I just got this mower a couple of weeks ago. It had been semi retired for 4 or 5 years. I have cleaned the gas tank, fuel lines have been changed and the carb was dissembled and cleaned in Berrymans for two hours washed then blown dry.. It will start at first but acts like the carb is over loading Black smoke sputter die. let set a while starts again. Before I shell out $180 for a carb what else could be causing the problem.
Unless you have enlarged the jet holes when cleaning the carb the only other reason for running rich is a fault in the float / float needle.
If you do not have a fuel tap, fit one.
Pull the bowl off, open the fuel tap and move the float up & down to check if or at what height it cuts off the fuel supply
