Is it running rich or is the spark plug not operating in the self cleaning operating range. Many people don't run equipmebt hard enough to get the plug temp into the self cleaning range. Unlike a car engine with water cooling and a thermostat. Most air cooled small engines have no temperature regulation so they are designed to operate in high ambient temperatures at max power. Nearly all the flathead push mower engines don't get hot enought to get the plug into the self cleaning range. Carbon deposits from running rich and carbon deposits from being too cold look very similar. OHV OPE engines have higher compression so they run hotter than a flat head engine so they tend to get the plug(s) into the self cleaning range much better than flat head engines. A flat head briggs uses a champion plug with a 19 heat range (RJ19LM) whereas a OHV uses a 12 heat range plug (RC12YC) which is a colder plug. Every time an engine is started the spark plug(s) are developing carbon deposits, regardless of the mixture, until the plug(s) reach the self cleaning range and burn off the carbon.