Oil breather....

Cleaned everythign up.

On the top it points to the front. (This is the front of the tractor right?) Where does the slot in the tube itself should point? (Striaght out from the left of the engie?)

Is the oil breather like the air filter for the carb in that the wire mesh should just be lightly cleaned and then put back togehter and not replaced or is this wire mesh soemthign that should be cheap to replace and done often?

If the element seems sound I think it would be just fine to just clean it out with solvent and put it back in.

I have however found it is necessary to replace the filter element now and then (every 2-3 years maybe). My 2N seems to build up a lot of condensated 'goop' in the element and eventually it just kind of rots away.

You are in a warmer climate than me so perhaps you do not get quite as much of that in your tractor. I tend to get it mostly in the wintertime when its real cold.