Well, it depends on which side of the tractor you think the diagram represents as to which way you think the arrows and direction of rotation is. I didn't bother to give a front or back of tractor reference in the drawing, but I guess if you are looking at the computer monitor, to your left would be the front of tractor (toward engine). For what you are doing at this point (trying to determine if engine is able to rotate) it does not matter which way you turn it. You may even have to turn it in both directions alternately. The term "Back turning the engine" means you are "turning the output to cause rotation of the engine (in this case, the wheels or hubs). You are essentially doing what happens if you start a gear transmission vehicle by rolling it down a hill and then letting out on the clutch. If you do that, the engine can be started even if it does not have a starter. The difference here is that you just want to rotate the engine, not start it. The purpose of putting it in the highest possible gear position is to make it easier for YOU to do this manually. Believe me it will work. Years ago when I worked for IHC, we would jack up one rear wheel, release the parking brake and put the transmission in 10th or 13th gear. Then one person would carefully "throw" the raised tire against the slack in the driveline in the proper direction. Each time the drivetrain was "nudged" by the impact, the engine would turn slightly. The technician that was watching the valves move or for timing marks to index would call out to the "tire slammer" to "Hold". After the necessary adjustments or checks were made the tech would call out "Again" and the process would continue until the engine had been completly rotated 720 degrees (2 turns of crankshaft, only 1 turn of camshaft) and all valves/injectors were adjusted. We would employ this method whenever an added Air Conditioner Compressor or Power Steering Pump made it difficult or impossible to turn the engine with a long ratchet or pull handle. Bumping the engine with the electric starter was a no no because of the risk that the engine would "catch" and start up. The old "back turn" method worked well for us.

I'm not sure how America's need for automotive fuel (petroleum based) has anything to do with slash/burn practices in South America for ethanol production - Brazil however has converted to ethanol. Sempra Energy uses natural gas powered vehicles and I knew someone who had a taxicab business using all Ford hydrogen powered vehicles (until 9/11 when he went bankrupt). I recommend Steve Solomon's book Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times and also Super Nutrition Gardening by William Peavy. I have learned the fine points to consider in a small suburban garden: greatest yield per acre: summer squash, winter squash, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, musk melons, onions, followed by carrots, beets; which varieties are the most productive, which seed companies do germination testing, cold storage, etc. There is also information regarding the cost of vegetables, i.e. which are more valuable to grow (tomatoes are at the top of the list). I can still get 10 lbs. of Idaho russet potatoes at an ethnic store for $1.29 (up from 99 cents), why grow them myself? Eggs are still $1.49/dozen at Trader Joes so I'll skip chicken husbandry for now. I'm also looking at the shortest number of days until harvest, some of the vegetables take over 100 days but cultivars are available that are ready in 1/2 - 3/4 of that length of time. The longer to harvest, the more nutrients are absorbed though. Then storage is a consideration - putting food by is becoming a resurrected skill. Dehydrating, canning, freezing and cellaring (alas, few cellars here in Southern California); winter squash keep well, but summer squash do not. Some hard shell melons keep for several months, fruit and certain tomatoes can be dried, etc. Three years ago I too put in many dwarf fruit trees with staggered harvest dates, except for flowers that attract beneficials if I can't eat it I generally don't plant it. There are also changes for the worse in the nutritional content of agribusiness produce - not only the farming practices but selection for various conveniences and profitability are traded for nutrient content. Not only are we lucky that we know how to garden, we are also lucky to live in California not only for the year round gardening but there are many organic farms here. We can supplement our own gardens produce by shopping at farmers markets, the majority of the produce is reasonably locally grown. Happy Earth Day everyone!

Hi Again. Here in the aftermarket many of the Hybrid vehicles are just now starting to show up for regular servicing now that many have had their warranties expire. First I have sold NO HV Battery assemblies. If the battery, the inverter, and especially the Prius transaxle has failed people simply trade the car in. I'm still the only shop in the county that has had formal training on these cars, and has invested in the factory scan tools to service them, as well as the rest of each manufactures fleet. Your lost key fob? I could have handled that, but otherwise you would have a 20+ mile one way trip to the nearest dealer. http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2006/10/prius_mileage_1.html Just google "real prius" and you will quickly see a google drop down list that suggests gas mileage. That link above was the first one that came up. Compare that number he quotes to the fact that my 2007 Mustang GT Convertible California Special consistently gets 29mpg with the top down on the highway. Next week I'll be out of town instructing a basic Hybrid class for a well know franchise based chain store. Most of those shops don't allow their techs to get involved with anything more than tires, alignments (one of the special things I have to teach with these cars) and basic fluid services. Anything else and the cars typically require the O.E. scan tool and only the dealers *(mandatory for them), and top shops like mine have stepped up and made the investment in those. Come back in about two years and we will see just how big of an impact these cars are having when the inevitable repairs start multiplying.

OK. Here's the update. I did check my manual and it said that I could use different blends of fuel but it said that the alcohol content should be no more than 10%. But, it did say I could use different blends so I think that is a plus. It gave a bunch of other requirements and numbers, but I'm focusing on the fact I could use different blends as a good thing. I am really confused by the bio-diesel or e-85 thing. I probably misread something on the pump but at newer Meijer stations they do have both sometimes. I checked their website and the one I went to does have both. But on the pump it said bio-diesel in green on top. But lower on the pump there was a sticker and I swear it had an e85 on it and said something about a low sulfer (I think it said sulfer) fuel. But, that was half an hour away from home and so I can't really be too sure which one I used since the station had both. I don't understand why the pump said bio-diesel and had a sticker with E85 on it. Like I said, it was late and I was obviously not focued too much since I pulled up to the wrong pump in the first place. But since the top of the pump said bio-diesel then I'm going to go with it being bio-diesel which I know means that it doesn't really matter that my car can use different blends. But, I drive a 2004 Beetle so it is fairly new and in very good condition. But, I did dilute it right away with half a tank of regular unleaded. Then I filled up and drove it the following morning for about half an hour. I got a bottle of fuel system cleaner and put in and drove it down to half a tank. I'm going to fill up again today and drive it down to another half a tank and fill it again and put in another bottle of the fuel system cleaner and then drive it until it's at about a quarter of a tank and then fill up and hope it's all out of the system by then. Good plan or no? And just to refresh, I did only put in a little under a gallon of whatever it was and immediately dillute it. And so far, there has been absoultely nothing out of the ordinary. No smoke, no odd sounds, no smells, no driving hard, starting up just fine. But thank you all for your advice! ps. Does anyone know if a bio-diesel nozzle is the same as a regular diesel nozzle? I'm hoping that you are right, John G, and that a diesel nozzle shouldn't have fit in my tank. But the nozzle looked like any other nozzle and went in the tank just fine. So, I'm glad I noticed the signage on the tank pretty quickly. I feel like such an idiot about this whole thing.