Case 444 for sale???

If it overheated that quick it is probably running too lean.

Double check your needle settings and try again.

I had the same problem til I figured it out. Be sure to adjust them with the engine warmed up and at full throttle with a load on the engine.

Otherwise they will be incorrect and when you try to work the machine, the engine will get hot enough to fry an egg and possibly warp the head.

You can work this out, don't give up on her just yet.

EDIT:
In case you didn't have the manual for your engine, here it is for free.
http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/tp_2379.pdf

And the wording is a little confusing, the top screwhead, main fuel needle is the "high Idle"
the lower screwhead is the low idle.
the one off to the side and in the middle is the idle speed adjust. Adjust it only if the idle speed is too high or low, then make finite adjustments to the low idle screw to smooth it out after evrthing else is adjusted properly.

Hope this helps, the wording in the manual confused me at first and I had my needles backwards.

ReEDIT:
Keep in mind that the needle setting are just a starting point, and your final adjustments will probably vary a little depending on the overall condition of your carbuerator. You will need to make some lean/rich adjustments once you get the inital settings on the needles. The manual outlines this procedure.

I beleive this is the problem you are experiencing, it will have nothing to do with yor PTO.

Thanks Drew....
I hope you're correct. As bad as the carb looked when I cleaned it and replaced the main needle and gaskets it might be the problem.
I'm leaning toward a new carb, I really don't like trying to make bad parts work, especially at the cost of all the labor to keep tearing things apart.

I scanned over the 137 pages and I'm sure not interested in tearing down the engine any time soon. I'm thinking that's it running lean as well.

I also noticed in the manual that the float and other parts of the carb could cause this. I'm seriously thinking a new carb is where I should start.

Thanks for the supportive words, I really appreciate it. This stuff gets frustrating when your knowledge limits what you can try to fix without concerns of screwing something else up.

Do you think a bad exhaust gasket would add to this problem? I noticed that the gasket is hanging out where the pipe bolts to the block.

Much appreciated,
Randy

Well, you just had the head off and I hope the valves looked good before you put it back together.

I am also geting ready to rebuild or replace my carb, and I have been all over the web trying to learn how to keep it in top shape.

It has also been suggested in other forums that the float can be prone to sticking and should be checked and adjusted to be perfectly flat.

This apparently has lead some carbs to stall at full throttle under load. Mine has a brass float but some had plastic ones, members I respect all recommend replacing those with brass.

Not entirely sure of the reason, perhaps somone else can help us out.

Just print that section of the manual out and set aside some time with your tractor and a long thin flathead screwdriver.

Then go throught thte carb adjustment procedure a few times if you have to, for me the trick was getting the high idle adjusted for my engine to perform well and not "bog down" and stall out at full throttle with the mower deck engaged.

I still want to get in there and reset the service clock, just waiting till payday to order the kits.

It's pretty satisfiying to tinker with this stuff, we are not like the rest of the population that thinks of everything as disposable.

By waiting this long to own one of these machines, I have given myself the pleasure of owning a top quality, high dollar (new) versetile machine for a mere fraction of what someone else pays for the SAME product.

The huge savings is in the fact that I am willing to be my own service tech.

The parts and knowledge are all available right here and and a few other places, I own quality tools and can outsource some things.

Pretty much all I need to do is put in some time and invest modestly, and I have the (IMO) Best garden tractor in my known subdivision.

I like your tractor and would like to see another view or two, it looks to be in nice shape.

I am sure some more knowledgable members will be along shortly and if there is anything I missed or am incorrect on , they are good about helping make sure that the information you are getting is correct so hopefully we can help you get things right.

Thanks to Kohler, having access to the service manual for free is good form. Bookmark it, it's that engines Bible

EDIT:
I was looking at your pictures and that looks to be a superb cut that mower was laying down right before she stalled out on you, I'm guessing that's why the hood is up. Look at that cut man!!! You want to get this thing dialed in real good before next season, so you can see that cut again in the spring.

ReEDIT:
I forgot to ask in the beginning, is your grass screen missing from the flywheel on your engine?
If it IS then you might have a buildup of grass clippings next to the block, which could be heating them up and causing them to actually smoke. Even if you have your grass screen instlled, it is a good idea to occasionally power wash your flywheel to keep it clean in there. Just a thought.

First of all, this is purely a KOHLER problem, not a CASE problem. You could be having this same problem with a WheelHorse, Ford, Cub or any other Kohler powered GT. The fact that this Kohler happens to be spinning a hydraulic gear pump is irrelevant. Kohlers spin hydrostatic pumps all the time, as do other brands of engines and none of them overheat as a result.

So, it's time to start looking at this as an ENGINE problem and not a tractor problem. Engines overheat for a number of reasons and sometimes it isn't a single reason either. The block, oil pan and cooling fins must be clean and this includes the area under the flywheel.....which is often overlooked. All of the engine tins must be in place to properly direct the air flow. The flywheel's fins must all be there and the intake screen cannot be blocked.

Have you made sure that the spark plug is correct because if the heat range is wrong, overheating can result. The rest of it comes down to having the correct fuel mixture and a properly timed ignition system. It isn't all that complicated. You eliminate each potential problem one by one and eventually the overheating will disappear. The ignition issues are the easiest to resolve. Install new points, condenser, spark plug and coil wire. If the coil was faulty, it would likely just quit working when it got hot so there is no reason to suspect it. However, you have an ample supply of coils available that are known to be good and those could be borrowed to take the coil off the "suspects list".

Have you tried putting a heavy dose of SeaFoam through the carb? This stuff is pretty effective at cleaning out gasoline residues but it won't look after actual dirt or other foreign material that cannot be dissolved. Carbs often have to be TOTALLY dismantled and soaked in true carb cleaner for at least 24 hours and then washed in clean solvent before using compressed air and an oxy/acet tip cleaner set to rod out passage ways. It only takes tiny specs of crud to create problems with air/fuel mixtures.