Storage - Craftsman 917.294261 Owner's Manual

Immediately prepare your tiller for storage
at the end of the season or if the unit will
not be used for 30 days or more.
_I_CAUTION: 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 man-
ual).
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 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 stor-
age 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 carbu-
retor. 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" in the Main-
tenance 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 en-
gine and exhaust areas are still warm.
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