BILLY GOAT VQ Leaf Vacuum Owner’s Manual

: October 27, 2023
: BILLY GOAT

Table of Contents

OPERATION
HANDLING & TRANSPORTING:
VACUUMING OPERATION
PROPULSION
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VQ Owner’s Manual

OPERATION

Like all mechanical tools, reasonable care must be used when operating machine.
Inspect machine work area and machine before operating. Make sure that all operators of this equipment are trained in general machine use and safety.

PUT OIL IN ENGINE BEFORE STARTING

STARTING

ENGINE: See engine manufacturer’s instructions for type and amount of oil and gasoline used. Engine must be level when checking and filling oil and gasoline.
ENGINE SPEED: Controlled by throttle lever on left side of handle. Under normal conditions operate at minimum throttle to accomplish your current cleaning task. For Honda model, the stop switch is located on the switch panel on the engine & for SP Honda models only, on remote shift control panel. NOTE: Before starting, check that all switches and fuel valves are on.
FUEL VALVE: Move fuel shutoff valve to “ON” position.
CHOKE: Located on engine. Choke engine before starting when engine is cold.
THROTTLE: Move remote throttle control to fast position. Pull starting rope to start engine.
IF YOUR UNIT FAILS TO START:
See Troubleshooting on page 16.

HANDLING & TRANSPORTING:

Do not lift by hand. Use loading ramps or other mechanical assistance. Secure in place during transport. See page 3 for weight specifications
Never lift the machine while the engine is running.
STORAGE
Never store engine indoors or in enclosed poorly ventilated areas with fuel in tank, where fuel fumes may reach an open flame, spark or pilot light, as on a furnace, water heater, clothes dryer or other gas appliance.
If engine is to be unused for 30 days or more, prepare as follows:
Remove all gasoline from carburetor and fuel tank to prevent gum deposits from forming on these parts and causing possible malfunction of engine. Drain fuel outdoors, into an approved container, away from open flame. Be sure engine is cool. Do not smoke. Run engine until fuel tank is empty and engine runs out of gasoline.
NOTE: Fuel stabilizer (such as Sta-Bil) is an acceptable alternative in minimizing the formation of fuel gum deposits during storage. Add stabilizer to gasoline in fuel tank or storage container. Always follow mix ratio found on stabilizer container. Run engine at least 10 min. after adding stabilizer to allow it to reach the carburetor.

VACUUMING OPERATION

VACUUM NOZZLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT: Is adjusted by unlocking wing nut (item 32) and turning caster knob. Turning the knob clockwise increases height. Be sure the nozzle height is level (left to right) before tightening caster wing nuts.
Adjust nozzle height according to surface conditions and debris size; For vacuuming on flat surfaces, set nozzle 1/2″ (12.7 mm) to 5/8″ (15.8 mm) above ground; Higher for uneven terrain and turf. Note: The nozzle side bogie wheels should be at least 1/8″ (3.2mm) above the ground, or maneuverability will be reduced.
FOR MAXIMUM PICKUP: Adjust nozzle close to debris, but without blocking airflow into the nozzle.
NOTE: Never bury nozzle into debris.
CLEARING A CLOGGED NOZZLE & EXHAUST: Turn engine off and wait for impeller to stop completely and disconnect spark plug wire. Wearing durable gloves, remove clog. Danger, the clog may contain sharp materials. Reconnect spark plug wire.
NOZZLE GOBBLER DOOR.
Large debris can be vacuumed without readjusting nozzle height by temporarily opening the remote Nozzle Gobbler Door. For maximum pickup of small debris, the gobbler door must be down, flush with front face of nozzle.

DEBRIS BAG
Debris bags are normal replaceable wear items.
Note: Frequently empty debris to prevent bag overloading with more weight than you can lift.
An optional bag and dust cover is available for use where debris will be vacuumed in dusty conditions (See Optional Accessories shown on page 1.)
DO NOT place bag on or near hot surface, such as engine. Run engine at 1/2 throttle for first 1/2 hour to condition new bag. Your new bag requires a break-in period to condition the pores of the material against premature blockage. The entire bag surface serves as a filter, and must be able to breath to have good vacuum performance. Be sure engine has come to a complete stop before removing or emptying bag.
This vacuum is designed for picking up trash, organic material and other similar debris (see Safety Warnings page 4-5).
However, many vacuums are used where dust is mixed with trash. Your unit can intermittently vacuum in dusty areas. Dust is the greatest cause of lost vacuum performance. However, following these rules will help maintain your machine’s ability to vacuum in dusty conditions:

Run machine at idle to quarter throttle.
The debris bag must be cleaned more frequently. A vacuum with a clean, pillow soft bag will have good pickup performance. One with a dirty, tight bag will have poor pickup performance. If dirty, empty debris and vigorously shake bag free of dust.
Machine or pressure-wash debris bag if normal cleaning does not fully clean bag. Bag should be thoroughly dry before use.
Having one or more spare debris bags is a good way to reduce down time while dirty bags are being cleaned.
DO NOT leave debris in bag while in storage.

PROPULSION

PROPULSION: VQ self-propelled vacuums are equipped with 5 forward gears, neutral and reverse. With the engine running, the bail in released position and brake in on position, select desired drive gear. Pull bail against handle to engage drive (see figure 7).
Smoothly engage the bail. Parking brake engages when the bail is released. To freewheel, set transmission control in neutral and pull back on bail. Use good judgment when operating the self-propelled drive. Fifth gear is faster than walking speed and should normally be used only for moving quickly from place- to-place. Using neutral, on level terrain is advisable when maneuvering in tight areas. This increases operator control, and can prevent bumping into nearby objects. Do not force-shift gears of transmission. To assist gear meshing, it may be necessary to partially engage bail while shifting. To stop machine, release operator’s bail (this engages the parking brake). Do not shift the transmission while unit is moving. Internal damage to transmission can result For reverse – Set Throttle to Idle
With operator’s bail released, pull shift lever back and depress wire stop (item 90) to continue to the reverse position. Then smoothly pull operator’s bail against handle. Release bail to stop (see fig 7).