Storage - Craftsman 917.275010 Owner's Manual

Immediately prepare your tractor for
storage at the end of the season or if the
tractorwill not be used for 30 days or
more.
_ CAUTION: Never store the tractor
with gasoline in the tank inside a building
where fumes may reach an open flame or
spark. Allow the engine to cool before
stodng in any enclosure.
TRACTOR
Remove mower from tractor for winter
storage. When mower is to be stored for a
pedod of time, clean it thoroughly, remove
all dirt, grease, leaves, etc. Store in a
clean, dry area.
1. Clean entire tractor (See "CLEANING"
in the Maintenance section of this
manual).
2. Inspect and replace belts, if necessary
(See belt replacement instructions in
the Service and Adjusknents section of
this manual).
3. Lubdcata as shown in the Mainte-
nance 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.
BA'n'ERY
• Fully charge the battery for storage.
• After a peded of time in storage, battery
may require recharging.
• To help prevent corrosion and power
leakage dudng long pedods of storage,
battery cables should be disconnected
and battery cleaned thoroughly (see
=TO CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMI-
NALS" in the Maintenance section of
this manual),
• After cleaning, leave cables discon-
nected and place sables where they
cannot come in contact with battery
terminals.
• If battery is removed from tractor for
storage, do not store battery directly on
concrete or damp surfaces.
ENGINE
FUELSYSTEM
IMPORTANT: It is important to prevent
gum deposites from forming in essential
fuel system parts such as carburetor, fuel
hose, or tank during storage. Also,
expedance indicates that alcohol blended
fuels (called gasobel 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 and 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 dudng 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 carbure-
tor. Do not drain the gas tank and carbure-
tor 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(S)
1. Remove spark plug(s).
2. Pour one ounce of oil through spark
plug hole(s) into cylinder(s).
3. Tum ignition key to "START" position
for a few seconds to distdbute oil.
4, Replace with new spark plug(s).
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 tractor indoors and
cover it to give protaction from dust and
dirt.
• Cover your tractor with a suitable
protective cover that does not retain
moisture. Do not use plastic. Plastic
cannot breathe which allows condensa-
tion to form and will cause your tractor to
rust.
IMPORTANT: Never cover tractor while
engine and exhaust areas are still warm.
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