Leaking fuel bowl and slipping clutch

Hello all,

I'm the owner of a 2005 Jinma 284 with FEL, Box Blade, and Bush hog. I bought the package from a fellow who used it very little- it has 243 hours on it- but probably never did any maintenance either.

I know about the 50 hour head bolt re-torquing, and I'll be addressing that along with plenty of other small issues soon. For now I need to prioritize the to-do list.

The item at the top of my list is replacing the junky OEM fuel bowl/petcock. It has apparently leaked for years.

The starter was the first item I needed to repair and upon pulling it I observed what I thought was oil in the starter… bad news. After getting the new starter installed, the tractor started literally the moment I bumped the starter, so at least I know the engine is good.

What I saw was a steady stream of brown oily stuff flowing out of the starter. I was disappointed, thinking a rear main seal or something serious was the problem. After catching most of the leaking fluid and examining it, the verdict is that it is diesel fuel. I can see from the path the leaking fuel takes that it runs down the side of the engine/bellhousing and seeps in through the left side FEL rear bracket. Apparently the leaking fuel then pools in the bottom of the bellhousing.

Upon starting the tractor, the fuel is “pumped” out through the starter, likely similar to a oil slinger in an old Briggs&Stratton.

Here's my concern:

I suspect the clutch is saturated with diesel fuel. The tractor moves under its own power, but only in Low Range and only in Low Gear. In High Range the tractor doesn't move, or even stall when the clutch is released. I have NOT yet removed the FEL rear bracket to look into the clutch inspection hole.

Here's my question:

A.) Is it likely that the clutch is actually worn out at only 243 hours?

B.) If the clutch is saturated with diesel fuel, can that be cleaned with brake parts cleaner and possibly get some years of service out of it?

I really don't want to separate the tractor. I don't have the facilities to do it because my shop is taken by a restoration project which cannot be moved right now.

Any words of wisdom which anyone can share are very much appreciated.

David