Off-Season Storage; Preparing The Engine; Draining The Fuel; Preparing The Lawn Tractor - Craftsman 247.288842 Operator's Manual

Neverstorelawntractorwith fuel in tank indoors or in poorly
ventilatedareaswherefuel fumesmay reachan openflame,spark,
or pilot lightas on a furnace,water heater,clothesdryer,or gas
appliance.
PREPARING THE ENGINE
IMPORTANT:Fuelleft in the fueltank duringwarmweatherdeterio-
ratesand willcause seriousstartingproblems.
To preventgumdepositsfrom forminginsidethe engine'scarburetor
and causingpossiblemalfunctionof theengine,the fuelsystemmust
be eithercompletelyemptied,or the gasolinemustbe treatedwith a
stabilizerto preventdeterioration.
1. If usinga fuel stabilizer:
a. Readthe productmanufacturer's instructionsand recom-
mendations.
b. Add to clean, freshgasolinethe correctamountof stabilizer
for the capacityof the fuelsystem.
c. Fillthe fueltank with treatedfuel and run the enginefor 2-3
minutesto get stabilizedfuel intothe carburetor.
2. If emptyingthe fuel system:
a. Donot drainfuel whenthe engineis hot. Allowthe engine
adequatetime to cool. Drainfuelinto an approvedcontainer
outdoors,awayfrom open flame.
b. Drainany largevolumeof fuel from thetank by disconnect-
ing the fuel line from the in-linefuel filter nearthe engine.
See the completeinstructionsfor DrainingThe Fuellaterin
this section.
Gasolineis extremelyflammableand can be explosiveundercertain
conditions.Draingasolinebeforestoringthe equipmentfor extended
periods.Drainfuel onlyinto an approvedcontaineroutdoors,away
from an openflame.Allowengineto cool. Extinguishcigarettes,
cigars,pipes, and othersourcesof ignitionprior to drainingfuel.
Storegasolinein an approvedcontainerin safe location.
c. Reconnect t he fuel line and run the engineuntilit startsto
falter,thenusethe choke to keepthe enginerunninguntilall
fuel in the carburetorhas beenexhausted.
d. Disconnectthefuel line and drain any remaininggasoline
from the system.
DRAINING THE FUEL
1. Locatethe fuel filter,which is locatedon theleft sideof the
engine,and may be attachedto the enginewith a tie strap.
2. Cut the tie strap,if present,then pinchthe in-lineclamp on the
fuel filter with a pairof pliers,slidethe clamp up the fuel line.
3. Pullthe fuel line freefrom the filterand placetheopen end of the
line intoan approvedcontainerto drain the fuel.
PREPARING THE LAWN TRACTOR
1. Cleanand lubricatetractorthoroughlyas describedin the lubrica-
tion instructions.
2. Donot usea pressurewasheror gardenhoseto cleanyour unit.
3. Store mowerin a dry,cleanarea. Do notstore nextto corrosive
materials,such as fertilizer.
Gasolineis a toxic substance.Disposeof gasolineproperly.Contact
yourlocalauthoritiesforapproveddisposalmethods.
3. Removethe sparkplug and pour one (1) ounceof engineoil
throughthe sparkplug hole intothe cylinder.Crankthe engine
severaltimesto distributethe oil. Replacethe spark plug.
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