Just when I thought I was done

I can't beleive that I am saying this but just as I am so close to being finished with this project I am getting ready to take it all back apart.  In the picture below you can see the spline shaft and the spline coupling.  This picture is after I had taken it apart and before I went in to bed that night. I took a picture so that I could remember how it all had been.  I didn't want to forget so I simply laid the coupling in place but did not put it on in the position that it was orgionaly.  It was very difficult to take off and I did not want to have to heat it up and knock it off again. 

When I put the tractor back together I put installed the coupling to a small line on the spline shaft where it looked like it was before.  But when I was assembling the transmission to the rear end I almost had it completely mated together before it engaged into the spline fit. 

As I think about it I think it would be best to check to see how long of an engagement it has before I start using this tractor as a bulldozer pounding the dirt and snow.  I don't want the spline in the rear end or the coupling to strip off.  I hope to do it all in one day before it snows on me. 

Electrical Problem fixed

After trying to track down the electrical problems I finally found that I had grounding issues.

The bolts holding my transmission cover to the frame did not have a good connection. I guess my paint job was too good.

 I removed these bolts and used a file to remove all the rust and the paint under the bolt head. I also made sure the cover was free from paint and that the under side of the frame, where the nut mates, was free of paint .

 

I used a volt meter to track the connections all the way back to the engine and the starter.  Now it will turn over like a dream.

The repaired solenoid works great too! 

I did find one problem.  The spark plug seems to be bad.  What do you think?  Looks like I will be picking up a new spark plug tomorrow.