Finally !!!!! Found the fuel blockage issue. Turns out the filter was not the right one. Thanks to the dumbass parts guy at my local dealer. I wondered when it was a Kabota part, but it looked basically the same so I used it. Well it didn’t have some of the holes my original had and wouldn’t really flow right. Changed it for the orig and it bled out in a couple seconds. Cracked the injectors and had fuel there in no time at all. Tightened them all up.
Filled the coolant up, double checked the fluids and cranked her over. Lots of smoke but batt died lol. Add the Duramax and some booster cables ... cranked much faster. Before I had cranked it long enough to even have to give the starter a cool down, she started to run. Rough at first as the remaining air bled out. But a couple min later it smoothed out and runs awesome. Yaaaaay lol. Oil pressure is solid at 60psi. Ran it for a couple min and shut it down. Checked and topped up the fluids. Fired right back up with just a bump of the key. Repeated that tillthe steering was working and bled. Moved the outriggers a bit to get the hyd oil to settle at a safe level for now. ( several leaks need attention now that it’s running again).
Now to finish repairing the worn out bores on the loader arms and re install the loader. Then plan to drop the backhoe and dive into fixing the leaks on it. One stabilizer and the crowd cyl leak around the gland and the tube. Appears to come thru the threads on both. A couple hoses and some new orings for the valve bank soools. Couple leak a bit. Lots to do yet and I’m sure being so old there will always be something to fix lol but finally she’s alive and running again.
I will probably end this post here as it’s gotten crazy long and it was asking for engine swap help... so seeing the engine now is rebuilt and running, I may start a restoration post and tryn keep the repairs posted with pics in case it might help the next poor sucker who’s into an old case elbows deep.
Can’t thank everyone enuf for the help along the way. Truely an awesome forum. So thanks to everyone who replied and helped me.
Sooooo happy she runs again.