MTD 216 IP manual

Operator ’ s Manual IMPORT ANT : READ SAFETY RULES AND INSTRUCTION S CAREFU LL Y PRINTED IN U.S.A. MODEL 214 IP 216 IP 214 KW 216 KW Warning: This unit is equipped with an internal com bustion engine and should not b e used on or near any unim proved forest- covered, brush-covered or grass-cove red land unless the engine’s exhaust system is equ[...]

2 SECTION 1: IMPORTANT SAFE OPERA TION PRACTICES WARN ING: THI S SYMBOL POINTS OUT IMPO RTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WHI CH, IF NOT FOLLOWED, COULD ENDANGER THE PER SONAL SAFETY AND/OR PROPERTY OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS. REA D AND FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MA NUAL BEFORE ATTEMPTI NG TO OPERA TE YOUR LAWN MOWER. FAIL URE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INS TRU[...]

3 • Do not e ngage the self-prope lled mechan ism on units so equipped while sta rting engi ne. • The bla de control handle is a safety devic e. Never attempt to by pass its ope ration. Doing so makes the safet y devic e inoperat ive and may result i n person al injury throug h contact w ith the rotatin g blade. T he blade control handle must o[...]

4 • Never run an engine inside a cl osed area. Exh aust gases con tain carbon mo noxide. This odo rless gas can be de adly w hen inhaled. • When filling the fuel ta nk, stop w hen the gaso line reaches on e inch from the top . This space mus t be left for ex pansion. Do not overfil l. • Wipe up any s pilled ga soline. • To r educe fire haza[...]

5 SLOP E GAUGE Do not mo w on inc lines with a slop e in ex cess o f 15 degree s (a r ise of app roxima tely 2-1/2 feet eve ry 10 feet) . A rid ing mower could overturn a nd cause serio us injury. If operating a walk- behind m ower on such a slope , it is extremely difficult to m ainta in your fo oting and you coul d slip, res ulting i n serious in[...]

6 SECTION 1: FINDING YOUR MODEL NUMBER This Ope rator’s M anual is an impor tant part o f your ne w walk beh ind. It w ill help you ass emble, pr epare an d maint ain your walk beh ind. P lease r ead and underst and what it sa ys. Before y ou start to pr epare you r walk behind for its fi rst use, plea se locate the mode l plate and c opy the inf[...]

7 SECTI ON 3: SET-UP INSTRUCTIO NS ITEMS REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBL Y • 7/16" and 1 /2" wrench o r sock et • M otor Oil ( SAE 10 W30) •F r e s h G a s o l i n e IMPORTANT: This u nit is sh ipped WI THOUT GASO LINE or OIL (un less c arton i s mark ed as “ audit machine” ) in th e engine. Be c ertain t o serv ice engi ne with gaso line [...]

8 Step 3. Replace th e hardwar e removed from the lower handle. Tighten all four handle (two on each side of the handle assembly) nuts w ith 1/2" wrench or socket. Step 4. Raise t he complete handle assembly until it lines up with one of the mounting holes in the struts. Put the c arriage bolt through the struts and then through the handle. Pl[...]

9 Step 5. Attach control cables to handle wit h pull ties found on the handle. Step 6. Loosen the nut holding the rope guide to the upper handle with a 7/16" wrench or socket. Step 7. Squeeze the blade control bail agai nst the upper handle and pull out starter rope, sl owly! . (Models without BBC) Step 8. Thread starter rope into rope guide. [...]

10 SECTI ON 4: CONTRO LS Figure 2 BLADE CONTROL BAIL For units equipped with Engine Brake Control: The blade co ntrol b ail is lo cated on the handle of the mower. Se e Figure 2. The bla de co ntrol ba il must be dep ressed in orde r to sta rt and o perate th e unit. Release th e blade c ontrol ba il to sto p the en gine and b lade. For units equip[...]

11 WARNING: Shift leve r only with the en gine running. Sh ifting with the Dr ive Clu tch Contr ol enga ged can da mage th e transm issi on. CUTTING HEIGHT ADJUSTMEN T LEVERS The cutti ng heig ht adjustm ent lev ers are l ocated abo ve each wh eel. Cutt ing height s are fr om 3/4” to 4 -1/2" with 3/8" inc rem ents . The l ow r ang e set[...]

12 EACH TIME BEFORE YOU ST ART YOUR MOWER • Atta ch spar k plu g wire to spar k plug . Make certain the metal cap on the end of t he sp ark pl ug wire i s fastened s ecurely over the metal tip on the s park plug . TO ST A RT ENGINE AND ENGAGE BLADE • Mov e the th rottle contr ol leve r all th e way forw ard. (Thi s will a ctivate c hoke on some[...]

13 BAGGING GRASS CLIPPINGS This mo wer can b ag grass clipping s. Follow s teps 1 and 2 to r eady the mower for bagging. EMPTYING A FULL BAG OF GRASS Once the grass b ag is ful l it will need to be emptie d, follow s teps 3 and 4 to em pty the grass bag . MULCHING GRASS CLIPPINGS This mo wer can a lso mulc h grass clipping s. Follow step 1 to ready[...]

14 SIDE DISCHARGING GRASS CLIPPINGS (Optional) SECTION 6: ADJUSTMENTS WARNING: Do n ot at any time m ake any a djustmen t to lawn mowe r without first stopping engine and d isconne cting sp ark plug wir e. HANDLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT • See the AS SEMBLY SECTION fo r handle height adj ustment. THROTTLE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT • See the eng ine manufa ct[...]

15 SECTION 7: LUBRICATION WARNING: A lways stop engine and dis connect sp ark plug wir e before cl eanin g, lubrica ting or doing a ny ki nd of work on the la wn mower. Figure 4 Blade Control: Lubrica te the pivot points on the bla de control handle and the brake cab le at least once a season wi th light o il. See Fi gure 4. The blade co ntrol mu s[...]

16 DECK The unders ide of the mower dec k should be cleaned after each use to prev ent a buildup of grass clipp ings, leaves, d irt or other matter. If thi s debris i s allowed to ac cumulate , it wil l invite rus t and cor rosion, and m ay prevent p roper mulc hing, di scharg e or bagg ing. The deck ma y be cleane d by tilting the mowe r and scrap[...]

17 SECTI ON 9 : OF F-SEASO N STOR AGE The follo wing step s sho uld be tak en to pre pare lawn mower for storag e. • C lean and l ubricat e mower th oroughly as describ ed in t he lubrica tion ins truction s. • R efer to eng ine manua l for co rrect e ngine sto rage instr uctions . • C oat mower’s cuttin g blade wi th chass is grease to pre[...]

EQUIPMENT TWO-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY This warranty is specific to the product manual it is a ttached to. For a complete list of products and warranties contact your MTD Pro dealer . Proper maintenanc e of your MTD Pro equipme nt is the owner’s responsibil ity. Follow the in struction s in your owner’s ma nua l f or c orre ct lubr ica nts an d m [...]