Craftsman 700 Series Gas Lawn Mower User Manual

Craftsman 700 Series Gas Lawn Mower

WARRANTY

2-YEAR FULL WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN LAWN MOWER

If this Craftsman Lawn Mower fails due to manufacturer defects in material or workmanship within two years from the date of purchase, return it to any Sears store, Parts & Repair Center, or other Craftsman outlet for free repair (or replacement if repair proves impossible).

This warranty applies for only 90 days from the date of purchase if this Lawn Mower is ever used for commercial or rental purposes.

This warranty does not cover:

• Expendable items that become worn during normal use, such as rotary mower blades, blade adapters, belts, air cleaner,,s and spark plugs.
• Repairs are necessary because of operator abuse or negligence, including bent crankshafts and the failure to assemble, operate, or maintain this Lawn Mower according to all supplied product instructions.

This warranty applies only while this product is used in the United States.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Repair Protection Agreements

Congratulations on making a smart purchase. Your new Craftsman® product is designed and manufactured for years of dependable operation. But like all products, it may require repair from time to time. That’s when having a Repair Protection Agreement can save you money and aggravation.

Purchase a Repair Protection Agreement now and protect yourself from unexpected hassle and expense.

Here’s what’s included in the Agreement:

• Expert service by our 12,000 professional repair specialists.
• Unlimited service and no charge for parts and labor on all covered repairs.
• Product replacement if your covered product can’t be fixed discount of 10% from the regular price of service and service-related parts not covered by the agreement; also, 10 10% off the regular price of a preventive maintenance check.
• Fast help by phone- phone support from a Sears representative on products requiring in-home repair, plus convenient repair scheduling.

Once you purchase the Agreement, a simple phone call is all that it takes for you to schedule service. You can call anytime day or night, or schedule a service appointment online.

Sears has over 12,000 professional repair specialists who have access to over 4.5 million quality parts and accessories. That’s the kind of professionalism you can count on to help prolong the life of your new purchase for years to come. Purchase your Repair Protection Agreement today! Some limitations and exclusions apply.

For prices and additional information, call 1=800=827=6655.

Sears Installation Service

For Sears professional installation of home appliances, garage door openers, water heaters, and other major home items, in the U.S.A., call 1-800-4-MY-HOME®.

ACCESSORIES

These accessories were available when this lawn mower was produced. They are not shipped with your mower. They are also available at most Sears retail outlets and service centers. Some of these accessories may not apply to your lawn mower.

LAWN MOWER PERFORMANCE

LAWN MOWER MAINTENANCE

ASSEMBLY/ PRE-OPERATION

Read these instructions and this manual in their entirety before you attempt to assemble or operate your new lawn mower.

IMPORTANT: This lawn mower is shipped WITHOUT OIL OR GASOLINE in the engine.

Your new lawn mower has been assembled at the factory with the exception of those parts left unassembled for shipping purposes. To ensure the safe and proper operation of your lawn mower, all parts and hardware you assemble must be tightened securely. Use the correct tools as necessary to ensure proper tightness. All parts, such as nuts, washers, bolts, etc., necessary to complete the assembly have been placed in the parts bag.

TO REMOVE MOWER FROM CARTON

1. Remove loose parts included with the mower.
2. Cut down the two end corners of the carton and lay the end panel down flat.
3. Remove all packing materials except the padding between the upper and lower handle and the padding holding the operator presence control bar to the upper handle.
4. Roll the lawn mower out of the carton and check the carton thoroughly for additional loose parts.

NOW TO SET UP YOUR MOWER TO UNFOLD THE HANDLE

IMPORTANT: Unfold the handle carefully so as not to pinch or damage control cables.

1. Raise handles until the lower handle section locks into place in the mowing position.
2. Remove protective padding, raise upper handle section into place on lower handle and tighten both handle knobs.
3. Remove the handle padding holding the operator presence control bar to the upper handle.

Your lawn mower handle can be adjusted for your mowing comfort. Refer to “ADJUST HANDLE” in the Service and Adjustments section of this manual.

TO ASSEMBLE GRASS CATCHER

1. Put the grass catcher frame into the grass bag with the rigid part of the bag on the bottom. Make sure the frame handle is outside of the bag’s top.
2. Slip vinyl bindings over the frame.

NOTE: If vinyl bindings are too stiff, hold them in warm water for a few minutes. If the bag gets wet, let it dry before using.

TO PREPARE BATTERY

NOTE: Your battery must be charged before you can start your lawn mower.

1. Open the battery box.
2. Connect the battery charger connector (male) to the harness connector (female).
3. Plug the battery charger into a 110-volt A.C. outlet.
4. Leave the battery charger connected for 24 hours before starting your engine for the first time.
5. After charging, disconnect the harness connector (female) from the battery charger connector (male).

Connect your battery charger to charge the battery as required.

IMPORTANT: The engine will not recharge your battery.

At the end of the mowing season, the battery should be charged for 48 hours to protect the battery during winter storage.

CAUTION: Always disconnect the harness connector to prevent accidental starting when transporting or storing your lawn mower after the season.

TO INSTALL ATTACHMENTS

Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher. To convert the mower to bagging or discharging, see “TO CONVERT MOWER” in the Operation section of this manual.

OPERATION

KNOW YOUR LAWN MOWER

READ THIS OWNER’S MANUAL AND ALL SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR LAWN MOWER. Compare the illustrations with your lawn mower to familiarize yourself with the location of various controls and adjustments. Save this manual for future reference.

MEETS CPSC SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Sears rotary walk-behind power lawn mowers conform to the safety standards of the American National Standards Institute and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

 WARNING: The blade turns when the engine is running.

Operator presence control bar- must be held down to the handle to start the engine. Release to stop the engine,

• Key start switch – used for starting the engine.
• Auxiliary starter handle – used for starting the engine.
• Mulcher door – allows conversion to a discharging or bagging operation
• Drive control lever – used to engage the power-propelled forward motion of the mower

The operation of any lawn mower can result in foreign objects being thrown into the eyes, which can result in severe eye damage. Always wear safety glasses or eye shields while operating your lawn mower or performing any adjustments or repairs. We recommend standard safety glasses or a wide vision safety mask worn over spectacles.

HOW TO USE YOUR LAWN MOWER

ENGINE SPEED

Engine speed was set at the factory for optimum performance. It is not adjustable.

ENGINE ZONE CONTROL

CAUTION: Federal regulations require an engine control to be installed on this lawn mower to minimize the risk of blade contact injury. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to defeat the function of the operator control. The blade turns when the engine is running.

• Your lawn mower is equipped with an operator presence control bar, which requires the operator to be positioned behind the lawn mower handle to start and operate the lawn mower.

DRIVE CONTROL

• Self-propelling is controlled by holding the operator presence control bar down to the handle and pulling the drive control lever rearward to the handle. The further toward the handle the lever is pulled, the faster the unit will travel.
• Forward motion will stop when either the operator presence control bar or the drive control lever is released. To stop forward motion without stopping the engine, release the drive control lever only. Hold the operator presence control bar down against the handle to continue mowing without self-propelling.

NOTE: If, after releasing the drive control, the mower will not roll backwards, push the mower forward slightly to disengage the drive wheels.

DRIVE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT

Over time, the drive control system may become “loose”, resulting in decreased speed. There is a turnbuckle on the drive control housing to increase tension on the drive cable. Proceed as follows:

1. Turn the unit off and disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug.
2. Rotate the turnbuckle on the drive control to increase drive speed.
3. Operate the mower to test the drive speed. Readjust as required.
4. If the condition fails to improve after the above steps (forward speed remains the same), your drive belt is worn and should be replaced.

TO ADJUST CUTTING HEIGHT

Raise the wheels for low cut and lower wheels for high cut, adjust the cutting height to suit your requirements. Medium position is best for most lawns.

• To change cutting height, pull up on the adjuster lever, move the wheel up or down to suit your requirements, and release the adjuster lever. Be sure all wheels are in the same setting.

NOTE: Adjuster is properly positioned when the lever inserts into the hole in the plate.

TO CONVERT MOWER

Your lawn mower was shipped ready to be used as a mulcher. To convert to bagging or discharging:

REAR BAGGING

• Lift the rear door of the lawn mower and place the grass catcher frame hooks onto the grass bag brackets.
• To convert to a mulching or discharging operation, remove the grass catcher and close the rear door.

NOTE: The Rear door will remain open until the operator presence control bar is held down to the handle.

 CAUTION: Do NOT force the rear door to close. Serious damage to your mower could result.

SIDE DISCHARGING

• The rear door must be closed.
• Open the mulcher door and install the discharge deflector under the door as shown.
• The mower is now ready for the discharging operation.
• To convert to a mulching or bagging operation, the discharge deflector must be removed and the mulcher door must be closed and locked.

SIMPLE STEPS TO REMEMBER WHEN CONVERTING YOUR LAWN MOWER FOR MULCHING –

1. Rear door closed.
2. The mulcher door closed and locked.

FOR REAR BAGGING –

1. Grass catcher installed.
2. The mulcher door closed and locked.

FOR SIDE DISCHARGING –

1. Rear door closed.
2. Discharge deflector installed.

CAUTION: Do not run your lawn mower without the rear door closed or an approved grass catcher in place. Never attempt to operate the lawn mower with the rear door removed or propped open.

TO EMPTY GRASS CATCHER

Empty the grass catcher when clippings are visible in the full bag indicator window.

1. Lift up on grass catcher using the frame handle.
2. Remove the grass catcher with clippings from under the lawn mower handle.
3. Empty clippings from the bag using both the frame handle and the bag handle.

NOTE: Do not drag the bag when emptying; it will cause unnecessary wear.

BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE

ADD OIL

Your lawnmower is shipped without oil in the engine. For the type and grade of oil to use, see “ENGINE” in the Maintenance section of this manual.

CAUTION: DO NOT overfill the engine with oil, or it will smoke heavily from the muffler on startup.

1. Be sure the lawnmower is level.
2. Remove the oil dipstick from the oil fill spout.
3. You receive a container of oil with the unit. Slowly pour the entire container down the oil fill spout into the engine.
   NOTE: Initial oi! Fil! Requires only 18 oz. Due to residual oil in the engine from the manufacturer’s 100% quality testing. When changing oi! You may need 20 oz.
4. Insert and tighten the dipstick.

IMPORTANT:

• Check the oil level before each use. Add oil if needed. Fill to full line on dipstick.
• Change the oil! After every 25 hours of operation or each season. You may need to change the oil more often under dusty, dirty conditions. See “TO CHANGE ENGINE OIL” in the Maintenance section of this manual.

ADD GASOLINE

Fill the fuel tank to the bottom of the tank filler neck. Do not overfill. Use fresh, clean, regular unleaded gasoline with a minimum of 87 octane. Do not mix oil with gasoline. Purchase fuel in quantities that can be used within 30 days to assure fuel freshness.

CAUTION: Wipe off any spilled oil or fuel. Do not store, spill, or use gasoline near an open flame.

CAUTION: Alcohol blended fuels (called gasohol or ethanol, or methanol) can attract moisture, which leads to separation and formation of acids during storage. Acidic gas can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage. To avoid engine problems, the fuel system should be emptied before storage of 30 days or longer. Empty the gas tank, start the engine, and let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty. Use fresh fuel next season. See Storage Instructions for additional information. Never use engine or carburetor cleaner products in the fuel tank, or permanent damage may occur.

TO STOP ENGINE

• To stop the engine, release the operator presence control bar.

TO START ENGINE

NOTE: Due to protective coatings on the engine, a small amount of smoke may be present during the initial use of the product and should be considered normal.

NOTE: Your engine is equipped with an automatic choke system. No priming or choking is required before starting.

• To start the engine, hold the operator presence control bar down to the handle and turn the start key.
  IMPORTANT: Do not crank the engine more than five continuous seconds between each time you try to start. Wait 5 to 10 seconds between each attempt.
• To start the engine using the rope starter, hold the operator presence control bar down to the handle and pull the starter handle quickly. Do not allow the starter rope to snap back.

MOWING TIPS

CAUTION: Do not use de-thatcher blade attachments on your mower. Such attachments are hazardous, will! Damaging your mower could void your warranty.

• Under certain conditions, such as very tall grass, it may be necessary to raise the height of the cut to reduce pushing effort and to keep from overloading the engine and leaving clumps of grass clippings. It may also be necessary to reduce ground speed and/or run the lawn mower over the area a second time.
• For extremely heavy cutting, reduce the width of the cut by overlapping the previously cut path and mowing slowly.
• For better grass bagging and most cutting conditions, the engine speed should be set in the FAST position.
• Pores in cloth grass catchers can become filled with dirt and dust with use, and catchers will! Collect less grass. To prevent this, regularly hose the catcher off with water and let it dry before using.
• Keep the top of the engine around the starter clear and clean of grass clippings and chaff. This will help engine air flow and extend engine life.

MULCHING MOWING TIPS

IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep mower housing free of built-up grass and trash. See “CLEANING” in the Maintenance section of this manual.

• The special mulching blade will recut the grass clippings many times and reduce them in size so that, as they fall onto the lawn, they will disperse into the grass and not be noticed. Also, the mulched grass will biodegrade quickly to provide nutrients for the lawn. Always mulch with your highest engine (blade) speed as this will provide the best recutting action of the blades.
• Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet. Wet grass tends to form clumps and interfere with the mulching action. The best time to mow your lawn is early afternoon. At this time, the grass has
  dried, yet the newly cut area will not be exposed to direct sunlight.
• For best results, adjust the lawn mower cutting height so that the lawn mower cuts off only the top one-third of the grass blades. If the lawn is overgrown, it will be necessary to raise the height of the cut to reduce pushing effort and to keep from overloading the engine and leaving clumps of mulched grass. For extremely heavy grass, reduce the width of your cut by overlapping the previously cut path and mowing slowly.
• Certain types of grass and grass conditions may require that an area be mulched a second time to completely hide the clippings. When doing a second cut, mow across (perpendicular) to the first cut path.
• Change your cutting pattern from week to week. Mow north to south one week, then change to east to west the next week. This will help prevent matting and graining of the lawn.

TROUBLESHOOTING

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Craftsman 700 Series Gas Lawn Mower- FAQs