My brother-in-law is a large landowner, well, land is large, he isnt, lotsa cows, timber, mucho deer hunting. I asked him other day if he wanted to go to equipment auction with me, he asked what I was buying and I told him I been hankering for a rubber tire backhoe to keep in gravel pit. He got a funny look on his face and said get in truck and go with me a minute. I did, we went to his farm, drove long ways down a hi-line right of way, got out, went to walking through woods, lo and behold, there was a john deere 310D backoe covered up with briars, vines, and saplings growing up between axles, I mean, covered up! I asked whose it was and he said, "Well, this is embarrassing, but I bought it at an auction 5 years ago just cause I wanted one to mess around farm with and do a little clearing. I had it hauled out here, ran it a little in pasture, it died. I cranked it, run a lil, and die. I had it hauled to tractor shop, worked on, brought back, it died again, long story short, 3 more trips to tractor place and $1800.00 later, it died right where it is now, I had started clearing a lil lane through these woods and when it died that time, I turned key off, dismounted it, and left it right where it is now, that was 5 years ago." He said he never said anything to me bout it, cause it was embarrassing,,heh heh, anyway hes not mechanically inclined any at all, none whatsoever. He said if I could get it out of woods and fix it, I could use it all I wanted, just like it was mine, just let him play with it every now and then, if it wasnt fixable, he would pay me to get a lane to it, drag it out, and salvage it for scrap. I went back next day, walked in with few tools and couple of pry bars, wanted to see if engine would turn by hand fore I went to much trouble, it did, took dozer back, cleared lane to it, spent half day with chain saw freeing it up. LOng story short, put a battery on it, starter, fuel filter, air filter, it cranked, backed dump truck in lane, aired all tires back up and drove it out of woods. The next day I flushed fuel tank and put fresh fuel in, took it to gravel pit and loaded 6 loads of gravel with it, no problems at all,,heh heh,,there was a lot of water and gunk in tank, I think that was reason for original trouble. i know there will be some lines needing changing later and other lil things, but so far, after 5 years, its ready. Hope I didnt bore yall, just thought that was good success story, oh yeah, it cranked on original 5 year old fuel to drive it out woods,,,,randy I could kick my ass for not taking a before pic in woods, didnt think bout it, just pics after I got it out and loaded on "killer B" for trip to pit