case 1494 problems

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Case 1494 Hydraulic Problems

• Thread starter matt21
• Start date Apr 17, 2010

Bronze Member

I have a Case 1494 with a powershift trans. The remotes and 3 point work ok when I first start it up, but after about 10 minutes they start to fade away, especially under load. The powershift isn't working properly either. 1st and 3rd work ok but 2nd and 4th don't work, but I can feel it trying to work. I just changed the fluid and filter and cleaned the screens. Any ideas on what could be causing this?  

Super Star Member

One of two problems. 1. Worn hydraulic pump. 2. Massive internal leak in the transmission circuit, causing the priority valve to steal most of the pump flow for transmission function. My guess is #2, as you have transmission problems even when the auxiliary flow is decent.  

My guess is #3: Leak on the suction/return side of the system since you said you just serviced it...The fluid is probably foaming. Check the filter and cover to the screen carefully.  

kennyd said: My guess is #3: Leak on the suction/return side of the system since you said you just serviced it...The fluid is probably foaming. Check the filter and cover to the screen carefully. Click to expand...

mustangsallysdad

Platinum member.

matt21 said: I have a Case 1494 with a powershift trans. The remotes and 3 point work ok when I first start it up, but after about 10 minutes they start to fade away, especially under load. The powershift isn't working properly either. 1st and 3rd work ok but 2nd and 4th don't work, but I can feel it trying to work. I just changed the fluid and filter and cleaned the screens. Any ideas on what could be causing this? Click to expand...

RickB said: I guess we need clarification of whether the problems existed prior to servicing the oil & filter. I read it one way, Kenny read it another. Click to expand...

• Thread Starter

The problems existed before the fluid and filter change. I've never been inside the hydraulics on a tractor before so what is inside that could be leaking? I forgot to add that it has a sunstrand tandem front pump for remotes and 3 pt. and the powershift has it's own pump. I'm sure everyone already figured that but I thought it might help. Thanks everyone for all the replys.  

I checked again the other day and when it's running i can take the fill cap off and hear a noise. Almost like it's pulsing. And the fluid is foaming.  

A plugged screen, or leak in the suction circuit.  

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By tmarch July 31, 2010 in General Chat

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do any of you have any experience with these? a local dealer got one in. 4wd, 6500 hours, looks to be in very good condition. seems like a good cheap work horse. whats your opinion of it? i'd rather have a 88 series, but to find one in good condition are few and far between, if you know what i mean.

here it is on tractor house. this is the exact one. thanks for your input.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5851351

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• Created 13 yr
• Last Reply 9 yr

Nebraska1206

If you can, obtain any service records for that tractor. At 6500 hours, it better have been opened up for some possible transmission repairs. If it hasn't been opened up in the past 3000+ hours, stay away. 94 series are known to have a shift relay board go bad every now & then, and can have a shift solenoid stick now & then. If its caught in time, its a simple fix. If not, it can take out the torque limiter, or it can wipe out one of the clutch packs. Once it does that, you're looking at some serious $$$. The engine should be ok, but it wouldn't surprise me if at one time it had the heads off, probably the oil pan, too. It does look like a clean tractor.

what are the symptoms of a sticking solenoid? will it just not shift between powershift gears? it is a very nice looking tractor, its almost too good to be true, though.

Yes, a sticking solenoid will cause one of the powershift gears to not shift, or, it will shift, but it will be a weak/soft shift, because the solenoid hangs up & the pressure for the shift is incorrect. I'm not an expert on these, by no means, my experience is limited to what I have seen when they come in the shop.

tommyw-5088

I know this is a pro IH board but really Tommy would you rather have a 1466? TMarch we have both 50 series IH and and 94 series Case, the 94 series Case is the better tractor do not be afraid of a 94 series Case. My neighbor has a excellent 3594 Case for sale for 19,000 if you are interested. My phone #{870}476-6648

I am not familiar with a 3294---------but ran 1370s back when I was farming and my son and I bought a '83 model 2090 Case last year with 1325 hrs on it (108 hp---2 wheel drive).

Presuming the 3294 has a similar 4 range with 3 speed power shift arrangement-----some basic tests would be:

(1) check remote pressure readings (for 2090------22---2300 psi) 94 series may differ

(2) at low idle--------transmission in park; shift from 1 to 2 to 3 on power shift----you should hear the power shift shift with a slight grunt from the engine. Same thing for reverse

(3) at low idle-------transmission in park; depress the foot clutch pedal-----you should hear a slight grunt from the engine

(4) operating the tractor on the move; shift up and down through each power shift----you should feel each engagement

(5) operating on the move at low rpms with brake pedals locked together; depress brakes hard in each of the three power shifts-------should either stall the engine or really make engine work hard (same for reverse). If no effect on engine rpms-------the power shift is weak and slipping------------you will easily tell if you are dealing with a weak power shift.

I would also check the transmission filter for filings, etc.

If the power shift is working---------you will enjoy it.

That is a good looking tractor---------wish we had the power assist front end. At 6500 hrs------I would think you are at a point that problems could show up at any time-----don't know what tractors sell for in your area, but I would think $19,000 is a premium. Check it out-----------it may be a premium tractor.

Avon, Ms 38723

thanks for all the tips you guys. i think im going to try to take a look at it sometime this week. $19,000 is a very good price for that size tractor around here. Magnums are so high priced anymore, i decided they're not worth the money. 6,500 hours is a little scary to me... im gonna have to find out the history on it. it looks well taken care of though, i guess i will find out when i go talk to them about it.

whats the difference between the 3294 and the 2294 series case? i know the 32 is only 1000 pto and the 22 has both, and the 32 can be converted to dual pto, but is that the only difference? thanks

Find a way to afford a Magnum. A lot less risk.

rancherman84

i'll second that

thanks for all the tips you guys. i think im going to try to take a look at it sometime this week. $19,000 is a very good price for that size tractor around here. Magnums are so high priced anymore, i decided they're not worth the money. 6,500 hours is a little scary to me... im gonna have to find out the history on it. it looks well taken care of though, i guess i will find out when i go talk to them about it. whats the difference between the 3294 and the 2294 series case? i know the 32 is only 1000 pto and the 22 has both, and the 32 can be converted to dual pto, but is that the only difference? thanks

Take Maynard advice

If they gave the Case to you, you could not afford to own it. WHEN the transmission blow and it will, 24,000 dollars is not uncommon to fix it. That will let you buy a 43000 dollar magnum (19,000 Case tractor plus 24,000 Tran. = 43,000 dollars) The Magnum will still be worth 43000 dollars. The Case will only go down in price and keep costing money to own. I owned one Case 3594 and have worked on many Case's and I'm very happy when someone sees the lite and give a Case to the salvage yard.

I'll take the IH 1466 over the Case anyday. The IH will run everyday with out working on it. Can't say that about the Case.

WHAT GOOD IS A CHEAP TRACTOR IF IT IS BROKE DOWN ALL THE TIME.

The difference between a 2294 and a 3294 is not much. The 3294 came about because deere and ih were kicking case's butt with there higher horsepower MFWD tractors. The biggest case tractor you could get with MFWD was 130 HP. Deere and IH was 180 HP. Case took a 2294 rear end and married it with a 2394 engine to get the 3294 at 162 HP. It was a quick fix untill the 33/3594 MFD tractors were ready for introduction. The reason it is full time 4wd, case didn't want 162 HP going through a 2294 rear end without the front wheels pulling all of the time. The reason it only has 1000 pto shaft is any tractor over 150 HP could not have a 540 option. I like the 50 series IH. Before that series, I would take a case over an IH anyday.

why is the case transmission so expensive to fix? if thats the actual cost i'll just keep looking for an 5288 or something.

CaseIH has the market cornered on powershift parts so they can charge whatever they want. There is so many after market companies making IH parts that the price stay down. I think some after market company will start making powershift parts because CaseIH is making a lot of money being the only supplier.

That estimate on rebuilding the powershift seems a tad high from my experience. last fall we had a 3294 with 7200 hrs get a complete powershift re-freshening, plus many new bearings and one or two new gears due to the input shaft to the differential dropping a bearing. all work was done be a well respected private mechanic and the bill only came to about have the cost that Ron k is quoting. Those old case are one of my favorite tractors, i don't think you could find a tractor of that era that puts the power to the ground any better then them, and the engines just want to keep pulling no matter how much you load them down. With that being said, I would probably not recommend one, especially with that many hours, if you cannot get verifiable service records for it. they just do not seem to be 10,000+ hr tractors. the motors like to cavitate the cylinder liners( I've rebuilt two of ours this yr alone). I see that one has the carraro front end, while its the better front end of the two that case built them with, don't ask case for parts b/c many of them seemed to be n/a and while there are companies out there to get them from, its not cheap, and not fast, at all. Other big minuses, If you do any roading at all full time mfd is tough on the tires, and they are not speed demons, they are the roughest riding sobs i've ever driven, even with full michelin rubber at that, it will not turn sharp at all, and i have yet to get the a/c in a 94 series case to really blow cold air. The pluses, cases seem to be one of the best starting cold weather tractors, it will fire up right beside any IH any day of the winter week, initial investment is cheap, and very modern cab. So while I love'em, and think they're great operating tractors for many reason's, I would not suggest one if your operation has a tighter budget because they just don't seem to take the wear and tear like an IH, Ford, or Deere.

The Dukester

Well, my farmer friend I used to work for part-time had one...a beautiful low hour (2600) 3294. He used it primarily to pull the Kinze 2600 12 row planter and once in a great while it got grain cart duty...that's all. About 2/3rds through the planting season he started hearing a little whirring sound from the tranny when bumped out of gear or depressing the inching (clutch) pedal. No other trouble, just that occasional funny little sound. Soon as the planting was finished it went to the dealer's shop for a check-up, 9,400 dollars later it came home, no more whirring sound, but it emgaged gears pretty violently, tech's said that was better than risking more tranny problems. Later that summer a nice 7140 became available and the 3294 went away, never to return, no regrets from me, that's for sure....See ya Casey.

I don't think that CIH has purposely cornered the market but more simply the aftermarket demand is insufficient to warrant profitable business, One of the problems is the myriad of changes made to the powershift unit that makes parts interchangeability nearly impossible through the years of production. Add to that the fact that a "powershift unit" cannot be assembled, packed in a box, and shipped out for field installation, it has to be assembled on the machine.

The Case tractors are old enough that Case IH has no reason to "Corner the market"

Maynard hit it about why Case Power shift parts are high. First there was not a lot of Case's built. Second A large number have ended up in salvage yards. The ones left people will not fix. NO after market company want to build parts that will not sell.

Save your money and buy a Magnun they are ten times the tractor a 88 series is. I would buy a high hour magnum over an 88 series any day if I was going to use the tractor.

That estimate on rebuilding the power shift seems a tad high from my experience. last fall we had a 3294 with 7200 hrs get a complete power shift re-freshening, plus many new bearings and one or two new gears due to the input shaft to the differential dropping a bearing. all work was done be a well respected private mechanic and the bill only came to about have the cost that Ron k is quoting. Those old case are one of my favorite tractors, i don't think you could find a tractor of that era that puts the power to the ground any better then them, and the engines just want to keep pulling no matter how much you load them down. With that being said, I would probably not recommend one, especially with that many hours, if you cannot get verifiable service records for it. they just do not seem to be 10,000+ hr tractors. the motors like to cavitate the cylinder liners( I've rebuilt two of ours this yr alone). I see that one has the carraro front end, while its the better front end of the two that case built them with, don't ask case for parts b/c many of them seemed to be n/a and while there are companies out there to get them from, its not cheap, and not fast, at all. Other big minuses, If you do any roading at all full time mfd is tough on the tires, and they are not speed demons, they are the roughest riding sobs I've ever driven, even with full michelin rubber at that, it will not turn sharp at all, and i have yet to get the a/c in a 94 series case to really blow cold air. The pluses, cases seem to be one of the best starting cold weather tractors, it will fire up right beside any IH any day of the winter week, initial investment is cheap, and very modern cab. So while I love'em, and think they're great operating tractors for many reason's, I would not suggest one if your operation has a tighter budget because they just don't seem to take the wear and tear like an IH, Ford, or Deere.

Why would anyone want to buy a tractor that a break down would hurt "tighter budgets???

It has been several years since I rebuilt a Case Power shift but, a local dealer just did one and the bill was over 26000 dollars. Any one can "refresh" a transmission at any cost but, a dealer has to do it right so they can stand behind their work. I will not do a half "refresh job". I either do it right or they can take it someother place. I have more than enough work and if one job is wrong because I used a questionable part, evey one hears about it and that hurts business. IT'S not worth it. Some shops will cut prices by using questionable part, or used parts, along with not having to pay Workman's comp. insurance, and other taxes. They might do it on the side so comparing what a local shop will do charge for something is no comparison.

i really appreciate everyones input. i'll stick with the 88 series or a magnum. thanks

For what it's worth.......

When I went looking for a tractor it was IH all the way. However, I do have a bit of a soft spot for Case, particularly the 70 series. In fact, I would have really liked to have found a mint condition Black Knight or Gold Demonstrator, and preferably an 1175 as it DID NOT have a powershift, just a standard transmission.

I was warned away from Case real fast (70, 90, 94 series). In fact folks that I consulted and respect in my shopping called them 'boat anchors' in general, because of the transmission. I was warned to save away at least $20,000 if I bought a Case with a powershift, as they were/are very expensive to fix. The advice I got then was simple: unless a Case is a low houred super-mint tractor with lots of documentation, stay away, unless given to you for free because that transmission will cost you. Needless to say, I stayed away (and bought an IH). Besides, I could never find a Black Night/Gold Demonstrator in this part of the country that didn't need a lot of work.

Sorry to step on your toes Ron.

Why might someone by a less that reliable tractor, idk? maybe its what they grew up with, maby they have a soft spot for one, or they remember seeing the poster of one in 198x and have always though it would be great to have. i merely made the statement to convey the general assumption that most here already seem to have said, a Case tractor of that era can be very costly to an operation.

As far as the price to rebuild one goes, I merely gave my first hand experience on rebuilding one. perhaps we each have a different definition of the word "refresh". I can assure you that ours was done by a legitimate private full time mechanic who had more than enough years as a case service tech before he went out on his own to service many of the farms in our area. Please do not accuse him of being a "fly by night" mechanic, He runs a legit business, with employees, and stands behind all of his work. In the case of our rebuild, we actually lost the rear bearing to the input shaft to the rear dif. this causes the shaft to move around generously inside the casings, buggering up the rear pinion, ring gear, sliding forward and taking out some teeth on the forward gears that drove it and finally dropping some odd parts into the transfer case, and working some magic on the gears in there. since the tractor was apart for those problems, was getting new bearings seals etc in any place effected by the damage, we chose to have the powershift gone through, since half the work had already been done with tearing the tractor apart. the powershift was resealed, and any clutch packs and other parts not within spec of the actual JI case service manual, or that did not satisfy the mechanic were replaced. As far as the cost, what tractor model was the price that you offered for an example on? if perhaps it was on a 33, or 3594 that would explain it due to their having a 6 speed powershift instead of the more widely used 3 speed? or perhaps it is a regional thing, idk, but can only speculate, much like you have.

I'll throw my 0.02 in here.

Last fall I had my 2290 in for a slipping powershift. Had one bad clutch pack. By the time it was all back together the bill came to just over $7100. (done at a CIH dealer) That did include a new a/c compressor too. Yes, that's a good sized repair bill. BUT... I now have a rebuilt powershift that should last a good long time. Rest of the tractor has just over 5800 hours on it. The way I see it, I have a 130+hp tractor with a good tranny for a total of under $18,000 ($10,500 for the tractor a couple years back plus the $7100 repair bill)

Would I like a Magnum? **** yes! But, you can't touch a comparable hour/hp Magnum for that kind of money around here. More likely will find one for twice that money. Any less $$$ and it's ragged out high houred POS that you will be dumping big money into before to long anyway.

I for one don't see the issue with spending a few dollars to make an older tractor run a few more years. I stuck a bundle into a Deutz D130 06 a few years back. Engine o/h, new foot and pto clutches and associated bearings, starter, ring gear, alternator and some seals and lines. All said and done with repair bill and purchase price I still had less than $10k into a 120 hp tractor that will last for years to come. That was back in 2005 and I don't regret it one bit. It's out there right now hooked to the discbine waiting to cut 3rd crop tomorrow.

Like I said, just my .02!

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CASE 2094 TRACTOR

• Make = Case
• Model = 2094
• Type = Tractor
• remove all filters
• Air Conditioning 19
• Electrical 10
• Front Axle & Steering 7
• Hydraulic 1
• Radiator Foam Kits 1
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• Water Pumps 3
• 100 - 149 4
• Assembled 6
• 1/2" 1
• 19" Long 1
• 5.00" 1
• 12" Powershift
• 12" Single Stage
• 15" Single Stage
• 15" Single Stage w/ PPA Hub
• Berkshire Gray 2
• Seltec/Tama 2
• York/Tecumseh 1
• 6" x 3.5" 1
• 6.25" x 4" 1
• Shaft Length (3-5/8") 1
• [A] 12.250"; [B] 1.465"; [C] 2.000"; [D] 1.750"; [E] 1.375" 1
• Bridgelux LED 1
• Male O-Ring 1
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• Male Insert O-Ring 2
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• 6.244" 1
• 6.260" 1
• 9.823" 1
• 4-1/2" 1
• #6 (3/8" Male Flare) 1
• #6 (3/8" Male O-Ring) 1
• Connector Leads Installed; Minor Modifications Required 1
• Plug & Play Connection 1
• 10.50" 1
• 18.750" 1
• 20.560" 1
• 3.750" 1
• 41-1/2" 1
• Polycarbonate 2
• Cab Front 1
• Fender Rear 1
• 3000 - 3999 1
• 4000 - 4999 1
• Perforated Vinyl (18%) 2
• 0.812" 1
• 1.250" 2
• 12.284" 1
• 13-1/2" 1
• 13.503" 1
• 2-3/4" 1
• 7.00" 1
• 8.032" 2
• 8.331" 1
• 9.370" 2
• Delco Remy 5
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• Genuine Prestolite 1
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• PAG 100 Oil / SP15 (Pre-Filled 14 oz.) 2
• PAG 46 Oil / SP10 (6 oz.) 1
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• Negative or Positive 1
• Aftermarket 17
• Reversible 1
• 5/16" 1
• Rectangular 2
• Push-Pull 1
• Mechanical 1
• Female (1/4") 1
• R134A, Hi-Side 1
• R134A, Low-Side 1
• .091" 1
• .118" 1
• .125" 1
• .150" 1
• .154" 1
• .157" 2
• 1/8" 1
• 9/16" on Ball Joint end 1
• Female; 7/8" - 14 ORB 1
• Externally Equalized 1
• Right Angle 1
• 12V or 24V 1
• Hy-Capacity 7
• Iskra/Mahle 1
• Prestolite 1
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“I think it’s a disgrace,” Trump said.

Trump testimony ends; no questions from his defense team

Attorneys for the state ended its questioning of Trump with questions about whether he planned to change things in his business operations. Asked whether he planned to hire a chief compliance officer, Trump said, “It hasn’t been recommended.” Asked whether he has hired a new chief financial officer, he said, “I don’t know” and the question would have to be asked to his sons.

Trump’s defense team had no questions for him.

-Aysha Bagchi

Trump defends former CFO who pleaded guilty to tax crime

New York counsel Kevin Wallace asked Trump whether the fact that former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to tax fraud caused Trump to change his opinion about the work Weisselberg did. Trump responded that people went after Weisselberg because Weisselberg worked for Trump. “He did a good job for me for a long time,” Trump said.

Trump: loans were repaid, and there wasn’t a victim

The state has cited has put a series of loan documents as evidence and showed Trump requirements he agreed to satisfy in order to get loans, such as maintaining a minimum net worth and submitting financial statements that are accurate in all material ways.

Trump repeatedly said he believes he met those requirements and added that he paid back the underlying loans. “Did you get any questions from the bank? I don’t think so,” Trump said.

'I was yelled at': Trump lawyer complains over judge 'slamming a table'

As Trump testifies, he and his team are engaged in a furious public relations battle with the judge and the attorney general.

In public statements and social media posts, Trump allies are focused on Judge Engoron, who has admonished the former president and his lawyers for inappropriate behavior in the courtroom.

“I was told to sit down today," said Trump attorney Alina Habba to reporters outside the courthouse. "I was yelled at. And I’ve had a judge who was unhinged slamming a table."

Engoron is restricted from defending himself, but Attorney General James - another Trump target - is speaking out about the Trump attacks.

"Donald Trump resorted to bullying and name calling, he gave rambling answers and hurled insults from the witness stand to distract from the truth," James said on X (formerly Twitter). "But make no mistake, he committed fraud. Numbers and facts don't lie."

-- David Jackson

Testimony resumes with look at loan agreement

Donald Trump is back on the witness stand after a lunch break in his civil fraud case.

New York counsel Kevin Wallace opens the new session by asking Trump about a loan agreement with Deutsche Bank. New York has accused Trump and others of using fraudulent financial statements to secure better loan terms.

Lunch break in Trump testimony

After a heated morning of testimony, court proceedings have been halted for lunch. Donald Trump’s testimony will start back up at 2:15pm.

‘ You done?'

Trump lashed out at the judge’s ruling in September that said he and others fraudulently inflated the value of his assets and that certain entities will lose their New York business certificates. “He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me!” Trump said.

Eventually, New York counsel Kevin Wallace asked, “You done?”

“No,” Trump responded.

Trump's combative testimony: A preview of his future trials?

In protesting from the stand that this trial is political, Trump is probably offering a preview of things to come: His upcoming criminal trials.

While Judge Engoron admonished that "this is not a political rally," legal analysts said Trump and his attorneys are trying to do just that; they may well try to make political rallies out of Trump's future trials over 2020 election fraud, hush money, and mishandling of classified documents.

Said national security attorney Bradley P. Moss: "If the Trump lawyers are having these many issues in a civil trial, imagine how they’re going to handle a criminal one."

-David Jackson

Going through the finances

After about an hour of fiery exchanges, Trump's testimony has simmered down into a dry discussion of finances.

New York counsel Kevin Wallace has been asking the former president about specific property values, including that of Trump’s famous Mar-a-Lago club in Florida -- his current residence.

In its lawsuit, the attorney general's office has said the club was valued as high as $739 million based on the “false premise” that it was unrestricted and could be developed and sold for residential use, despite Trump having donated those residential development rights and d espite restrictions on changes to the property. In reality, the suit alleged, the club generated less than $25 million a year and should have been valued closer to $75 million, nearly ten times less than the value claimed by Trump.

In court, Trump said he believes the value of the club is somewhere between $1 billion and $1.5 billion.

Trump's approach: 'This trial is ridiculous'

Is Trump trying to turn this trial into a political spectacle?

Sure looks like it.

During a break in his contentious testimony, Trump took to social media to tell supporters he is not apologizing for his aggressive anti-court testimony.

"THIS TRIAL IS RIDICULOUS, ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!" Trump said in an all-caps post.

- David Jackson

'Control him!'

Judge Arthur Engoron has continued to complain that Trump is giving broad, editorializing answers that aren’t focused on the state’s questions. “I beseech you to control him if you can,” Engoron told Trump lawyer Chris Kise. Engoron says if Kise can’t control his own client, the judge will do it by excusing Trump and drawing negative inferences against the former president.

Kise said the most efficient way to get through the testimony is to listen to what Trump has to say, although he added that he is happy to talk to his client about making the answers more contained. Trump attorney Alina Habba also r ose to defend the former president, telling Engoron that Kevin Wallace, senior enforcement counsel at the attorney general's office, wasn't asking Trump succinct questions. Habba then drew Engoron’s ire by telling the judge his role was to listen to what Trump has to say. Engoron told her to sit down.

“This is a very unfair trial,” Trump said. “I hope the public is watching.”

After more back-and-forth between James' team and Trump, the attorney general's office suggested taking a break to give Kise a chance to advise his client. Trump and his legal team have exited the courtroom.

-- Aysha Bagchi

Trump raises campaign funds off trial appearance

Trump sent an email solicitation Monday to his supporters based on his appearance at his civil fraud trial, arguing he shouldn’t have to spend a day in court for the “sham trial” during the presidential campaign.

“We are watching the ruling party weaponize the legal system to try and destroy its leading opponent by any means possible – whether that be removing my name from the ballot, financial ruin, or even imprisonment,” Trump said. “This is how dictatorships are born.”

Trump comes out swinging

Former president Donald Trump hasn’t held back as his testimony has gotten underway.

He has responded broadly to questions from New York counsel Kevin Wallace, arguing that his financial statements undervalued his assets and didn’t reflect the value of his brand. “I became president because of my brand,” Trump said. He also said he doesn’t believe any developer has done a statement so thorough or that low-balled the value of assets so much.Judge Engoron has spoken up repeatedly already about restricting Trump’s answers to the question asked. “This is a courtroom,” Engoron said, adding that he doesn’t want the witness editorializing.

'Crazy trial,' Trump says of proceedings

Responding to one of the state's opening questions, Donald Trump described the ongoing proceedings as a "crazy trial." The judge instructed the former president to restrict his testimony to the question asked.

However, it doesn't take long for Trump to add more personal commentary, arguing that New York has missed its deadline for bringing a legal claim but "I'm sure the judge will rule against me, because he always rules against me." The judge then asked a Trump attorney whether that comment was necessary.

Trump takes witness stand , calls his son a 'very honorable guy' who is 'smart'

The New York Attorney General's Office called Donald Trump to the stand.

He was sworn in and took a seat next to the judge. He is being questioned about his role in the Trump Organization and the appointment of his son, Donald Trump Jr., as well as former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg as trustees of a trust set up for the benefit the former president. Asked why he appointed his son, the former president says Don Jr. is "smart" and a "very honorable guy."

The trust features heavily in the state's lawsuit against Trump and associates. Trump or the trustees have submitted and certified the accuracy of financial statements that fraudulently inflated the value of Trump's assets, according to the state.

Donald Trump gives pre-trial campaign speech

Before his testimony, Trump gave campaign-style remarks to reporters, citing President Biden's bad poll numbers as well as crises in the Middle East and Ukraine - all while he is standing trial.

"This is really election interference," the 2024 Republican candidate said. "It's a terrible, terrible thing ... Very unfair."

James: Trump's 'name-calling' and 'race-baiting' don't change the facts

James stopped by to talk to television cameras before Trump's testimony, and predicted that the former president will engage in "name calling," "taunts," and "race-baiting."

None of it matters, she said, because the facts show that he intentionally inflated the value of his assets in order to obtain favorable bank loans.

Numbers, she said, "don't lie."

Trump arrives at the courthouse

The former president is running a little early - his motorcade arrived at the New York courthouse at around 9:25 a.m., 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

Waiting for Trump comments to reporters, if any.

NY AG James: Trump ‘repeatedly and consistently lied’ about his real estate

Trump wasn’t the only one commenting on the case on social media. James, New York’s attorney general who sued him, posted Monday that Trump “lied” about the value of real estate to enrich himself.

“He has repeatedly and consistently lied about the value of his assets to fraudulently enrich himself and his family,” James said in the post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Donald Trump might lie, but the facts and the numbers don’t.”

James told reporters outside the courthouse that she expected Trump to engage in name-calling and race-baiting.

“I am confident he will engage in name-calling and taunts and race-baiting and call this a witch hunt,” James said. “But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers. And numbers, my friends, don’t lie.”

-- Bart Jansen

Trump likely to speak publicly before and after his testimony

Expect the former president to appeal to the court of public opinion.

Trump has set aside time to speak with reporters before and after his court session, according to a schedule provided by his campaign.

Having spent the night at Trump Tower, the ex-president's motorcade is scheduled to arrive at the courthouse around 9:45 a.m., the schedule said.

Sometime after 4:30 p.m., Trump is scheduled to depart the courthouse for the airport and a flight to his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla.

Along with his testimony, Trump is planning a political rally in the Miami area on Wednesday night, opposite the third debate among his Republican campaign rivals.

– David Jackson

T rump: 'A dark day for our Country'

Trump got an early pre-testimony start on attacking the fraud case against him, taking to social media to claim the whole thing is politics.

In a Truth Social post, Trump also claimed, falsely, that President Joe Biden is behind the New York-based civil trial against him – never mind that the New York attorney general began her investigation before Biden's election in 2020.

"A dark day for our Country," Trump said. "WITCH HUNT!"

-- David Jackson  

When does Trump testify?

The trial resumes at 10 a.m., with Trump set to be the first witness.

During the the first month of the trial, Engoron typically allowed videographers and photographers into the courtroom to chronicle the scene, with prosecutors, defense lawyers and defendants at their respective tables. Engoron typically invites everyone to look their best for the cameras.

Engoron has also occasionally opened the day with housekeeping measures, including his concerns about potential violations of his restrictions against Trump commenting on court staffers. Engoron has fined Trump $15,000 for two violations of the gag order through comments about his clerk, Allison Greenfield.

Engoron on Friday expanded the gag order to cover Trump's defense team.

Will Trump's fraud trial be televised?

The trial is not televised. Despite allowing photographers in at the start of each day, Engoron didn't allow video cameras to record the court proceedings.

His decision came in contrast to a Georgia election racketeering case against Trump and 18 co-defendants. Cameras have streamed pretrial hearings and guilty pleas of several co-defendants in Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee's courtroom.

What is the Trump New York trial about?

In September, Engoron ruled that Trump and other defendants in the case had fraudulently inflated the value of billions of dollars in assets, and he said that certain entities tied to them will lose their New York business certificates – a finding Trump called “ the corporate death penalty .” The judge also imposed sanctions on Trump’s defense attorneys for repeatedly advancing "bogus arguments," such as the defense notion that square footage is subjective. 

But Engoron’s September bombshell only addressed a portion of James’ 222-page legal complaint accusing Trump and others of persistent and repeated fraud.  

The trial is addressing several allegations , including that Trump, his adult sons, and the Trump Organization executives falsified corporate financial statements and committed insurance fraud. The testimony will also inform Engoron’s decision about what further punishment, if any, to impose. 

Fantasy World?: 'Fantasy world': Donald Trump faces New York trial Monday for damages after judge finds fraud in real estate empire

What penalties are at stake in Trump's civil fraud trial?

James, New York's attorney general, seeks to permanently block Trump and his two oldest sons from running a New York business and to impose a five-year ban on the father and the Trump Organization from buying New York real estate or applying for loans from banks in the state.

The attorney general’s office has asked Engoron to force the defendants to forfeit any profits stemming from the alleged fraud − a penalty that could reach a quarter billion dollars.

Trump’s eldest daughter − and former top White House advisor − Ivanka Trump was initially a defendant in James’ lawsuit, but a New York appeals court tossed out the case against her , finding too much time had pass ed since her involvement in the Trump Organization. That hasn't meant Ivanka can avoid testifying : Engoron rejected her challenge to a state subpoe na, and she is slated to take the stand Wednesday. 

What happened with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump?

Questioning of Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump last week focused on what they knew about alleged misrepresentations in their father's financial statements, which the state says were used to get bank loans on fraudulent terms. The brothers have been closely involved in their father's business operations for many years. 

Both of the brothers denied having close knowledge of the financial statements, blaming company accountants for any discrepancies.  

Last week, Trump said on social media that his sons were "PERSECUTED in a political Witch Hunt by this out of control, publicity seeking, New York State Judge." 

Eric Trump’s testimony on Friday was overshadowed by the controversy over defense attacks on Engoron’s principal law clerk, Allison Greenfield, with whom Engoron sometimes passes notes on the bench. Last month, Trump said on social media that Greenfield “is running this case against me,” prompting Engoron to issue his initial gag order.  

On Friday, Trump lawyer Christopher Kise complained that the exchanges created a “perception of bias.” 

“Since the commencement of this bench trial, my chambers have been inundated with hundreds of harassing and threating phone calls, voicemails, emails, letters, and packages,” the judge wrote in his Friday order. “The First Amendment right of defendants and their attorneys to comment on my staff is far and away outweighed by the need to protect them from threats and physical harm.” 

Engoron’s gag order doesn’t extend to the judge himself, who Trump has called a "partisan political hack" and a "radical Trump hater."

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'Extraterrestrials' return to Mexico's congress as journalist presses case for 'non-human beings'

Associated Press

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

A screen displays what Mexican journalist Jaime Maussan claims are extraterrestrial life forms at the Chamber of Deputies in Mexico City, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. Mexican legislators held another hearing dedicated to the potential for extraterrestrial life forms and UFOs following a controversial spectacle in September in which Maussan displayed what he said were "non-human beings that are not part of our terrestrial evolution." (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

MEXICO CITY – The lower chamber of Mexico’s congress once again turned to spectacle Tuesday, devoting hours of its time to a controversial character who pressed the case for “non-human beings” he said were found in Peru.

Less than three weeks after Category 5 Hurricane Otis devastated Acapulco, a port of nearly 1 million people, the Chamber of Deputies spent more than three hours listening to journalist José Jaime Maussan and his group of Peruvian doctors.

Maussan and some Mexican lawmakers became the subject of international ridicule in September when he presented two boxes with supposed mummies found in Peru. He along with others claimed they were “non-human beings that are not part of our terrestrial evolution.”

In 2017, Maussan made similar claims in Peru, and a report by that country’s prosecutor’s office found the bodies were actually “recently manufactured dolls, which have been covered with a mixture of paper and synthetic glue to simulate the presence of skin.”

The report added the figures were almost certainly human-made and that “they are not the remains of ancestral aliens that they have tried to present.” The bodies were not publicly unveiled at the time, so it is unclear if they are the same as those presented to Mexico’s congress.

On Tuesday, Dr. Daniel Mendoza showed photographs and x-rays of what he said was a “non-human being.” Maussan said it was a “new species” as it did not have lungs or ribs.

Lawmaker Sergio Gutiérrez Luna, from the governing party of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, said “all ideas and all proposals will always be welcome to debate them, hear them to agree with or not.”

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Connecticut city’s ‘mishandled ballots’ fuel election skeptics. Experts call problem local, limited

FILE - Judge William Clark presides over a hearing in Bridgeport Superior Court in Bridgeport, Conn., Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. Clark has taken the unusual step of ordering a new Democratic mayoral primary in Connecticut’s largest city to be held after the Nov. 7 general election is completed. The decision comes after surveillance videos showed a woman stuffing what appeared to be absentee ballots into an outdoor ballot box days before the original primary. (Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP, Pool, File)

FILE — Democrat mayoral candidate John Gomes speaks with a supporter following a news conference at his campaign headquarters, Sept. 18, 2023, in Bridgeport, Conn. A judge on Wednesday, Nov. 1, tossed out the results of a Democratic mayoral primary in Connecticut’s largest city and ordered that a new one be held, citing surveillance videos showing people stuffing multiple absentee ballots into outdoor collection boxes.(Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP, File)

FILE - Bridgeport, Conn., Mayor Joe Ganim testifies during a hearing at Bridgeport Superior Court, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, in Bridgeport. Judge William Clark has taken the unusual step of ordering a new Democratic mayoral primary in Connecticut’s largest city to be held after the Nov. 7 general election is completed. The decision comes after surveillance videos showed a woman stuffing what appeared to be absentee ballots into an outdoor ballot box days before the original primary. (Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP, Pool, File)

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A judge’s order for a new primary in Connecticut’s largest city because of what he called mishandling of absentee ballots is fueling skepticism about the security of U.S. elections, as well as conspiracy theories involving the 2020 presidential election.

But election experts contend what happened in Bridgeport — people captured on surveillance video dropping stacks of ballots into outdoor collection boxes — is unique to Bridgeport, a working class city of more than 144,000 that has a long history of voting irregularities. At the very least, they said, it is pretty rare and shouldn’t be seen as evidence of widespread problems.

“In Connecticut, this is a problem here and here alone,” longtime election law attorney Bill Bloss, who is representing the Democratic candidate who successfully challenged the outcome of the city’s mayoral primary, said Thursday when asked about the case fueling misinformation about former President Donald Trump’s 2020 defeat.

An Associated Press review of every potential case of voter fraud in the six battleground states disputed by Trump has found fewer than 475 — a number that would have made no difference in the 2020 presidential election. And legal challenges to the 2020 election were heard and roundly rejected by dozens of courts at both state and federal levels, including by judges whom Trump appointed.

“Our case was based on evidence. Other cases maybe didn’t,” Bloss said, adding “Proof matters.”

On Wednesday, Connecticut Judge William Clark tossed out the results of the Sept. 12 primary and ordered that a new one be held, citing what he referred to as “shocking” surveillance videos that appeared to show supporters of Mayor Joe Ganim dropping multiple pieces of paper into absentee ballot boxes.

Under Connecticut law, voters using a collection box must drop off their completed ballots themselves, or designate certain family members, police, local election officials or a caregiver to do it for them. Clark wrote in his decision that the volume of “mishandled ballots” left the court unable to determine the legitimate result of the primary.

Ganim, a Democrat who has repeatedly been reelected, despite having to have taken a break from public office while he served seven years in prison for corruption, has denied any knowledge of voting law violations.

So far, the Bridgeport scandal hasn’t involved any allegations that people doctored ballots or created fake votes. Instead, they involve an activity known as “ballot harvesting,” where campaign workers or volunteers visit potential voters, persuade them to fill out absentee ballots, and then collect those ballots and put them in drop boxes or send them in via the mail.

That kind of collection effort is banned in Connecticut, but it is allowed in some other states. Some states put limits on how many absentee ballots any one person can deposit, or mail in, for others. Some say the practice is OK, as long as the voter designates in writing who will be dropping off their ballot. A few have no limits at all on the practice.

Former Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, a Democrat, said that in Bridgeport, people — especially older residents — have gotten accustomed to allowing others to deliver their absentee ballots, including before the state began allowing absentee drop boxes during the pandemic.

“We have been in court several times with the same issues, but it’s very difficult to interpret the evidence,” she said. “This time there is an actual video, which certainly helps the court decide whether there should be a new election.”

She worries that people will see Bridgeport’s problem as proof of fraud happening elsewhere.

“There are so many conspiracy theories out there and yet for years we’ve had study after study tell us that it doesn’t happen,” Merrill said.

Entrepreneur Elon Musk stoked concern Thursday about possible election fraud beyond Bridgeport on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

“That this happened here is beyond reasonable doubt. The only question is how common it is,” he wrote.

The Connecticut judge ruled just six days before the general election, creating a perplexing scenario in which Bridgeport voters will decide the outcome of the mayoral election on Nov. 7, then potentially be asked to return to the polls at an undetermined date to vote in a new Democratic primary.

The Democrat who appeared to lose to Ganim in the mayoral primary, John Gomes, a former chief administrative officer for the city, will be on the ballot again in the general election as an unaffiliated candidate. On Thursday he urged people to go to the polls and vote for him in next week, saying his victory will make the primary issue moot.

The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the general election until all legal issues and challenges related to the primary are fully resolved.

The judge gave lawyers in the case 10 days to confer with election officials on a possible date for the new primary. Bridgeport City Attorney Mark Anastasi said Thursday in a statement that his office is reviewing the judge’s decision and “all the legal options available to us.”

The State Election Enforcement Commission is investigating complaints related to the recent mayoral primary. It has also made criminal referrals concerning Ganim’s 2019 primary and absentee ballots to state prosecutors.

Just last year, a judge ordered a new Democratic primary for a Bridgeport state representative race following complaints of mishandled absentee ballots and questionable security after two recounts and weeks of litigation.

In 2017, a judge ordered a new Democratic city council primary in Bridgeport be held after a single absentee ballot was discovered during a recount and decided the race. The judge, who acknowledged “irregularities” in the primary, also enlisted a lawyer to oversee the new primary and general election.

State funding was recently finalized to hire an independent election monitor for Bridgeport who would “detect and prevent irregularity and impropriety” in the Nov. 7 municipal election and the 2024 state election. However, the Secretary of the State’s office says it has only received a handful of applications and hasn’t yet hired anyone for the two-year post. Instead, an interim monitor has been appointed.

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Adam Neumann, the WeWork founder who became a business school case study in failed management, is 'disappointed' about its bankruptcy

• WeWork founder Adam Neumann has spoken out about the company's bankruptcy.
• He said he was "disappointed" and that it was hard to watch WeWork's collapse from the sidelines.
• Neumann quit after a failed IPO amid scrutiny over his chaotic leadership and conflicts of interest.

Adam Neumann says it is "challenging" for him to watch WeWork go bankrupt.

The WeWork cofounder and former CEO, who resigned after overseeing the company's botched IPO , said he was "disappointed" by the bankruptcy and accused WeWork of "failing to take advantage" of its potential.

The coworking giant, which at its peak was valued at $47 billion, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday after years of financial problems.

"As the co-founder of WeWork who spent a decade building the business with an amazing team of mission-driven people, the company's anticipated bankruptcy filing is disappointing," said Neumann in a statement on Monday.

"It has been challenging for me to watch from the sidelines since 2019 as WeWork has failed to take advantage of a product that is more relevant today than ever before.

I believe that, with the right strategy and team, a reorganization will enable WeWork to emerge successfully," he added.

Neumann quit as WeWork's CEO in 2019 after the company's much-anticipated public launch fell apart. He reportedly received $480 million for his stake in the company when he stepped down, and in total collected around $770 million from WeWork's eventual public offering in 2021.

The tech entrepreneur had faced significant scrutiny over WeWork's business model and his perceived conflicts of interest, which would later become the subject of a Harvard Business School case study .

Investors raised the alarm after it came to light that WeWork was paying Neumann $5.9 million to license the "We" family trademarks after he purchased it through a holding company.

Company filings also suggested that Neumann had used WeWork's money to fund a range of pet projects, including a $14 million investment in Wavegarden , a company that makes surfing wave pools.

Neumann also came under fire for his leadership style. Employees described the culture at WeWork under him as a chaotic "never-ending party," with tequila shots in meetings and sex-filled company retreats.

Neumann has been unapologetic about his role in WeWork's botched IPO , telling The New York Times in 2021 that while he had regrets about his time at the company he was not responsible for WeWork's woes.

He has since gone on to found a new real estate startup, a "residential consumer-facing real estate company" called Flow .

Neumann has provided few details about what Flow actually is – but that has not stopped it from attracting serious funding. The company was valued at $1 billion in 2022 after VC firm Andreessen Horowitz invested $350 million in it.

WeWork did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Watch: WeWork went from a $47 billion valuation to a failed IPO. Here's how the company makes money.

New EU power market, same old problems for metals sector

The logo of Spanish electricity grid operator Red Electrica ca Espa–a is attached in a electricity pylon in Alcobendas, outside Madrid, Spain, March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Sergio Perez Acquire Licensing Rights

LONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - European Union (EU) energy ministers last month struck a deal to reform the bloc's power market.

The proposed changes to the EU's "electricity market design" are a response to the spike in European power prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

They will, according to Spain's Energy Minister Teresa Ribera, mean that "consumers across the EU will be able to benefit from much more stable prices of energy, less dependency on the price of fossil fuels and better protection from future crises".

But will it be enough to save Europe's struggling industrial metals production sector?

The brutal reality is that half of the region's primary aluminium and zinc capacity and almost a third of its silicon capacity is currently offline due to high power prices.

The immediate impact comes with potential future impact as well.

Producers are reluctant to invest in the new metals capacity needed to achieve Europe's self-sufficiency goals because they can't model power prices over the time-frame to build a new mine or smelter.

"We need bold action to get out of a dead-end street," was the stark warning from Bernard Respaut, head of the European Copper Institute (ECI), speaking at a debate on Europe's power crisis jointly hosted with industry association Eurometaux.

LIGHT-TOUCH REFORM

European power prices have fallen a long way from their 2022 peaks, when the region was still reeling from the reduction in Russian gas supplies.

However, they are by no means back to levels trading before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and that isn't going to change any time soon.

Wholesale pricing will continue to be determined on a pay-as-clear model, where bidding goes from the cheapest to the most expensive source, which tends to be gas. It's just that it's now LNG rather than Russian gas that sets the price.

EU member states were deeply split on proposals for more fundamental reform of Europe's power market to allow for a complete break of the gas-power price linkage.

The hard-won compromise keeps the existing market mechanism, which its supporters claim is more efficient than other models in a liberalised electricity market.

Rather, the focus will be on longer-term price stabilisers such as power purchase agreements (PPA) between generators and users and two-way contracts for difference (CFD) for investment in new green generation.

THE PPA PROBLEM

U.S. aluminium producer Alcoa (AA.N) is a poster child for Europe's PPA model, using it to help secure the long-term future of its San Ciprian smelter in Spain.

The company has PPAs with local power suppliers Endesa (ELE.MC) and Greenalia covering around 75% of the smelter's base load power when it returns from care and maintenance next year.

Alcoa has the advantage of being in Spain, which has been aggressively building out renewable energy capacity and has Europe's most developed PPA market.

The country is Europe's third highest renewable energy generator, much of it solar, and has by far the highest PPA contract capacity at a current 4.2 gigawatts, according to the European Commission. ("The development of renewable energy in the electricity market", June 2023).

Others are not so fortunate.

"We can't buy a PPA because it's not available on the market," Mats Gustavsson, head of energy at Swedish base metals producer Boliden (BOL.ST) , told the Eurometaux meeting.

With limited forward liquidity in the company's local Nordpool power market, "no-one's willing to take the risk on a fixed-term PPA", he said.

Even if the local market structure allows for PPAs, many smaller companies struggle to pass the credit tests needed to sign what can be as long as a 10-year contract.

Moreover, many power suppliers will only offer PPAs on a pay-as-produced basis rather than the base-load structure that metal producers would prefer.

The EU reform package is intended to iron out some of these problems by, for example, mandating member states to ensure guarantee schemes for smaller companies looking to enter PPAs.

But it offers neither short-term relief for Europe's many mothballed production facilities nor the levels of certainty needed to build the next generation of mines and processing plants.

STRATEGIC DIALOGUE

Europe's focus on the longer-term solution, pivoting towards cheaper renewable energy, leaves untouched the immediate problem of tying spot power pricing to a volatile gas market.

The bloc's power prices have historically been twice those of the U.S., but are now three or four times higher.

Metals producers are not only having to adjust to currently high electricity costs, but face even higher costs as they seek their own pathway to net zero.

The danger is that the cost of going green "is going to kill us", Gustavsson said. Boliden, it's worth noting, has just shuttered its Tara zinc-lead mine in Ireland at least partly due to high energy costs.

The answer, according to the ECI's Respaut, is to take a more comprehensive approach to Europe's industrial base and connect the disparate dots of critical metals production, renewable energy and power pricing.

Europe has to decide which strategic sectors it wants to keep and what it needs to do to help them not just survive but thrive.

And it needs to do so sooner rather than later.

As Respaut concluded: "We need to get to action, because time is running."

The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.

Editing by Jan Harvey

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Thomson Reuters

Senior metals columnist who previously covered industrial metals markets for Metals Week and was EMEA commodities editor at Knight-Ridder (subsequently Bridge). Started up Metals Insider in 2003 and sold it to Thomson Reuters in 2008, he is author of ‘Siberian Dreams’ (2006) about the Russian Arctic.

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