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So my 2018 Pony was running pretty well, with some minor surging. Tried to manage it with throttle adjustment, but no dice. Still has that surge, as evidenced by both sound and the governor arm moving back and forth at idle.
Now it's not starting at all. Cleaned the carb, checked the spark, new air filter. Still nothing. Oil changed as well.
One thing I have noticed - If I let it sit for a day I can go out and choke it, it almost starts once then back to just cranking.
The only other thing I can think of is that perhaps there is a valve issue.
What say the experts?

Post the engine model number, itll be stamped into the valve cover.
Most likely your carb has anti-afterfire solenoid (to prevent what most people call a backfire, when its shutdown) It has a a plunger that stops the main jet flow.
when you turn the key to ON you should hear that solenoid click.
will it run if you spray starting fluid/carb cleaner directly into the carburetor/intake?

Scrubcadet10 said:

Post the engine model number, itll be stamped into the valve cover.
Most likely your carb has anti-afterfire solenoid (to prevent what most people call a backfire, when its shutdown) It has a a plunger that stops the main jet flow.
when you turn the key to ON you should hear that solenoid click.
will it run if you spray starting fluid/carb cleaner directly into the carburetor/intake?

Click to expand...

Model 31R907. Good call on the solenoid; removed it and plugged back up, no action at all. Checked another that I'd kept from a different model carb, and it worked fine. So I'll be ordering the model for my carb; hopefully that's it.

I'm surprised at how often these fail, and perhaps more surprised I didn't think of it. Greatly appreciated.

There were two different solenoids used on this engine, one for a Nikki carburetor and the other for a Ruixing.
Nikki: https://www.partstree.com/parts/briggs-stratton-699915/
Ruixing: https://www.partstree.com/parts/briggs-stratton-846639/

They rarely fail but they go get stuck & gummed up because they are at the botome of the float bowl
I am yet o replace a single one in 11 years but we have a climate very similar to Hollywood so we mow all year round thus they don't gum up

bertsmobile1 said:

They rarely fail but they go get stuck & gummed up because they are at the botome of the float bowl
I am yet o replace a single one in 11 years but we have a climate very similar to Hollywood so we mow all year round thus they don't gum up

Click to expand...

I would have to disagree on the failures as the I have replaced several Ruixing fuel solenoids due them shorting out. Now the Nikki and Walbro do rarely fail electrically.

Most of these solenoid are usually just gummed up and a simple USC cleaning resolves the sticking solenoid pins. And before someone says it they don't short just they are cleaned with soap and water in an USC. They are sealed electrically.

Also when changing these solenoid most of us need a thinned 12mm or 13mm (1/2") open end wrench depending which you need. Now their are some knockoffs out there that a regular wrench fits.

Around here, we clip the needle tip off, and go cut grass. If there is a back/after fire problem, then we will seek a replacement [maybe].
If that is the problem, that is. If you are about to order another one anyway.

Hopefully I not the one having to replace these that blew old mufflers apart. A simple cleaning is all that is needed most times. Here I clean them first then replace if needed.

And there are few old one that you can't simply remove either as they have a metering jet in them but most can simply temporary be replace with a screw (bolt) to test.

And I personally blew one my truck's mufflers off due a backfire.

But I do make more money replacing them and mufflers so go for it.