555 won't start

The tractor cranks and cranks, but no dice on starting. This machine used to start up lickity-split, even on a below-freezing day. Is it possible that the machine won"t start because it"s got too much oil in the case? The oil goes about twice as far up the dipstick as it should. I haven"t dumped the excess oil or changed the filter yet, because I usually do this in my barn where I have all the tools and equipment.

I"m going to drain some oil, but I was wondering if the excess oil could have damaged anything?

I checked the manual, and sure enough, there is a mesh filter inside the fuel tank, and while I didn"t take the filter out of the tank to thoroughly clean it (I"m pretty sure this involves pulling the tank out), I blew compressed air back through the supply line and eventually cleared the line.

Now the machine runs well again. I plan on changing the primary and secondary fuel filters and adding some fuel additive to hopefully clear up any gum from the tank filter.

Thanks for all the replies.
JB

I figured it was a fuel problem, but I didn't know if the oil being over-full was a potential cause of the problem as well. I still have to put the new oil filter on and drain some of the excess oil, but probably won't get to it before the weekend. I appreciate my neighbor helping me out, but it always seems to be the case that a favor never goes unpunished -- for either side.

The neighbor also greased the whole machine at the same time he changed the oil, so he may have knocked something loose. It still doesn't explain how he drove it back to my yard, though...

I do know that the neighbor drove the tractor on the road to get back to my house, but I wouldn't think he would have revved it up too high, since it's only a few hundred yards away. And, I'm still confused about why it quit wanting to start only after he got it parked in my yard. Very puzzling.

Throttle position has never really come into play with shut-off.