Hans

Thanx. Tommy had sent me a video with demo on a different tractor that made it look like a piece of cake. I, on the other hand, got royally screwed, as I was 5 years ago when I did this before (This being only the second time in 10 years). What happened: We inserted the to angle irons into the holes on the loader arm and secured the ends with the pins/bolts provided. However, when creeping backwards, the front right angle iron moved and ripped its holster — one seam broke open. From then on, there were 3 hours of hell (we have currently 85 degrees heat). With jacks and 4x4s, and, and, I was finally able the move the tractor back and out. Now, however (don't ask why), the bucket is not parallel to the ground (flat asphalt) but facing flat down. Do not have a tree to crank things upwards. Will need to think more….when I need the damn thing back on. Maybe I can rent a hoist or such. In the constant back and forth, I may have screwed up my hydraulic pump. I'm taking it off to inspect. I already have Tinbender's aftermarket Hydraulic pressure relief dealy installed. Hope it's just a gasket.

Aloha Tommy,

That was indeed the problem, I think. Most importantly, there was a big help from Jerry, who told me about when and why the thermostat kicks in . I found the right thermometer, and yes, the pump and thermostat work as they should. Cleaned again and again, and now things seem OK.

On another note, the sputtering and dying engine was UNRELATED, just coincidental and very misleading. I pulled out the little gas filter and it was filthy. All seems well.

On the third (yes, that thing is a lot of trouble, and even after 10 years of hands-on observation , there is still a lot that is pure mystery, until I discover that it's just mechanics. I was mowing yesterday, a neighbor's lot, when I got so close to a hidden (by very high weeds) steep ravine (10' deep) that the whole tractor, rotary mower and all, nearly toppled down. I immediately lowered mower and bucket 100% and very gingerly climbed out (on the right,i.e., “wrong” side) My neighbor insisted that he could get it out, and did, with help of 3 people who stood on the mower and rear wheel (for counter balance) while he inched it away fro disaster. In shifting frantically, he did something, perhaps awful:

The gear stick noodles around without any internal contact. I will, this morning, take of the gear box cover and see what happened. Yes, I am scared.

Pump seems OK. The replacement valve box was needed, finally, because the old valves were always sticking, leaking and have always been super-clunky. One valve finally froze,

naw–but if water is mixed in with my red Diesel, is separates as while layer on the bottom of a container, and the fuel out of the tank  looks clean. Where can THAT MUCH WATER (a whole fuel filter full) come from?

This is going to be an easy repair. The front circlip was broken, the retainer had slid back, the balls had fallen out and there was no connection. Got parts at Ace locally; should be back to normal by end of day.