Storage; Lawn Mower Storage; Engine Storage - Craftsman 917.377151 Owner's Manual

Immediately prepare your lawn mower for
storage at the end of the season or if the
unit will not be used for 30 days or more.
LAWN MOWER
When lawn mower is to be stored for a
period of time, clean it thoroughly, remove
all dirt, grease, leaves, etc. Store in a
clean, dry area.
1. Clean entire lawn mower (See
"CLEANING" in the Maintenance
section of this manual).
2. Lubricate as shown in the Mainte-
nance section of this manual.
3. Be sure that all nuts, bolts, screws,
and pins are securely fastened.
Inspect moving parts for damage,
breakage and wear. Replace if
necessary.
4. Touch up all rusted or chipped paint
surfaces; sand lightly before painting.
HANDLE
You can fold your lawn mower handle for
storage.
1. Squeeze the bottom ends of the lower
handle toward each other until the
lower handle clears the handle
bracket, then move handle forward.
2. Loosen upper handle mounting bolts
enough to allow upper handle to be
folded back.
IMPORTANT: When folding the handle
for storage or transportation, be sure to
fold the handle as shown or you may
damage the control cables.
• When setting up your handle from the
storage position, the lower handle will
automatically lock into the mowing
position.
Lower
handle
Squeeze tofold
Handle
bracket
Hairpin
cotter
Upper
Operator presence control
\
Fold foward /_
for storage
Lower ._
handle_ _ :J_'_
bar..,,,/handle
_ ,.';/I Fold
i'_'/ I backward
Mowing
position
ENGINE
FUEL SYSTEM
IMPORTANT: It is important to prevent
gum deposits from forming in essential
fuel system parts such as carburetor, fuel
filter, fuel hose, or tank during storage.
Also, experience indicates that alcohol
blended fuels (called gasohol or using
ethanol 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.
1, Drain the fuel tank.
2, Start the engine and let 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
alternative in minimizing the formation of
fuel gum deposits during storage. Add
stabilizer to gasoline in fuel tank or
storage container. Always follow the mix
ratio found on stabilizer container. Run
engine at least 10 minutes after adding
stabilizer to allow the stabilizer to reach
the carburetor. Do not drain the gas tank
and carburetor if using fuel stabilizer.
ENGINE OIL
Drain oil (with engine warm) and replace
with clean engine oil. (See "ENGINE" in
the Maintenance section of this manual).
CYLINDER
1, Remove spark plug.
2, Pour one ounce (29 ml) of oil through
spark plug hole into cylinder.
3, Pull starter handle slowly a few 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 conden-
sation to form and will cause your unit
16 to rust.