H all - I have a 19 year old toro riding mower that I'm trying to get started. I left some gas in there for about 2 years and just now trying to fix my mess I created while learning more about small engine repairs.

Toro model: 71184
Briggs model and type: 286707 045501 mineto carb

So at first the I get nothing when I try to start her - check and battery way dead so got a brand new one and replaced it. Then I drained the fuel, replaced the fuel filter with a brand new one, and replaced the filter foam and underlying element. Also checked to make sure I had enough oil - which I did but didn't change it yet.

At that point the starter cranks it and after a while it sounds like it wants to fire but doesn't at all. So I figure out how to remove the carb from the block and take it apart. I remove the bowl nut as well - then i spray it like crazy all over with carb cleaner and wherever I see any gunk i wiped it clean. Not sure how fragile the float mechanism is and if i can get it out of wack when I cleaned it and put it all back together. So now I have a clean carb and I know the fuel is at least making it to the carb. I put some gas in the air intake as a good measure - it fires but then runs for maybe 5 seconds or so and conks out.

I figure that is classic fuel not getting to the cylinder somewhere along the line. Just in case though I do replace the spark plug. With the new plug it cranks and I just keep hearing it fire - plop plop plop plop - slowly and it just doesn't fire to the point where the starter can disengage. Maybe i weakened the battery and need to trickle charge it since I've been working the starter so much for the past 2 days?

Only other thing I can think of is if this model has a fuel pump or fuel shut off valve the I don't know about. I've been pouring over the parts diagrams and don't see that. However right below where the air in take is from the air filter there is another tube that attaches to the engine block and a small raised rectangular metal thing that I have no idea what it is.

Any ideas from the group? Could there be a leak somewhere which stops the fuel from being sucked throu properly? The gas tank is above the engine so I assume this is a simple gravity fed system with no pump.