Storage - Craftsman 917.20384 Manual Del Operador

Immediately prepare your tractor for stor age
at the end of the season or if the tractor will
not be used for 30 days or more.
WARNING: Never store the trac tor with
gas o line in the tank inside a building where
fumes may reach an open flame or spark.
Allow the engine to cool before storing in
any en clo sure.
TRACTOR
Remove mower from tractor for winter stor-
age. When mower is to be stored for a period
of time, clean it thor oughly, remove all dirt,
grease, leaves, etc. Store in a clean, dry area.
1. Clean entire tractor (See "CLEAN ING" in
the Maintenance section of this manual).
2. Inspect and replace belts, if nec es sary
(See belt re place ment in struc tions in the
Service and Ad just ments section of this
manual).
3. Lubricate as shown in the Main te nance
section of this man ual.
4. Ensure that all nuts, bolts and screws
are securely fastened. In spect moving
parts for damage, break age and wear.
Replace if nec es sary.
5. Touch up all rusted or chipped paint
surfaces; sand lightly before paint ing.
BATTERY
• Fully charge the battery for storage.
• After a period of time in storage, battery
may require recharging.
• To help prevent corrosion and power
leakage during long periods of stor age,
battery cables should be dis con nect ed
and battery cleaned thor ough ly (see "TO
CLEAN BATTERY AND TER MI NALS" in
the Maintenance section of this man u al).
• After cleaning, leave cables dis con nect ed
and place cables 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.
• If unit is equipped with battery indicator/
charging plug, an optional charging unit
may be purchased and connected to the
unit to charge the battery during long term
storage. Inspect and clean the battery
terminals as needed prior to long term
storage with charger connected.

STORAGE

ENGINE
FUEL SYSTEM
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 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 engine
and letting it run until the fuel lines and
carburetor are empty.
• Never use engine or carburetor clean er
products in the fuel tank or permanent
damage may occur.
• Use fresh fuel next season.
NOTE: Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable al-
ternative in min i miz ing the formation of fuel
gum deposits during stor age. 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 sta bi liz er 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 man ual).
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. Turn ignition key to "START" po si tion for
a few seconds to distribute oil.
4. Replace with new spark plug(s).
OTHER
• Do not store gasoline from one sea son 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 in doors and
cover it to give protection from dust and dirt.
• Cover your tractor with a suitable protec-
tive cover that does not retain moisture.
Do not use plastic. Plas tic cannot breathe
which allows con den sa tion to form and will
cause your tractor to rust.
IMPORTANT: Never cover tractor while
en gine and exhaust areas are still warm.
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