Thanks for that. I too had tried flow restrictors when I was using this valve to control my plow, and had the same results.
Regarding the fluid, I stopped putting the lower viscosity oil in the machine when I developed a leak between the transmission (I think it's the transmission), and the "oil pan" forward of it. In hot summer months after a couple hours of mowing, I'd get a pretty good stream of oil out that little drain. Putting higher viscosity (I use John Deere stuff Hy-Guard), slowed it down significantly. But now that it's the dead of winter, it's probably making this problem worse. Always a trade off. Only fix to the leak I've been told, is to split the tractor, which I don't want to do. I go through perhaps a gallon every 10 hours (I think), in the summer, and none in the winter.
Regarding the fluid, I stopped putting the lower viscosity oil in the machine when I developed a leak between the transmission (I think it's the transmission), and the "oil pan" forward of it. In hot summer months after a couple hours of mowing, I'd get a pretty good stream of oil out that little drain. Putting higher viscosity (I use John Deere stuff Hy-Guard), slowed it down significantly. But now that it's the dead of winter, it's probably making this problem worse. Always a trade off. Only fix to the leak I've been told, is to split the tractor, which I don't want to do. I go through perhaps a gallon every 10 hours (I think), in the summer, and none in the winter.