# operators manual for 1997 murray riding mower



## cajunh2s

hey guys

was wondering if anyone knew where i could find a operators manual for an old 1997 murray riding mower....i've been to the murray site and several places on the web...and its a real hard find...if anyone has any info on this mower please pass it to me...i've found engine parts and body parts for it..
i just want the operators manual to make sure i'm following the right procedure to start this thing......it has a safety switch under the seat...a level under the seat unknown what its for...suppose to engage it to mow...
but all the writing on these components is weather wore...i'd like to know what everything is for,on this old puppy..

thanks cajun

murray Riding mower Rider body model...42560x92A
ohv 42"
engine 14.5 hp briggs
model 287707
type-0225-01
code...970102ZE


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## hdman97

cajun

might try here

This site has a parts manual 

http://www.outdoordistributors.com/Murray/Murraypartslists.html


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## cajunh2s

hdman

thanks for the link for the parts.....i have some parts pages bookmarked with some stuff i'm going to need.....i don't think i'll ever find the owners manual to this mower me thinks...way too old....but who knows..

my neighbor down the street was trashing this mower and i took it from the trash pile
will try to post some pictures of it...if anyone wants to look at it and give an opinion of what i may have a head of me on trying to repair this machine

so far what i've done...was try to charge the battery...it showed charged but still wouldn't turn motor over...nothing...no click complete dead.....
so i took some jumper cables and hooked the battery direct to starter......it spun the starter somewhat, turned the motor over a few times....but battery didn't have enough hump...to spin the starter or engine over very well.......next payday i'm going to put a new battery on it, and go from there...

this is going to be something i can piddle with and try and learn with...cause i'm taking a course in small engine repair through penn foster school.....some of my next lessons are on electrical
systems....should come in handy on this murray...hope i can learn enough to get her going again...lol

cajun


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## timbo

If you use a battery and find that nothing happens when you try to start it then i would first thing to do is to check /replace the selonid ,connections to safety switches i had the same thing going on i removed all the safty switches and my seloniod would not even click after replaceing that it started right up and ran like new just my two cents ,maybe you could ask what problems the guy before ya had with it to give ya a place to start from ? i find them in junk piles all the time and very cheap or free at yard sales i have 7 tractors mowers that run due to minor problems other people didnt know about simple adjustments to complete-overhauls~n stuck frozen tight engines,i have many makes and models from wheel horse to simplicty to sears to mtd with techumseh engines and brigs and stratton ,clinton and lawson engines lots of frames wheels tires all sorts of thrown away stuff i recycle them all and make a few bucks~to do more its my number one HOBBY now that im disabled cant work at a regular job as diesel mechanic,having many tools helps and a shop to work on stuff helps to to keep my hands busy and my mind halfway straight what things i find 1958 wheel horse ,1979 sears with front end loader for free ,and now a 1967 wheel horse for 25.00 and it runs ,had caught fire and the wires all burnt up i did a complete wire job and it now charges fine and runs all sorts of lights even ,this is the place to come to when you get stuck the folks here really are helpfull indeed ,,, Tim from central new york state id rather push a goat than a push mower


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## cajunh2s

*Pictures of Current project*

Hey guys these are a few pictures of the Murray I am trying to bring back to life as you see - the engine has heavy rust spots on the deck and you can also see the shape of solenoid and electrical system. Tell me what you think for my first trash pile find.


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## timbo

nice for a trash pile find ,good luck and keep looking thats what i did and well the rest is history ,i now have 7 tractors and looking for mower decks now have over 25 push mowers and 8 for sale in front yard right now and people come by stop and look and offer half of what i have priced them at most i sell for 25.00 some self propeled i sell for 35- 40 still not low enough for some who think i can give them away running if they only knew what it took to make them run again ?


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## cajunh2s

timbo

i hear ya....some folks just don't realize the work involved from changing parts checking settings on plugs and valves and such...and just the time put into getting old mowers to run again....

both my grandpa's worked on mowers for side projects and a little extra money for the house...my grandpa on my moms side of family(moms dad)....did very well pulling mowers from trash and also working on the neighborhood lawn mowers...he had no formal training...just picked up the knowledge through his life...
but i've seen him pick up close to 600 bucks a week......working on carbs.....sharpening blades....changing out primer bulbs and spark plugs and tune ups...and such

and you and he have a lot in common....he had a fleet of mowers out in the back of his house all makes and models some 4 strokes and some 2 stroke mowers....of all shapes and sizes....he has since passed on....i really miss going over there and helping him with some mowers and stuff.....got to spend some real quality time with grandpa...working on mowers and him telling me stories about when he was young....and the time he spent in the military and stuff......if only every grand child could get to experience times like that with their grandpa....maybe they would realize just how good they got it now-a-days.....lol

cajun


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## timbo

*the way it is ?*

well that says it all and way things are going with gas prices, im going to get a goat and a long rope ,To mow lots of yards for a small fee, and this fall sell the goat for a profit ,as my Grandfather was a farmer who did raise goats and cows too ,goats also eat brush need any bushes trimmed ?


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## cajunh2s

well....looks like i'm going to have to go a little deeper to try and crank this thing than just a new battery......i purchased a new battery for the snapper today and tried it in the murray first just to see if it would turn over....nothing...

so i will get another battery for the murray....and start on the solenoid and maybe wiring throughout the mower...

just a thought here....as you guys can see from the pictures i pulled the mower deck
off the mower...cause of bad rust holes and stuff.....and to try and get the pulleys to engage...they were frozen in place`...

do you guys think there could be a safty switch under the mower that won't let it crank if the deck is off.....i didn't see anything but could be missing something...
any thoughts on this one?

cajun


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## timbo

*the murry*

you may have MANY safty switches like on clutch brake pedel,on the seat for the operator has to be in the seat to start and also when the mower is engaged or not engaged when turned on it wont start but if it should i took all the safty switch off my simplicity with no ill effects other than it has to be in neutral and the mower turned off , i even took out the one under the seat too so i can start off the tractor ,but im still thinking no electric thru you seloniod there are many wireing diagrams on line for that if you do a few searchs you will find the one you need to wire things from bat to key with ammeter ,seloinod and other things hooked up to charge the battery just a thought for you to start looking at all safety switches ,you can by pass them with a short jumper wire across the switch its self the plug that goes to them should have 2 or 3 wires and can easily be jumped across to get switches off the list of why it dont start TIM


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