Craftsman 917.298020 Owner's Manual page 17

Immediately prepare your tiller for storage
at the end ofthe season or if the unit will not
be used for 30 days or more.
_Warning: Never store the tiller with
gasoline in the tank inside a building where
fumes may reach an open flame or spark.
Allow the engine to cool before storing in
any enclosure.
TILLER
1. Clean entire tiller (See "CLEANING" in
the Maintenance section of this manual).
2. Inspect and replace belts, if necessary
(See belt replacement instructions in the
Service and Adjustments section of this
manual).
3. Lubricate as shown in the Maintenance
section of this manual.
4. Be sure that all nuts, bolts and screws
are securely fastened. Inspect moving
parts for damage, breakage and wear.
Replace if necessary.
5. Touch up all rusted or chipped paint
surfaces; sand lightly before painting.
ENGINE
FUEL SYSTEM
IMPORTANT: It is important to prevent gum
deposits from forming in essential fuel system
parts such as the carburetor, fuel filter, fuel
hose, or tank during storage. Also, alcohol
blended fuels (called gasohol or using etha-
nol or methanol) can attract moisture which
leads to separation and formation of acids
during storage. Acidic gas can damage the
fuel system of an engine while in storage.
• Empty the fuel tank by starting the engine
and letting it run until the fuel lines and
carburetor are empty.
• Never use engine or carburetor cleaner
products in the fuel tank or permanent
damage may occur.
• Use fresh fuel next season.
NOTE: Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable a!-
ternative in minimizing the formation of fuel
gum deposits during storage. Add stabilizer
to gasoline in fuel tank or storage container.
Always followthe mix ratio found on stabilizer
container. Run engine at least 10 minutes
after adding stabilizer to allowthe stabilizer to
reach the carburetor. Do not empty the gas
tank and carburetor if using fuel stabilizer.
ENGINE OIL
Drain oil (with engine warm) and replace with
clean oil. (See "ENGINE" inthe Maintenance
section of this manual).
CYLINDER
1. Remove spark plug.
2. Pour 1 ounce (29 ml) of oil through spark
plug hole into cylinder.
3. Pull starter handle slowly several times
to distribute oil.
4. Replace with new spark plug.
OTHER
• Do not store gasoline from one season to
another.
• Replace your gasoline can if your can starts
to rust. Rust and/or dirt in your gasoline
will cause problems.
• If possible, store your unit indoors and
cover it to give protection from dust and
dirt.
• Cover your unit with a suitable protective
cover that does not retain moisture. Do
not use plastic. Plastic cannot breathe
which allows condensation to form and
will cause your unit to rust.
IMPORTANT: Never cover tiller while engine
and exhaust areas are still warm.
17