Storage; Fuel System - Craftsman 917.204040 Operator's Manual

Immediately prepare your t ractor forstorage
attheend oftheseason o rifthetractor will
not b eused for30days or more.
WARNING: Never store the tractor with
gasoline inthetank inside a building where
fumes may reach anopen flame orspark.
Allow theengine t ocoolbefore storing in
anyenclosure.
TRACTOR
Remove mower from tractor forwinter stor-
age. W hen m ower istobestored f oraperiod
oftime, c lean itthoroughly, remove alldirt,
grease, leaves, etc. S tore i naclean, dry area.
1. Clean e ntire t ractor (See "CLEANING" in
the Maintenance section ofthis manual).
2. Inspect andreplace b elts, i f necessary
(See belt r eplacement instructions inthe
Service and Adjustments section o fthis
manual).
3. Lubricate asshown i ntheMaintenance
section o fthis manual.
4. Ensure t hatallnuts, b olts andscrews
aresecurely fastened. Inspect moving
parts fordamage, breakage andwear.
Replace ifnecessary.
5. Touch upall rusted or chipped paint
surfaces; sand lightly b efore p ainting.
BATTERY
Fully charge t hebattery forstorage.
After a period oftimeinstorage, battery
may require r echarging.
Tohelpprevent c orrosion a ndpower
leakage during longperiods o fstorage,
battery cables should bedisconnected
andbattery c leaned thoroughly (see "TO
CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS" in
theMaintenance section o fthis manual).
After c leaning, leave c ables disconnected
and place c ables where t hey cannot come
incontact withbattery terminals.
If battery is removed f romtractor f or
storage, donotstore battery d irectly o n
concrete ordamp surfaces.
Ifunitisequipped withbattery i ndicator/
charging plug, a noptional charging unit
may bepurchased andconnected tothe
unit t ocharge thebattery during l ong term
storage. I nspect andclean thebattery
terminals as needed p rior t o longterm
storage w ithcharger connected.
ENGINE
FUEL
S YSTEM
iMPORTANT: It is important to prevent
gum deposits from forming in essential fuel
system parts such as carburetor, fuel hose,
or tank during storage. Also, alcohol blended
fuels (called gasohot 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 engine
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 al-
ternative 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 empty 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(S)
1. Remove spark plug(s).
2. Pour one ounce (29.5 mL) of oil through
spark plug hole(s) into cylinder(s).
3. Distribute oil by setting parking brake,
disengaging attachment clutch and using
the SmartSwitch Ignition (SSI) to attempt
a start. The oil will be distributed during
the approximate 5 second start-up at-
tempt.
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 itto give protection from dust and dirt.
* Cover your tractor 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 tractor to rust.
iMPORTANT: Never cover tractor while
engine and exhaust areas are still warm.
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