Greetings and good day all you lovers of tractors and tractor things. As of yesterday, the Deutz 6806, (hence forth called "Big Green Ugly"), lives again! Here's what I did. I took the cap off a "Gatorade" bottle, drilled a small hole through the middle and inserted my air blower fitting from my little air compressor fitting through the hole. Next, I cracked open the lines to the power steering pump. Removing the transmission filler plug, I placed the "Gatorade" cap/air compressor blower fitting over the hole and applied slight air pressure to the transmission. Nothing. I applied more pressure. Nothing. I then cracked open the one of the lines leading to the "box" beneath the steering wheel and once again, applied air pressure to the transmission. Nothing. I applied more pressure, (perhaps up to ten pounds). Nothing. Each time I removed the cap from the transmission filler hole, air would rush out, so I knew pressure was building, it just wasn't going anywhere. I got a cup of coffee, sat down and did some thinking. Beneath the seat on this tractor is a metal plat held in place by in place by 16 13 mm. bolts. "Self" I said to myself, "I wonder what's under that plate." To remove the plate, I had to remove the seat which is held in place by 13 mm. four bolts. I took 13 mm. wrench in hand and started turning bolts. I was standing at the back of the tractor, removing the two back bolts when I noticed for the first time, that the seat on this tractor has a "John Deere" logo stamped on the back. I noticed as well that the frame the seat rests upon appears to be homemade. Whoever made it did a good job, but it didn't look "factory" made. Once I removed the seat, I saw that the top of the plate beneath the seat was covered in dirt, grease and oil. "Self," I said to myself, "if I don't clean that off, all that gunk and dirt is going to fall into my transmission." So I took an old paint brush, poured a little gasoline in a coffee can and started cleaning. That's when I found it. A plastic cap a little bit bigger than a quarter. I looked. I studied, I ponder. "Could it be?" Hesitantly, I unscrewed the cap and removed it. Sure enough, it was another filler hole, and the plastic cap had a little dip stick attached. I looked down into the hole - bone dry. I sat, I pondered. "Self," I said to myself, "this HAS to be where you fill the power steering." "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" I said as I fetched my last five gallon bucket of hydraulic oil. I added two and a half gallons of fluid, which brought the level up to the top line on the dip stick of my newly found plastic plug. "This is it." "Aren't I silly," "Why hadn't I found this little cap when I first started working on this thing." These were the thoughts that raced through my mind as I reinstalled the serat, certain and sure that within minutes, I would be happily driving "Big Green Ugly" over hill and dell. I cranked the tractor. Nothing. No fluid flowing, no power steering response. Nothing. I shut the tractor down, (I ran it for about a minute). I was sad. I sat. I pondered. Taking my 13 mm wrench back in hand, I removed the John Deere seat yet again. Then I removed the 16 bolts from the plate that sits beneath the seat and bumped it loose with my magic hammer, (it's the hammer I use to bump the starter in my Case when it won't start). I lift the plate from the top of the transmission and look inside. I see fluid. "Self," I say to myself, "the only way to see what's inside is to remove the fluid." I get a siphon hose and siphon the hydraulic fluid out of the area beneath the seat. Slowly it drains into a clean five gallon bucket. I watch and witness various things as the fluid level drops. There's a thingy one one side, another thingy back in the corner, a big thingy up front and lots of crud on the bottom. Finally, as the fluid is almost drained, I see a silver/grey thingy way down at the bottom, back in the upper left hand corner, (looking from the back of the tractor). This grey/silver thingy has a white plastic cap. On top of the white plastic cap is a spring clip. At that very moment, the solar eclipse passes overhead (seriously). I take that as a sign. First things first. I grab a roll of shop towels, (the blue kind), and begin cleaning all the crud out of this compartment. I use almost an entire role. Then I soak a few shop towels in gasoline and give the compartment a good cleaning, removing all the crud. Now the scary part. What will happen if I undo the spring clip? Will a spring with ball bearings pop out? Will something come loose that will be difficult to reinstall? Will a hydraulic demon grab me and pull me into the dark and frightening inner recesses of the machine? I remember the words: "Go west, young man." I think of the pioneers crossing mountains and deserts. I recollect Moses leading the people of Israel to the promised land. It gives me courage. I reach down and undo the spring. Nothing pops out. No ball bearings, no demon. I take hold of the plastic cap and start to wiggle. Out it comes, a long, plastic frame covered in gunk, as in totally and completely packed with gunk. "Self," I say to myself, "I don't think this is suppose to look like this." I take the plastic piece and spray it with the garden hose. It starts to come clean. I wash it in a coffee can filled with gasoline. It comes cleaner. I repeat this process over and over until it is completely clean. It's a screen within the system. A screen that was packed with gunk. A screen that is now clean. I blow it dry with my air hose and reinstall. I pour the hydraulic fluid back in the tractor and reinstall the plate. I stand at the side of the tractor. I look at the starter button. I feel fear mixed with anticipation. I press the starter button. The tractor roars to life with a symphony of cylinders singing their happy song. Within seconds, fluid sprays from every fitting I have cracked open coating everything within five feet of the tractor in hydraulic oil. Quickly I shut it down. I check the newly found plastic cap and dipstick which shows low fluid. I add more fluid, tighten all fittings, crank the tractor again. I reach up and turn the steering wheel. "Bump, bump, bump" and then, the front wheels respond - with ease. In less than a minute, I'm able to turn the steering wheel with one finger - WITH ONE FINGER! I cry tears of joy. I promise to fulfill all vows I have made to the gods of all things hydraulic. I shut the tractor down, reinstall the seat, (the John Deere seat with it's homemade frame which hid the little plastic cap). I crank the tractor up and start driving. I drive all over the property, up and down, back and forth, turning left to right and right to left. I make circles and figure eights. I drive fast and slow. I shift gears from low to high and back to low and all points in between. I am happy. A big thank you to everyone who gave guidance and assistance, help and support in making "Big Green Ugly" live again.
