Maintenance Instructions CLEANING66NOTE: While some degree of material buildupin the mower deck housing can be tolerated, apoint is finally reached where cutting qualitydeteriorates and clogging begins to occurbecause of too much buildup on the baffling andhousing.4. Lower the deck to the normal operating positionand re-engage the deck lock levers.GHS BlowerNormally, the GHS blower operates with no mainte-nance or cleaning. However, when mowing grassthat is dirty and damp (especially springtime mow-ing), a deposit of dirt may accumulate inside theblower housing, causing wear and binding of theblower wheel. When operating in these conditions,inspect the blower frequently for dirt buildup.NOTE: A visual clue of binding of the blower wheelis the blower blade tips are polished from rubbingon dirt.When a dirt deposit is found, use a high pressurewasher or water spray to clean the inside of thehousing as follows:1. Remove the GHS blower drive belt tension bydepressing the idler pulley on the tightener arm.Roll the belt off the blower pulley. The beltshould be clear of the blower pulley, allowingfree movement of the blower wheel.IMPORTANT: With the belt removed, the blow-er wheel must spin freely. Any binding or drag-ging of the wheel is an indication of dirtbuildup. This buildup must be cleaned toavoid abrasive wear of the blower blades, ex-cessive power loss and eventual loss of blowerperformance (clogging).2. Use a pressure washer or water spray, and di-rect the spray inside the blower housing againstthe blower blades. Water pressure will causethe blower wheel to begin to spin and the com-bination of spinning action and water will effec-tively wash the inside of the housing. Spray maybe directed against the blower blades verticallyand horizontally to cause rotation in both direc-tions for thorough washing action. Wash blow-er until the blower wheel spins freely in bothdirections.3. Reinstall the GHS blower drive belt by reversingthe removal procedure.Collapse Blower Belt Tightenerto Remove GHS Blower Drive BeltGHS Exhaust ScreenRefer to Cleaning the GHS Exhaust Screen in Op-erating Instructions.CAUTIONDo not operate machine with deck tilt-uppivot joint unlocked.DANGERBefore attempting to wash the blower,stop the engine, remove the ignition key,and disconnect the spark plug wires.BlowerPulleyBlowerDrive PulleyDepress Idler PulleyDown to Relax BeltBelt TightenerIdler PulleyGHS BlowerDrive Belt