Gasket-breather 697109

1. Removed hood from tractor.
2. Removed fan shroud from engine
3. Removed flywheel (used flywheel puller)
4. Removed Breather cover, gasket, reed valve and tube.
5. Replaced old parts with new.
6. Reinstalled flywheel, fan, fan shroud.
7. Started engine. Works, no smoke.

Read about smoking engine (muffler) issues on several blogs and books. This led me to believe that the smoke issue on my tractor was either the breather or head gasket. I ordered a head gasket, breather gasket and the reed. Figured do them all at once. While waiting for the parts to arrived I decided to use the tractor one more time. Although the engine started I could not engaged the mower belt.
I found that the deck was clogged with leaves grass and whatever and had hardened over winter. It took a while to clean out as it was really bad. Finally got the belts to engage again and to my surprise no smoke from the exhaust. I've used it several times and the smoke seems to have stopped. I investigated the pulleys and belts further, belts are fine but there are a few stops which rest against the blade pulleys at rest that had nearly worn through. I believe that all the clogging was adding stress back to the engine and causing the smoke. I'm sure some of the material was pressing against pulleys and belts and just making the engine work harder. Not sure if my interpretation is correct but thought I would pass it on.Haven't used the parts yet.