A. First, the outside of the boiler and engine should be thoroughly cleaned, seeing that all gummy oil or grease is removed. Then give the outside of the boiler and smokestack a coat of asphalt paint, or a coat of lampblack and linseed oil, or at any rate a doping of grease.
The outside of the boiler should be cleaned while it is hot, so that grease, etc., may be easily removed while soft.
After the outside has been attended to, blow out the water at low pressure and thoroughly clean the inside in the usual way, taking out the handhole and manhole plates, and scraping off all scale and sediment.
After the boiler has been cleaned on the inside, fill it nearly full of water, and pour upon the top a bucket of black oil. Then let the water out through the blow-off at the bottom. As the water goes down it will have a coating of oil down the sides of the boiler.
All the brass fittings should be removed, including gauge cocks, check valves, safety valve, etc. Disconnect all pipes that may contain water, to be sure none remains in any of them. Open all stuffing boxes and take out packing, for the packing will cause the parts they surround to rust.
Finally, clean out the inside of the firebox and the fire flues, and give the ash-pan a good coat of paint all over, inside as well as out.
The inside of the cylinder should be well greased, which can be done by removing the cylinder head.
See that the top of the smoke stack is covered to keep out the weather.
All brass fittings should be carefully packed and put away in a dry place.
A little attention to the engine when you put it up will save twice as much time when you take it out next season, and besides save many dollars of value in the life of the engine.