Use and Care Manual

14 Section 6 — Maintenance
Fuel System
To avoid stale fuel and carburetor problems,
treat the fuel system in the following manner:
NOTE: Always follow mix ratio found on the
stabilizer container. Failure to do so may result
in equipment damage.
NOTE: It is NOT necessary to drain stabilized gas
from carburetor.
Fuel Treatment
1. Add a gasoline stabilizer according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Run engine at least 10 minutes after
adding the stabilizer to allow it to reach
the carburetor.
WARNING!
NEVER store the engine with the fuel in the fuel
tank inside a building with potential sources of
ignition such as a hot water heater, space heater,
clothes dryer, electric motor, etc.
NOTE: Instead of using a fuel preservative/
stabilizer, you can empty the fuel tank as
described in Extended Storage — Draining the
Fuel.
Extended Storage
Draining the Fuel
NOTE: Clean debris from the engine before
draining fuel from the carburetor.
NOTE: If you have prepared your fuel for short-
term storage it is NOT necessary to drain fuel
that contains stabilizer from your carburetor.
WARNING!
To avoid severe injury or death, DO NOT pour fuel
from engine or siphon fuel by mouth.
1. To prevent serious injury from fuel fires,
empty fuel tank by running engine until
it stops from lack of fuel. DO NOT attempt
to pour fuel from engine.
2. Run the engine while waiting until the
remaining fuel is consumed.
WARNING!
NEVER leave the engine unattended when it is
running and NEVER run the engine in an enclosed
area.
3. Begin servicing the cylinder bore as per
the following instructions.
Oil Cylinder Bore
WARNING!
When lubricating cylinder bore, fuel may spray
from the spark plug hole. To prevent serious injury
from fuel fires, follow these instructions:
1. Turn off all the engine switches.
2. Remove the ignition key, if provided.
3. Carefully disconnect the spark plug wire
and keep it away from the spark plug.
• Keep the disconnected spark plug
wire securely away from the metal
parts where arcing could occur.
• Carefully attach the spark plug
wire to the grounding post, if
provided.
4. Remove the spark plug.
5. Squirt ⁄ oz. (15ml) of clean engine oil
into the spark plug hole.
6. Cover the spark plug hole with a rag to
prevent fuel from spraying from the spark
plug hole when the starter rope is pulled.
NOTE: for engines equipped with a recoil
starter, proceed to Step 7. For engines equipped
with electric starters, proceed to Step 8.
7. For Recoil starter engines:
• Grasp the starter cord handle .
• Pull the starter cord handle out
slowly using a full arm stroke.
• Repeat once. This will distribute
the oil throughout the cylinder to
prevent corrosion during storage.
• Proceed to Step 9.
8. For electric starter engines:
• Plug an extension cord into the
three-prong connector located
on the engine’s surface. Plug the
other end of extension cord into a
three-prong 120-volt, grounded,
AC outlet in a well-ventilated area.
• Push and immediately release the
starter button. This will distribute
the oil throughout the cylinder to
prevent corrosion during storage.
• Disconnect the extension cord
form the outlet.
• Disconnect the extension cord
form the three-prong connector
on the engine.
• Proceed to Step 9.
9. Remove the rag from spark plug hole.
10. Install the spark plug.
11. Carefully disconnect the spark plug wire
from the grounding post, if provided.
12. Connect the spark plug wire plug wire to
the spark plug.
Oil
Change the oil if NOT changed within the last
3 months. See Checking and Changing the Oil
earlier in this section.
Off-Season Storage
CAUTION
Failure to use a fuel stabilizing additive or
completely run the engine until it’s out of fuel
before off-season storage may result in damage
to your engine’s carburetor. Subsequent damage
would not be covered under the manufacturer’s
warranty.
Engines stored between 30 and 90 days need to
be treated with a gasoline stabilizer and engines
stored over 90 days need to be drained of fuel
to prevent deterioration and gum from forming
in fuel system or on essential carburetor parts. If
the gasoline in your engine deteriorates during
storage, you may need to have the carburetor,
and other fuel system components, serviced or
replaced.
1. Remove all fuel from tank by running
engine until it stops from lack of fuel.
WARNING!
Never leave engine unattended while it is running.
2. Change the oil. See Changing the Oil
earlier in this section.
3. Oil the cylinder bore. See Oil Cylinder
Bore earlier in this section.
4. Clean debris from around the engine
and the muffler. Touch up any damaged
paint, and coat other areas that may rust
with a light film of oil.
5. Store in a clean, dry and well ventilated
area away from any appliance that
operates with a flame or pilot light, such
as a furnace, water heater, or clothes
dryer. Also avoid any area with a spark
producing electric motor, or where power
tools are operated.
6. If possible, also avoid storage areas with
high humidity, because that promotes
rust and corrosion.
7. Keep the engine level in storage. Tilting
can cause fuel or oil leakage.