thanks, that's what I was thinking about the black smoke. I called the local shop and they said they have seen this before and have not heard or seen any issues where a problem ever occured afterwards. I can't see where any springs attach to the choke lever so it must be something internal.

Do you ever tilt the mower up on one side or hang it up to save space? If you do, you may be raising the exhaust side which will let oil contaminate the air filter. Gas usually gets into the oil when the carburetor continues to allow fuel in after shutting off the mower. The carb floods and gas gets into the oil. Any time you pick up one side of the mower, it has to be the carb side. That's why they always put the oil fill tube on the side opposite the carb, so you can drain the old oil without causing a problem. If your pleated air filter is oily, the engine may not run, or it may run 'rich', which will produce carbon and cause the oil to smell like gas. The Honda carb also has a drain plug bolt, so you don't have to remove the fuel bowl to flush it out. The oily air filter might be why its not running. Maybe you are the only one who knows how it got oily.

The carb is gummed up with varnish from having old gas in it for a year. Remove the carb and clean it (preferably by soaking in carb cleaner) and make sure all passages on the main jet are cleaned out. You might try first removing the main jet and cleaning it with a spray type carb cleaner and running a tiny wire through the passages, but if that doesn't work, it's soakin' time.

SO you have been using this all along? Fuel fresh and water free?