No primer. It's not the gas! The same gas is used in a lawn mower, generator, a car zero trouble on any of them. Had the same issue with the power washer last year with different gas. It's always been hard to start. I need to change the oil in it but it does not have a drain plug stupid that i'll have to turn it on it's side to get the oil out. A drain plug can't cost very much.
Doesn't matter if it will run in everything else you own, It could still be classified as bad gas. If this engine has been built since 2015 it could be a fuel quality issue, not bad gas, but off just enough to cause starting issues. What everybody is talking about with the choke is they want you to make sure it is closing all the way. Just takes a few thousands from complete close to cause problems.
The drain plug issue came about because several of the mower manufacturers designed their decks to where there is just a hole for the crankshaft therefore no location to access the drain plug. Some of the front tine tillers with vertical crankshaft engines are the same way. Try turning a 200 pound tiller over to drain the oil. Which also explains the new never change oil Briggs engines.
