Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Ran Briggs 287707 out of gas, refilled,won'tstart

I ran my mower out of gas ,refilled and it would not start. I had to jump it to even get it to turn over. I blew out the jets w/ carb cleaner to no avail. I can understand the fact that I may have gotten some trash in the carb but the battery failing has me thinking something else happened when I ran out of fuel. I'm stumped. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I think a piece of trash went down with the last of the gas and got stuck in the inlet for the needle. This allowed gas to leak out of the carb into the cylinder, causing hydraulic lock of the cylinder...which is why the starter didn't want to turn the engine. Is the spark plug wet? If so, you'll probably have to clean the carb, remove the needle and blow the inlet out really well with carb cleaner and/or compressed air, and possibly change the oil if it smells like gas seeped into it.

Thanks for the reply. I cleand the carb,changed oil and it still barely turns over. I removed the plug and it spins hard with the plug out and when I put the plug back in it tries to start but won't. When I do this it seems like it's trying to backfire. Any more suggestions before I haul it to the shop?

Was/is the spark plug wet? Is the battery 2 years old or more?

Plug was wet and the battery is almost new.

Get a new plug, clamp off the fuel line, charge the battery, and try to start it. If it's flooded, it will eventually start and burn off the fuel in the cylinder. Then un-clamp the fuel line, wait 30 minutes, then try to start it. If it doesn't want to turn again, and the plug is wet again, the inlet needle in the carb is still leaking and may need to be replaced.

I took it to the shop and the tech said I had an exhaust valve that had lost an allen head screw and that was my problem. Thanks for all the help.