If you didn't clean the tank out before you reconnected the hose with the filter missing, yes, the crud is now in the carburetor's fuel intake pipe leading to the needle and seat. That may be what is wrong. What were the new symptoms of the failure?
It started up but soon after starting to drop revs, I asked my wife to press the primer and each time she pressed it the revs would pick up to normal but progressively got worse (she would have to press it two-three times to get it back to normal) and in the end I said give it up.
I checked and the fuel filter had dislodged. I tried to start it and it wouldn't start at all no matter how many times I primed it. I haven't checked spark however but will do this after I get a new filter/tap from bunnings and clean out the tank.
