Starting a mower after winter

I have a small, 5HP push mower and I had it running a couple days ago, but now when I try starting it, it would start for a brief 3-4 seconds top, and then stall. I don't know what the problem could be, my spark plug looks like it was in good shape, and I tried cleaning any grass out of the air filter, but now I think the problem lies in the gas or oil. Do I need to change a oil filter? I just put new oil in after mowing my lawn the two days ago, but when I checked the oil foil/wand the oil was pretty dark and gritty....... I ran the winter gas tank down as much as I could and I put fresh gas in it, which is good, how do I fix this?

Off topic: Sorry, if I seem a bit newbie, I'm only 15, what can I say? lol

Welcome to LMF...
Definite,y sounds like a fuel problem.

Good possibility that fuel dissolved gunk that was built up in the tank or carb, then it plugged something up..
With any luck you may get it to clean up using a fuel additive, but you most likely will need to remove the carburetor & clean it up.. :smile:KennyV

I removed and cleaned up the carburetor and still I have no spark, I still get a quick start then it gives out, I don't know what else I can try....

Hey Trevor...
Sorry I didn't realize you were loosing ignition..?
check around the carb, is there a kill switch built into the thing:
Is the wire loose and possibly shorting out, killing the spark...

It's a bit unusual to have ignition at start and then loose it after a few seconds??? :smile:KennyV

I actually managed to fix the problem, the carburetor was definitely a element in the problem, I checked out the spark plug, and I brushed off any carbon matter on it then screwed in back in and on the third try it started without a hesitation or a un-promising ignition. I cam across another problem, That I will post in a different thread. Thanks for the advice sir!

Even if u gotr runnen still change the oil,there probably won't b a oil filter on a push mower,if oil is dark:change it