Fuel comes into the carb, gets mixed with air then that flows through a tube into the engine
Get a trigger bottle of WD 40 or similar
Remove the bonnet
Start the engine and saturate the area between the carb & the engine
If it starts to blow white smoke or the revs suddenly change then there is an air leak,, loose bolt, broken gasket , warped manifold , warped carb flange .
Clean inside where the fuel runs ?
Float too low ?
Fuel tank outlet partially blocked ?
Bit of corrosion in the main jet ?
Fuel filter blocked ?
Search "surging"
you will find enough material to keep you reading for a month