Immediately prepare your tractor for stor- age at the end of the season or if the trac- tor will not be used for 30 days or more.
'&CAUTION: Never store the tractorwith
gasoline in the tank inside a building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark. Allow the engine to cool before stor- ing in any enclosure.
TRACTOR
Remove mower from tractorfor winter storage. This will allow you to clean it thor- oughly. Remove all dirt, grease, leaves, ,etc. Store in a clean, dry area.
•Clean entire tractor (See =CLEANING" in the Maintenance section of this manual).
•Inspect and replace belts, if necessary (See belt replacement instructionsin the Service and Adjustmentssection of this manual).
•Lubricate as shown in the Maintenance section of this manual.
•Be sure that all nuts, boltsand screws are securely fastened. Inspect moving parts for damage, breakage and wear. Replace if necessary.
•Touch up all rusted or chipped paint sur- faces; sand lightlybefore painting.
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 storage, battery cables should be disconnected and battery cleaned thoroughly (see =TO
CLEAN BATTERY AND TERMINALS" in the Maintenance section of this manual).
•After cleaning, leave cables disconnect- 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.
ENGINE
FUEL SYSTEM
IMPORTANT: It is important to prevent gum deposits from forming in essential fuel system parts such as carburetor, fuel filter, fuel hose, or tank during storage. Also, experience indicates that alcohol blended
fuels (called gasohol or usingethanol or methanol) can attract
leads to separation and formation of acids duringstorage. Acidic gas can damage th_ fuel system of an engine while in storage.
•Drain the fuel tank.
•Start the engine and let it run untilthe fuel lines and carburetor are empty.
•Never use engine or carburetor cleaner productsin the fuel tank or permanent damage may occur.
•Use fresh fuel next season.
NOTE: Fuel stabilizer is an acceptable altemative in minimizingthe formation of fuel gum depositsduringstorage. Add sta- bilizer to gasoline in fuel tank or storage container.Always follow the mix ratio found on stabilizer container. Run engine at least 10 minutesafter adding stabilizer to allow the stabilizer to reach the carbure- tor. Do not drainthe gas tank and carbure- tor if usingfuel 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)
•Remove spark plug(s).
•Pour one ounce of oil through spark plug hole(s) into cylinder(s).
•Tum ignition key to =START" position for a few seconds to distribute oil.
•Replace with new spark plug(s).
OTHER
•Do not store gasoline from one season
to another. | .......... ..... |
•Replaceyour gasoline can if it starts to rust. Rust and/or dirt in your gasoline will cause problems.
•If possible, store yourtractor indoors
and cover it to give protectionfrom dust and dirt.
•Cover your tractorwith a suitable pro- tective cover that does not retain mois-
ture. Do not use plastic. Plastic cannot. breathe, which allows condensationto
form and cause your tractorto rust.
IMPORTANT: Never cover tractorwhile engine and exhaust areas are stillwarm.
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