The underjetted cartridges in these ohv Briggs engines are usually the culprits --but if you can run that long and rule out a coil failing ---i would look at fuel delivery. I'd lean more towards a venting issue. These mowers are not cap vented ----they are tank vented into the filter backing...
Don't touch any of the above if you're smart-especially Ryobi or Greenworks (even commercials) if you want electric you will have to pay the big $$ and step up to Makita-Stihl-DeWalt level
I'm going with the majority on here---imho an older pre 2018 super recycler with a Quantum Briggs engine and an auto choke--no blade clutch cables to mess with---That's what i would pick without going back too old. Parts readily available --easy to work on--I've been doing this a long time!
Pressed in brass seats do not require a rubber seat--the needle have a viton (rubber ) tip and a conventional seat isn't needed. If you're trying to push a rubber seat in there yuo will never get your float right
If you were following--the plug tested fine in air or as it would with a spark tester which tells you coil is fine but not the whole story---the plug was not firing in the hole!
You're correct on that Doug---If your blade is stopped up with packed grass engine likely not starting--but it would become noticeable fairly quicklythat the condition would be a problem?
Solution was simple in the end---change out the plug or clean and re-gap---apparently the plug sparked in air but failed in the cylinder. Probably a simple step to add in our troubleshooting rather than tmaking assumptions? Usually when everything seems to check out correct but you're still not...
Ok-so you have all the ingredients for success but you don't have it? You have spark--correct valve timing--no fuel delivery problems-no vacuum leaks-blade is tight and not jammed--your air filter is clean--your choke or primer is working fine---but you can't start your mower??? Plus this is...
If you have checked all the normal problem boxes and still no start or rough run---aside from a cracked plastic intake manifold--i would guess your bade bolt totally backed off or your blade adaptor has one of those flimsy keys and it stripped or the cast iron has broken away??
Flywheel key can be intact but valves out of adjustment?Adjust the valve lash 4 thou--I don't know of any other reason that the starter rope wotld snap back
Kick back is valve timing--the carb you want is Hipa 16100-zol-853 -it has the post for the choke sweep arm---Remember that when you set for choke you are moving the sweep the opposite way---so make sure the sweeparm is on the correct side of the pin or you won't be choking at all