[knucklescraper]

darkminion_17,

Agreed, shorter spaces are necessary. I worked out the necessary sizes earlier today. The current spacers are 0.716" long (~23/32"). The two suporting the thicker plate will need to be ~1/4" shorter and the three under the gas tank will need to be ~3/8" shorter. I'll do some shopping.

ironman,
Thanks for the photos. Those are some beautiful tractors. The head you labeled 4th gen is the one I mounted to the K301A engine that I just put on the tractor. I bought that engine (with that head) from somenone on Craigslist earlier this month so I had no idea if it was the proper head. I'll continue with that head under the assumption that a 4th gen design is an improvement over a 3rd gen design. Maybe moving the spark plug provides more efficient combustion. I'm curious what benefit the studs/spacers add.

After I figured out the modifications I'd need for the baffle (thin plate) and shroud (thicker plate) and spacers earlier this afternoon, I then went ahead and split the tractor in preparation for finding the hydraulic leak.

I had some trouble getting the cotter pin out of the brake linkage rod. But that was nothing compared to the trouble I had trying to pull the tractor halves apart. I didn't have very good chucks under the front wheels so I kept dragging the whole tractor back every time I yanked on the rear. I was also using jacks and jack stands trying to shift the weight off the rear. But that usually raised the rear too.

There is a pin in the tow bar release lever that got caught on a nut on top of the hyrdo unit. I marked the nut up a bit before I noticed. Younger me would have just kept yanking and driven the pin into the hydraulic tube behind it. Even so, I came close to doing just that. I eventually had some arrangement of jacks and jackstands that had allowed the proper clearance. I separated the tractor by sitting on the ground behind rear, putting my feet on the frame and yanking on the rear axles. I had to be quite careful because the drawbar was aimed at a sensitive part of my anatomy.

Tomorrow's plan is to clean off the leaking hydraulic oil and try to find its source.
Once I find it, I probably have to remove the hydro unit to replace a seal or gasket. Is it possible to do that without draining the hydraulic fluid? Maybe by rotating the whole rear end 90 degrees upward from its normal orientation so the oil drains down into the differential housing and out of the hydro? That's what I'm thinkiing of trying anyway.

By the way, my tractor serial number 193356. Does that mean anything?

It's already tomorrow. TIme for bed.