General Cleaning

• Every good maintenance program includes cleaning the Mantis tiller regularly. After the engine cools off after being used, spray the dirt and grime off of the tines, gear box, tine guard, handles and engine housing. Not only will this make the machine look good, but it will prevent dirt and other contaminants from building up--especially around the tines and gear box. Tillers that are not maintained will eventually experience problems in the gear box because dirt has been forced through the seal and into the housing. The dirt will wreak havoc on the gears by wearing them down, which will significantly shorten the usable life of the original parts.
  
  After washing all of the dirt away, loosen and remove debris that may be twisted around the tines. Common problems include twine (plastic or natural), wire, straw and plastic wrap that somehow creeps into your flower beds and garden. The debris may need to be cut away as unwrapping the tangled mess might prove impossible to accomplish effectively.
  
  

Oil and Lubrication

• To promote long engine life, change the engine oil regularly and often. When the machine is new, change the oil after the first 5 hours of operation. This is called the break-in period. Replace the oil every 20 hours after the break-in period to keep the engine in really good condition. The worm gear housing needs to be greased and maintained on a regular basis as well. When the tiller was assembled at the factory, the assemblers filled the worm gear housing with grease. Check the level of the grease in the housing annually to be sure the level is correct. The correct grease to add is called lithium #0 grease, and it is available from Mantis dealers or directly from Mantis. Avoid overfilling the worm gear housing with grease. If the housing is too full, pressure will build up and the seals will be damaged or fail completely. The clutch will also slip, making operation difficult.
  
  

Clean Air and a Good Spark

• The last two maintenance items that require regular attention are the air filter and the spark plug. The air filter must be clean for the engine to run efficiently. The reason for this is that the air/fuel mixture must be correct, and if the air flow is restricted, the correct amount of air will not be allowed into the carburetor, effectively suffocating the tiller. To clean the air filter, remove the plastic air filter cover by removing the wing nut that holds it in place. The air filter is located inside the air filter cover. It is a white pad. If it is caked with debris, brush the debris away with a soft brush. If the filter is too dirty to clean in this manner, you must replace the filter before using the tiller again. New filters are available through Mantis directly. Reinsert the cleaned or new air filter back into the filter cover and reinstall the wing nut.