User manual BRIGGS & STRATTON SMALL ENGINE CARE AND REPAIR

[. . . ] SMALL ENGINE ® A step-by-step guide to maintaining your small engine www. briggsandstratton. com INTRODUCTION Briggs & Stratton has been a major force behind the explosion in small engine popularity. This quintessential American company builds more than two-thirds of all lawn mower engines and is a major producer of four-stroke small engines for almost every application. You may find many brands of mowers, tractors and other equipment at your power equipment retailer. Look closely: chances are good the engines are built by Briggs & Stratton. [. . . ] Tilt the mower deck and position some newspaper and an oil pan or jug beneath the mower. Use a socket wrench to turn the plug counterclockwise, allowing the old oil to drain (photo A). If the plug also serves as a fill cap, it may have two prongs so you can loosen it by hand or use a screwdriver or hex key for additional torque. Replace the drain plug by twisting clockwise and tightening with a box wrench or adjustable wrench. 1. Start by locating the oil fill cap on the A crankcase (photo A). Fill cap locations vary, depending on the make and model of your engine. On newer models, look for an oil can symbol or the word "oil" or "fill" stamped on the plug. On small tractors, you may have to lift the hood to locate this cap. Some engines contain either an extended oil fill tube or a standard fill hole with a dipstick for inspection. Others require you to remove the fill cap to check that the oil is at the fill line or the top of the fill hole. B 3. If your engine has a filter, replace it at least once a season, more often under heavy use. Replace the filter by twisting counterclockwise on the body, using a filter wrench or pipe wrench. 2. To prevent dirt and debris from falling B into the crankcase, wipe the area around the cap with a clean cloth before removing the cap. If there is no dipstick, dab the oil with a clean tip of the cloth to inspect the oil (photo B). 4. Lightly oil the filter gasket with clean engine oil. Install a new filter rated for your engine. Screw in the filter by hand until the gasket contacts the filter adapter (photo B). Tighten the filter an additional 1/2 to 3/4 turn. 3. If the engine includes a dipstick cap, remove the dipstick and wipe it with a clean cloth. To ensure an accurate reading, reinsert the dipstick completely. Then, remove it again and check the oil level. If the dipstick cap is a screw-in type, ensure an accurate reading by screwing it in all the way before remov-ing it a second time to check the level. [. . . ] Clean the cartridge housing with a dry cloth (photo E). Do not clean with solvents or compressed air. 6. If the precleaner is the oiled type, take care to insert the mesh toward the paper element so that the paper is never exposed to the oil. D 7. Reinstall, making sure that any tabs on the cartridge are in their slots on the engine housing. [. . . ]