Repairs Help with hard starting and minor fuel leak - F series

I bought my current Lawn Boy (Model No. R7271) at a flea market in Indiana back in 1994. I have used the mower every season for mowing and the only maintenance I have performed year after year is regularly cleaning the accumulated grass off the under side of the deck, new plugs every few years, and sharpening the blade. While I probably should have done more, the mower has been trouble free for twenty years.



Earlier this year (at the start of the mowing season), my mower was hard to start (taking more than 4+ pulls to get it going) and it developed a gas leak when not running (if I forget to use the fuel shutoff). When running, it runs like a top. I called around and now that I live in California, I can't find anybody to repair my mower or to even perform a tune up. Apparently Californians don't like 2-cycles. I'm on my own.



I'm looking for some advice on where to start to look for the problem and any maintenance that I should do after years of "neglect." I found the lawn boy service manual online and I am willing to do anything on the mower. I have rebuilt car engines before, but the 2-cycle small engine world and the world of carburetors are new to me. Any advice, pointers, or starting points would be appreciated.



Thanks in advance!