[American Constitutionalist]

Yes, the fuel system get's water in them from sitting during the winter time if it's left outside in the weather.
These days they had additives to put in the gasoline so it won't go bad sitting in the lawn mover for months, but, gasoline get's stale and because like varnish it left sitting in the lawn mover..... with mowers with float bowl, got to drop the float bowl and hopefully the bowl gasket can be reused, clean the needle valve, bowl, and take a bread wire tie and carefully clean the orifices out.
If the electronic ignition is bad, there is not to much you can do for it, got to get a new one, still I like the electronic ignition over the points/condenser system, unless there is a EMP attack from Russia or China.

[Arrowhead1952]

The ethanol in fuel is also a killer for fuel systems. I try to find ethanol free fuel, but it is getting harder to find. I use mid range in my mowers now. I still use some old metering rods to clean the orifices.