Now's the time for a thorough visual inspection of everything. Look for broken or missing track studs, a beat-up belt, worn-out idler wheels, loose track clips, leaking shocks, sloppy steering linkages, shot sliders - the works. Take hold of all steering and suspension components and give them a good shake or tug to check for excess clearance in rod ends, shafts and bushings. Look closely for cracks in skis, suspension components and steering arms, especially if you have an affinity for trees. On an older machine that has been run hard, look for signs of loose rivets, stress cracks or buckling in the tunnel area. If your track has studs, make sure they haven't been chewing at your tunnel or heat exchangers. And if repairs are needed, don't wait until November to do something about it. That's when every snowmobiler wants his sled fixed yesterday, mechanics are stressed out, and parts are back-ordered.

Gasoline's for a good time, not for a long time. Stored for extended periods in warm weather, it will deteriorate fairly quickly - especially today's fuel with so many additives blended in. That characteristic stale or skunky odour tells you it's gone off, and old gas doesn't perform any better than it smells. A fuel stabilizer such as Sta-Bil helps prevent gum formation, corrosion of metal components and deterioration of fuel performance. Your dealer or auto supply shop should carry a suitable product. Draining the tank is a fair bit of work and you can't be sure it's all out. Rather than leave the tank partially filled and risk condensation building up, better to fill the tank completely and add the right amount of stabilizer for the volume of your tank.

Sure, a teaspoonful of oil into each sparkplug hole can't hurt, as long as you remember to put the plugs back - and not everyone does. But your engine's a two-stroke, with crankshaft and rod bearings and maybe rotary valves that love a good drink of oil, too. Since there's no oil sump to hold lubricant as on a four-cycle engine, internal parts need a protective coating. You can't beat a good fogging through the carburetors and it's not hard to do. First raise the track clear of the ground and support the back of the sled securely. If your machine has a normal choke instead of a primer, or fuel injection, disconnect the airbox and spray directly into the air intakes while the sled's running. Use as much as half a can, or sufficient to stall the engine. If there's a primer button, push it all the way in. Reach under the hood and disconnect the hose from the back of the primer that leads to the carbs, run the engine at idle speed and spray storage oil from an aerosol can into the open end of the hose. Then stop the engine, remove the sparkplugs and spray oil into the cylinders. Crank the engine over two or three times to distribute lubricant over the cylinder walls, and replace the plugs as well as the primer hose. Now's a good time to check for cracks in the fuel lines, manifolds and other rubber fittings before you put everything back together.

Extended storage is hell on carburetors left full of fuel (see item 3). Volatile components will evaporate and what's left will oxidize or catalyze, forming gummy residues that can block carburetor jets and internal passages. At best, your sled will be a pig to get running smoothly next fall; at worst, it'll run lean and eat a piston before you can say "what's-that-noise?" And you or your mechanic will still have to remove and dismantle the carbs to clean the mess out afterwards. It's not a big deal to put a 17 mm wrench on the drain plug at the bottom of each float bowl. Drain the contents, replace the plugs and dump the few tablespoons of gas into your lawn mower or car.

Drain the chaincase and refill with the recommended fluid. Note that some performance machines require synthetic fluid, which can't be mixed with other types. Water getting into the chaincase will turn the fluid milky. If that's the case, you'll need to investigate how it's getting in or seek professional advice.

Now that your machine is clean and dry, you can locate all the lubrication points shown in your owner's manual. Using a grease gun, pump in just enough so that fresh grease oozes out of the joint. Dab some silicone dielectric grease on electrical switches and connections; failing that, use petroleum jelly available at the drug store. Spray a little storage oil on exposed shock shafts to prevent corrosion. Lubricate sparingly on the countershaft around the hubs of the driven pulley and brake disc. Avoid lubricating the brake pads. Also, control cables usually are nylon-lined and lubrication here is not recommended either.

Brake fluid, that is, if the level is low. Use fresh fluid of the grade recommended on the lid of the master cylinder. Avoid any spillage of brake fluid on to painted areas. If your sled has a battery, remove it once you've disconnected the cables and vent tube; check electrolyte level in each cell and add distilled water to fill it to the mark. Clean the outside of the battery and any spillage on the sled with a mixture of baking soda and water; hose it off, but avoid getting any of the mixture inside the battery. Coat the terminals with dielectric grease or petroleum jelly. Recharge the battery at no more than two amps before storing it in a cool, dry place. Recharge every six weeks or less.