'Rich' can cover up many problems. Amateur mechanics find that they can make engines run by throwing more fuel at the problem. OTOH, 2-cycles do like their fuel. Let's think about what's going on in the engine; you've been using it and it's hot - you stop the engine and the fuel in it evaporates to some extent. If you use the choke while it's coasting down, it sucks in extra fuel, so there's some in the crankcase for re-starting. But it didn't always do this, so something has changed. I wonder if it actually is running lean because of a pressure leak in the reed valve. This would blow some fuel back through the carb. In this scenario, you probably would have a gassy air filter.

If you have to squirt gas into the cylinder to restart it when hot, it sounds like the primer is not working at that point, but that doesn't make sense. I have a similar model with the F engine, but on mine it will flood easily on hot restarts if I press the primer.

I know - its the kind of thing I like to do too. Sounds like the deck is okay. I would keep on using it. CD pack failures are irritating, but when you consider that most people have to buy a new mower long before 9 years, it seems very cheap to operate. Even if you have put new wheels and axles on at about the same frequency as the CD packs, you really are not spending any money on it. And, you can still find the rear-bagging kits and deck plates (blank for discharging, blocked for mulching). Other things you may encounter after such long service are crankshaft end seals popping out or just leaking, the need to rebuild the carb and carbon build-up in the exhaust ports and muffler. I always recommend adding Marvel Mystery oil to the gas in addition to your regular oil mix as well as the use of a fuel stabilizer. If you use Ethanol-blended fuel, get the Stabil Marine for Ethanol Fuels. All engines like MMO, in particular the 2-cycles.

Update, What an idiot I am, screw 21 at the base of the bowl is the bowl fuel drainage, please disregard my earlier post. I did try the method of shutting off the fuel supply for 10 seconds before turning iginition off. It still behaved the same way, only starts on slow speed. I may just live with it since I have for years. I don't want to risk messing with the carb since there's a chance something else can go wrong as indicated below. I recently changed the mower belt, not hard to do. While I was at it I thought I'd change the primary belt which was still in good condition. Big mistake changing the primary belt. After I finished I was checking it out while still jacked up, no matter what I did as soon as I put it in gear it stalled. After spending countless hours rechecking my work I gave up. I lowered the mower from the jack and was prepared to push the 357 pound machine into the shed. Before doing so I started the engine and put it in gear, everything worked again. It appears by having it jacked up caused the problem. Moral of the experience, if it ain't broke don't fix it.