Getting that Snowblower Ready to Work
By Carol Stocker
Boston Globe Garden Writer
Replace spark plugs as needed. If you didn't change
the oil after the end of last winter, run the machine now until it warms
up. Then, to drain the old oil, place a container underneath the oil drain
plug, and then remove both the oil drain plug and the fill cap so that the
oil flows out. Once it has drained, replace the oil drain plug and
carefully refill the oil just until full. Check the oil level with a clean
dipstick to make sure you haven't overfilled it. Replace the fill cap and
clean off any spilled oil. When purchasing new fuel, add a fuel stabilizer
to your gas can to help slow the aging process of the gas and fill the
snowblower's gas tank with fresh fuel. For more maintenance information,
visit www.yardcare.com, sponsored by Toro, the grounds-care equipment
manufacturer.
Carol Stocker has been writing about gardening for the Boston Globe for 30 years. She has won the top newspaper writing award of the Garden Writer's Association of American three times. Her newest book is "The Boston Globe Illustrated New England Gardening Almanac."
