Remove the carb. bowl and clean the needle and seat and reinstall. Also make
sure the float still "floats" and is stopping the fuel flow in the up
position.
Next little test is to pinch off the fuel hose going to the carb. If it
starts and runs for just a minute, with no excess fuel, then you definitely
have a fuel delivery problem in the carb.
"tallman" wrote in message
...
Today I loaned my cheapo Murray Home Depot special lawn tractor to the
dirtbag neighbor. When he was running it I heard it start to run a
little strange. Soon he finished up and parked it.

Later, I try to start it and I notice fuel dripping from the air
filter, and more fuel dripping from the exhaust pipe. Not deterred, I
try to crank it a couple times and lo & behold - more fuel comes out.
No start & the grass continues to grow. In the realm of small engine
repair, I'm hopeless.

Are the symptoms above "signs" of something terminal?

[OHV 16.5 HP B&S engine, fueled by gravity not a pump]

Any advice as to what I can try to do soon as I get done charging the
battery? (yeah, I forgot to mention that earlier).

Thx in advance