If not the first pull, the second. But on the first it will give an indication of wanting to go.
With the carby, the only bits that should need replacing are inlet manifold O-rings, (done just because you do, if you dont you can chase a problem forever) a new o-ring on the primer face and the little stop pin rubber (ive found pushing it in with a 5mm allen key T handle is the easiest). My local mower shop only sell the full long rubbers, not sure what model is meant to use what, i have had to cut them short twice to get the stop wires to work right.
As far as the rest of the carb goes, i like a dead mower with a complete carb still on the motor. Strip it down, wash all the bits up in Kerro, except for the big rubber digafram (had one swell once), just clean it with a rag. Blow everything off with compressed air and blow through the airways (carb body, primer face and the vac port on the back cover) and wipe everything dry with a rag. Inspect everything, checking for cracks and splits and where things might have rubbed through, especially the digafram cover. Put it back together. If its got the white multi poppet in it, set it to 'C' before you put it back on the motor.
Then bolt the air cleaner to the handle and sit the carb in near where its meant to be. Put the stop pins in. Spark plug out with the lead on and check for spark and no spark. Then put the carb on. Probably no so much an issue as if i remember right the tilt a cut has the carb upside down. But on the mowers its easier to get the pins in with the carb off.
Ive found it easier to get the carbs back on if you wipe a bit of oil around the o-ring on the inlet.
I would say that the issue you are having is that its flooding. My mower was doing that months back just after i put a new primer face on it. Was a runt of the thing to get started. Once it was running it went great.
Knowing a bit more about them now i would assume that one way to check that would be to remove the main jet while holding the primer face on. The O-ring will seal it but with the jet out fuel would spill out the centre hole.
Cheers, Bob.
