool-down
24