Help With A Mower

Probably the first thing I would do is verify the air cleaner is not plugged. Saying that checks good, add some Seafoam to the gas to see if it will clean out the carb. It may not help or at least not untill you can run a tank or two of gas with seafoam added to clean it. Finally, I would, if possible, not use gas with ethanol added. At least down here, there are two stations that still sell straight gas. It's all I run in any of my small engines. Sure saves a lot of problem. If that doesn't help, you'll probably find a buch of gunk in carb which will have to be cleaned out.

If it has a gravity feed fuel system (no fuel pump) then you may have one of the fuel float valves not shutting off the fuel and it's flooding the engine @ startup.  After it is shut down you can crimp off the fuel line with a pair of vice grips to stop any fuel flow when it's off.  Next time you want to start it take off the vice grips and see if it starts better.  This will tell you if it's a float valve problem.  If it is you can just buy a simple fuel shutoff and install it in the fuel line and turn it off when not being used or rebuild the carb causing the problem.

I agree with Stan. A piece of dirt is probably holding the float needle open or something else is wrong with your float system in the carb.

I talked to a guy at the local power supply, he said I have a magneto type coil that picks up everything it need from the magnet on the flywheel, he also said the one wire that connects into the coil is just a "kill" wire. He told me to unhook the kill wire and then try to start or look for fire at the plugs, no dice. I guess this magneto is shot, but man it stinks these things cost 50 bucks new, I am afraid to buy a used one off of ebay, they say they are guaranteed but I would rather have a new one with a warranty. I am going to check the grounds on the frame tomorrow.