Snapper rear engine model 313314BE

Hi....just became a snapper owner...tired of pushing my mower around my large lot. Got this 1995 33" cut with 13 hp motor for the princely sum of $100.00. Yes it sounds too good to be true, but the mover runs and cuts pretty well.
It did not have a battery, so we have to use pull start for now..but getting a battery today. After I initially started it at home...I stalled it out because I am not use to the clutch. After that, it would not start unless I sprayed carb
cleaner into the carburetor...but would only run if I contined spraying...so I pulled the carb bowl and found lots of disgusting rusty stuff in there. Cleaned it out and blasted the carb and float with cleaner and now it starts and runs.
However, there is a fair amount of missing and some popping out out the carb....so I was thinking , probably a new carb would be great. I have dranied the tank and put in new gas and cleaned the plug. Anything else I should do?
This is a beast of a mower...lots of power, but steering it in uneven terrain is a challenge!

https://www.partstree.com/search/?t...ter[product_family]=Rear-Engine+Riding+Mowers

https://www.partstree.com/models/331314be-80639-snapper-33-rear-engine-riding-mower-13hp/

post engine model xxxxxx, type xxxx, trim xx.

Just got a battery at advance auto and the mower starts great....now the engine , while it has pleanty of pwer, it pops back a little thru the carb. My mechanic says it probably needs a valve service...what should this cost...is it something I can do....I have rebuilt entire automotive engins in the past.

A poppet valve engine is a poppet valve engine is a poppet valve engine is a poppet valve engine .
Nothing different about a mower engine apart from a lower quality of build and a governor control on the throttle.
Get a manual for the engine and have some shed fun.
BAckfiring through the carb is usually caused by running too lean or spark too far advanced.
Spark timing is set by the key in the flywheel if it is electronic or the points if the engine is very old.
By 1995 Atom Industries patient on the Hall effect trigger unit had expired so the cheapskate engine companies who would not pay the 50¢ license fee started to fit electronic ignitions.

For us to be any more help we really need to know what engine is in there.

So the saga continues....I bought a replacement carb on amazon...whole kit was 28 bucks and the carb looks great, and it is an exact replacement...I put it on...primed the motor and it started right away...the popping is gone and the engine runs really smooth. So I turn off the engine , come back later, and try to start it again and the starter motor just spins, but does not engage the flywheel...which indicates a solenoid proble...but I wonder if I disturbed some wiring as this occur when I activated the choke slider. There is a little black wire near that spot.

Took the housing off the top of the mower and there is a section on the flywheel that has no teeth...rotated it slightly and starter works fine. I also removed the pull start assembly and there is no longer any squealing from the motor as happened on occassion before.