Slippy, are you sure that you are checking the correct fluid? Near as I can tell, the hydraulic fill is on top of the casing just at the right rear corner of the seat and appears to be a pipe plug. The little dipstick thing down by the
PTO is for the transmission fluid level. I have not unscrewed the hyd fill plug to look, but I will. I do not know if it has a dipstick attached or not. I am assuming that my 4500 is set up the same as the 6000. I know the owners manual leaves some to be desired on several of these questions, I plan on making a trip to the dealer soon to ask all these questions and to haul my new brushhog back, it makes more noise than I am comfortable with, I think it has a gear lash problem in the gear box. As far as the implements go, you probably should have all hyd cylinders retracted when you check fluid level. Chet