Only Cub Cadets - Got another 800

Picked up this 800 just a few miles from home. Pretty solid tractor. Has the small starter, but is missing the aluminum plate and tinwork around the muffler. Have not been able to get it to run yet. Not getting fuel to the plug yet. Not so sure fuel will be my problem though. I take the plug out and squirt a little gas into the plug hole and it never tries to fire. I have good spark. It will crank reallg well, then slow down, and take off again. It will also puff back through the carb occasionally. Thought maybe I had a valve not closing completely, pulled the head off and things looked alright. Points are right at 0.020 for now. The starter gear will occasionally not retract as well. Does anyone know what the common failure of the small starter was? All in all, I am pretty happy with it. It is in better shape than my other 800.