Your carburetor jets need cleaning. What is the model number of the engine. Or is it a Briggs or Tecumseh engine.

Yes.. Correct on that. Cleaned out the lower jet and reinstalled and it started right up. Now it surges... Not like its starving for fuel.. More like. .. run smooth for 90 seconds.. stall... recover...
Its not consistent either. The Mower is 20 years old and when I had the carb off I could see lots of carbon build up. Maybe a valve issue..
Once in a while it puts out blue smoke too... Not huge amounts.. but more than usual.

Thanks.. and than you Baymee for the response!

Jeffe

Take a look at this. It's probably a /Tecumseh motor and this is an article about an extreme cleaning, but there is more to your carb than the bowl nut. It's not always necessary to remove the Welch plug if you can get there through the bottom passage or the idle jet hole.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lmower/msg061726346162.html