Craftsman 536.88123 - Manual (Page 23)

STORAGE
A
CAUTION: Never store your snow
thrower indoors or in an enclosed, poorly
ventilated area if gasoline remains in the
tank, fumes may reach an open flame,
spark or pilot light from a furnace, water
heater, clothes dryer, cigarette, etc.
To prevent engine damage (if snow thrower
is not used for more than 30 days) follow
the steps below.
SNOW THROWER STORAGE
• Thoroughly clean the snow thrower.
• Lubricate all lubrication points (see the
Maintenance section on pages 15-17).
• Be sure that all nuts, bolts and screws are
securely fastened. Inspect all visible mov­
ing parts for damage, breakage and wear.
Replace if necessary.
• Touch up all rusted or chipped paint sur­
faces; sand lightly before painting.
• Cover the bare metal parts of the blower
housing auger and the impeller with rust
preventative, such as a spray lubricant.
NOTE: A yearly checkup or tune-up by a
Craftsman Service Center is a good way to
^ insure that your snow thrower will provide
maximum performance for the next season.
ENGINE STORAGE
Gasoline must be removed or treated to pre­
vent gum deposits from forming in the tank,
filter, hose, and carburetor during storage.
Also during storage, alcohol blended gaso­
line that uses ethanol or methanol (some­
times called gasohol) attracts water. It acts
on the gasoline to form acids which damage
the engine.
• To remove gasoline, run the engine until
the tank is empty and the engine stops.
Then drain remaining gasoline from car­
buretor by pressing upward on bowl drain
located on the bottom of carburetor (see
next figure).
• If you do not want to remove gasoline, a
fuel stabilizer (such as Craftsman Fuel
Stabilizer No. 33500) may be added to
any gasoline left in the tank to minimize
gum deposits and acids. If the tank is al­
most empty, mix stabilizer with fresh gaso­
line in a separate container and add some
to the tank.
Always follow instructions on stabilizer con­
tainer. Then run engine at least 10 minutes
after stabilizer is added to allow mixture to
reach carburetor. Store snow thrower in a
safe place. See Caution on this page.
You can keep your engine in good operating
condition during storage by:
• Changing oil (see page 17).
• Lubricating the piston/cylinder area. This
can be done by first removing the spark
plug and squirting a few drops of clean
engine oil Into the spark plug hole. Then
cover the spark plug hole with a rag to
absorb oil spray. Next, rotate the engine
by pulling the starter rope fully out two or
three times. Finally, reinstall spark plug
and attach spark plug wire.
OTHER
• If possible, store your snow thrower in­
doors and cover it to give protection from
dust and dirt.
• If the machine must be stored outdoors,
block up the snow thrower to be sure the
entire machine is off the ground.
• Cover the snow thrower with a suitable
protective cover that does not retain
moisture. Do not use plastic or vinyl.
IMPORTANT: Never cover snow thrower
while engine and exhaust areas are still
warm.