Hi Again, (OP) thanks for all the help and suggestions I am back in biz. A few notes.
- Yes I did "more" then blow some air but I will need to revisit the tank removal on another weekend. It is quite a process on this model removing the rops and the deck and then the back housing and all the knobs(how?) and connectors and things in the way. I am sure with my slowness and the problems I have I need to allocate a weekend and I am already beyond a two pass mow at this point. Ill probably have to take pics so I can remember how it goes back together. And I should probably clean out a bay in the garage. The shop I have taken it to runs a shop vac to suck out the diesel. Sounds scary to me but an empty tank with a wet vac did not blow me up. I don't think I would ever try that with regular gas though. Probably not "enough" and will need the tank drop again when there is time. Besides there is a gas cap from the gas can in there too. Im still flabbergasted my attempt to save it mid-air bounced it right into the open tank. I have not been able to fish out even with a scope I cant find it.
- I do use diesel green(?) biocide but I have probably been lax lately and sea foam instead. Good reminder.
- Knob Adjustment - I found this video which explains the knob (in case someone comes across this it might help.
TL;DR, the 3PH has to be ALL the way up for the knob to turn. (Though I question if just the mower is enough). I have never actually used the 3PH on this thing, but I am considering a grader for the driveway of feels like bottomless pits. I tried putting the raise/lower selector onto just the back and also on "both rear and mower" and raise to the top. I verified the 3PH was also raising. Even with that the knob still doesnt turn, I wish he would have showed "where" that thing sits, so perhaps some liquid wrench/lube/greasing is still in the future.
- Clear head in the morning helped a lot. I ended up just revisiting the lifting and realized with 1 side attached it was angled and I have to push that 1 side back a bit to get it to seat in the groove. So a push back to seat and a lift into the channel was sufficient here even set at 3. I would not like to do it this way permanently but back in biz for now.
So I am not in an ideal situation but I am at least working again and can get the lawn back into share today. Decide when to tackle the rest on another long weekend to do a bit more thorough maintenance which is needed anyway.
Thanks again!