Never ever use ether on a Cummins! It's guaranteed to burn the air filter off if you just spray it into the filter intake.
Mr. Mod needs to close this. The Mower is running fine. No pee, no ether, no nothing but sweat and mowing. How the H those southern people ( e.g. CT. & GA. ) get anything done with temps and humidity in the 90's is beyond this cold loving fool. The comments from the peanut gallery are off the rails ( pre "Dude" expression from service ). We do thank you all for the assists. Now to sharpen the sapling cutting blade ( 1/4" thick ) . This is one serious tool just below tractor clearing where tractors can't get in. End.
Off the rails ( re: B.S., Dude wimp forces, off topic, etc, etc.... ) Gravely is a long gone, old in the tooth, reliable machine. Not made now. Heavy. Slow. Dangerous. Not OSHA. "No, mine is thicker than yours" 1/4" does fine. More torque, faster RPMs. FOUR forward, 1 rev. Mod protocol: " Off topic, start a new thread......" Y. Berra