Zak-
Glad to hear it was something silly. Now... wonder how the mice got that socket in there in the first place!
About the fluid- Terry says 'suck it'... take that with a 50-lb block of salt. If you look forward to kissing the girls, find a more 'insulated' technique for sampling.
Spring for a rear cover gasket and just yank the cover, clean it all out, reassemble with new gasket, and refill with proper fluid. FWIW, that gear-jammer transaxle is very tolerant of many types of lubricants, and is under a very light load in 'normal' garden-use. As long as it sticks to gears, bearings, etc., well enough to lubricate and protect against corrosion, it'll last essentially indefinately. Old gooey-glop WILL cause it to be sluggish. My bet is that if you pull that cover, the fluid will reek... (the Previous Owner probably put in 90wt gear lube). Not necessary to be that heavy. HyTran is good stuff, probably a bit overkill (cost-wise) for the gear-drive application (best for the Hydro, though). If you don't plan on using it much, thick'n sticky is better, as it keeps everything covered and corrosion-free.
Brakes... since it's been sitting for a while, clean any crud from around the brakes, and take it out and drive it a bit before adjusting- it'll free up the pivots, pins, and scrape the worst of the corrosion off the brake disk(s). Don't remember, but I think your 102 has external brakes... if so, you should be able to see the friction lining for an easy inspection. Once the rust has scrubbed off, clean up the disks and pads (get the iron dust off 'em), and make adjustments. Do note- if you set the brakes too tight, you'll have brake application preventing you from releasing the clutch properly.
Go clean out and refill the tranny, then drive it some more. When you're done, drive it around a bit, then take it for a drive. Stop to fill it with gas, and drive it a bit more. When you just can't take it any longer, repeat the process...
...then pull it back into the shop, do the brakes, adjust the steering box (or pull it out, tear it down, dip out all the old gooey slime, rinse, reassemble with new grease), readjust the clutch, brakes, tighten all the loose fasteners, etc... and take it for another ride.
BTW- congratulations! Sounds like a trip to a NJ hotel-of-ill-repute gave you the perfect state-of-mind to get the problem solved, and the Cub in the Land of the Living.
Glad to hear it was something silly. Now... wonder how the mice got that socket in there in the first place!
About the fluid- Terry says 'suck it'... take that with a 50-lb block of salt. If you look forward to kissing the girls, find a more 'insulated' technique for sampling.
Spring for a rear cover gasket and just yank the cover, clean it all out, reassemble with new gasket, and refill with proper fluid. FWIW, that gear-jammer transaxle is very tolerant of many types of lubricants, and is under a very light load in 'normal' garden-use. As long as it sticks to gears, bearings, etc., well enough to lubricate and protect against corrosion, it'll last essentially indefinately. Old gooey-glop WILL cause it to be sluggish. My bet is that if you pull that cover, the fluid will reek... (the Previous Owner probably put in 90wt gear lube). Not necessary to be that heavy. HyTran is good stuff, probably a bit overkill (cost-wise) for the gear-drive application (best for the Hydro, though). If you don't plan on using it much, thick'n sticky is better, as it keeps everything covered and corrosion-free.
Brakes... since it's been sitting for a while, clean any crud from around the brakes, and take it out and drive it a bit before adjusting- it'll free up the pivots, pins, and scrape the worst of the corrosion off the brake disk(s). Don't remember, but I think your 102 has external brakes... if so, you should be able to see the friction lining for an easy inspection. Once the rust has scrubbed off, clean up the disks and pads (get the iron dust off 'em), and make adjustments. Do note- if you set the brakes too tight, you'll have brake application preventing you from releasing the clutch properly.
Go clean out and refill the tranny, then drive it some more. When you're done, drive it around a bit, then take it for a drive. Stop to fill it with gas, and drive it a bit more. When you just can't take it any longer, repeat the process...
...then pull it back into the shop, do the brakes, adjust the steering box (or pull it out, tear it down, dip out all the old gooey slime, rinse, reassemble with new grease), readjust the clutch, brakes, tighten all the loose fasteners, etc... and take it for another ride.
BTW- congratulations! Sounds like a trip to a NJ hotel-of-ill-repute gave you the perfect state-of-mind to get the problem solved, and the Cub in the Land of the Living.