Craftsman 917.373841 owner manual Other, Fuel System, Engine OIL

STORAGE

Immediately prepare your lawn mower for sto_age at the end of the season or'if the unit will not be used for 30 days or more_

LAWN MOWER

ENGINE

FUEL SYSTEM

IMPORTANT: IT IS IMPORTANT TO PREVENT GUM DEPOSITS FROM FORMING IN ESSENTIAL FUEL

When lawn mower is to be stored for a period of time, clean it thoroughly, remove all dirt, grease, leaves, etc.. Store in a clean, dry area.

•Clean entire lawn mower (See "CLEANING" in the Customer Responsibilities section of this manual)°

•Lubricate as shown in the Customer Responsibilities section of this manual

°Be sure that all nuts, bolts, screws, and pins are securelyfastenedo Inspect moving parts for damage, breakage and wear, Replace if necessary.

. Touch up all rusted or chipped paint surfaces; sand lightly before painting

HANDLE (See Fig. 19)

You can fold your lawn mower handle for'storage.

. Squeeze the bottom ends of the lower handle toward each other until the lower handle clears the handle

bracket, then move handle forward.

°Loosen upper handle mounting bolts enough to allow upper handle to be folded back_

IMPORTANT: WHEN FOLDING THE HANDLE FOR

STORAGE OR TRANSPORTATION, BE SURE TO FOLD THE HANDLE AS SHOWN OR YOU MAY DAMAGE THE

CONTROL CABLES.

"When setting up your handle fromthe storage position, the lower handle will automatically lock into the rnow_ ing position.

LOWER HANDLE

HANDLE

BRACKET

SQUEEZETO

FOLD

HAIRPIN

COTTER

OPERATOR PRESENCE

CONTROL BAR

UPPER HANDLE

SYSTEM PARTS SUCH AS CARBURETOR, FUEL FILTER, FUEL HOSE, OR TANK DURING STORAGE. ALSO, EXPERIENCE INDICATES THAT 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_

-Drain the fueltank.

. Start the engine and let it run until the fuel lines and carburetor are empty_

oNever 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 stor- age. Add stabilizerto 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 ailow the stabilizer to reach the carburetor. Do

not drain 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 Customer Responsibilities section of this manual),,

CYLINDER

°Remove spark plug

,,Pour one ounce (29 rnl) of oil through spark plug hole into cylinder,

oPull starter handle slowly a few times to distribute oil

. Replace with new spark plug=

BATTERY

Disconnect the battery from the engine connector and charge battery 48 hours.

OTHER

o 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.

FOLD FORWARD

FOR STORAGE

FOLD BACKWARD

=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 rusL

iMPORTANT: NEVER COVER MOWER WHILE ENGINE AND EXHAUST AREAS ARE STILL WARM.

MOWING	CAUTION: Never store the lawn mower
POSITION
	with gasoline in the tank inside a build-

LOWER HANDLE

ing where fumes may reach an open flameor spark. Ailowthe engineto cool

FIG. 19	before storing in any enclosure.
	18