Craftsman 917.773711 Owner's Manual page 14

Immediately prepare your trimmer for stor-
age at the end of the season or if the unit
will not be used for 30 days or more.
TRIMMER
When trimmer 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 entiretrimmer (See"CLEANING" in
the Maintenance section ofthis 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 trimmer handle for storage.
• Loosen handle knob enough to allow
upper handle to be folded forward.
iMPORTANT." When folding the handle
for storage or transportation, be sure to
fold the handle as shown or you may
damage the control cables.
Handle knob
ENGINE
FUEL SYSTEM
iMPORTANT: It ts important to prevent
gum deposits from forming in essential
fuel system parts such as carburetor, fuel
filter, fuel hose or tank during storage.
Also, 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.
• Empty the fuel tank by starting the en-
gine 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
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 protect it from dust and dirt.
• Cover your unit with a suitable protec-
tive 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 trimmer while
engine and exhaust areas are still warm.
_I_CAUTION: Never store the trimmer
with gasoline in the tank inside a building
where fumes may reach an open flame
or spark. Allow the engine to cool before
14storing in any enclosure.