M11 Plus Series Engines Operation and Maintenance Manual – 101-014   Normal Starting Procedure

The stop or stop engine lamp is red and indicates the need to stop the engine as soon as it can be safely done. The engine must then remain shut down until it can be repaired.

The warning or check engine lamp is yellow. When it illuminates, the engine is in need of repair at the first available opportunity.

The yellow lamp will flash for 30 seconds at key-on when one of the following occurs:

• Maintenance required (if maintenance monitor is enabled)
• Water-in-fuel is detected.

If the warning light flashes for 30 seconds at key-on and water is drained from the primary water-separating fuel filter, the secondary fuel filter must be replaced.

WARNING  Do not depress the accelerator pedal or move the accelerator lever from the idle position while cranking the engine. This can result in engine overspeed and severe damage to the engine.

CAUTION  To prevent damage to the starting motor, do not engage the starting motor for more than 30 seconds. Wait 2 minutes between each attempt to start (electrical starting motors only).

NOTE: Engines equipped with air starting motors require a minimum of 480 kPa [70 PSI].

• Disengage the driven unit, or if equipped, put the transmission in neutral.
• With the accelerator pedal or lever in the idle position, turn the key switch to the ON position, then turn the key to the START position.
• If the engine does not start after three attempts, check the fuel supply system. Absence of blue or white exhaust smoke during cranking indicates no fuel is being delivered.

Idle the engine 3 to 5 minutes before operating with a load.

After starting a cold engine, increase the engine speed (rpm) slowly to provide adequate lubrication to the bearings and to allow the oil pressure to stabilize.

CAUTION  Do not operate engine at low idle for long periods with engine coolant temperature below the minimum specification in Coolant Recommendations and Specifications (Section V). Low coolant temperature can result in:

• Fuel dilution of the lubricating oil
• Carbon build-up in the cylinder
• Cylinder head valve sticking
• Reduced performance.

WARNING  Batteries can emit explosive gases. To reduce the possibility of personal injury, always ventilate the compartment before servicing the batteries. To reduce the possibility of arcing, remove the negative (-) battery cable first and attach the negative (-) battery cable last.

CAUTION  When using jumper cables to start the engine, make sure to connect the cables in parallel: Positive (+) to positive (+) and negative (-) to negative (-). When using an external electrical source to start the engine, turn the disconnect switch to the OFF position. Remove the key before attaching the jumper cables.

CAUTION  To reduce the possibility of damage to engine parts, do not connect jumper starting or battery charging cable to any fuel system or electronic component.

The accompanying illustration shows a typical parallel battery connection. This arrangement doubles the cranking amperage.

This illustration shows a typical series battery connection. This arrangement, positive (+) to negative (-), doubles the voltage.