lawnmower -- May I wash paper air filter? Only runs when pumping red
bulb?

A) My Sears walk-behind mower uses a pleated paper air filter shaped
sort of like the inside cardboard of a toilet paper roll, but shorter.
Paper inside with a plastic skeleton around it. I can't go buy
another one now, and someone told me I could wash this one, even
though it's paper. Is there any truth to that?


B) I lent it out and my friend didn't use Sta-bil, and probably didn't
run it for a month or more, when summer was over. Now, it won't start
for him, and when I press the red rubber bulb 5 times and pull the
rope, it will often start and run for 5 seconds. If I get to the red
bulb in time, before it stalls, and I press the bulb 2 or 3 times a
second, I can keep the engine running as long as I do that. On
Friday, I pressed the bulb for about 30 seconds and then the machine
ran on its own 60 seconds until I turned it off, but now that I'm not
at my friend's house, and I'm at my own house, I've pumped the red
bulb and kept it running for 90 seconds, but a few seconds after I
stop, it stops too. The weather's not as warm as it was Friday.

It also runs when I spray starter fluid in the carburator throat.

Is Gum-out carburetor linkage spray, which can also be sprayed down a
carburetor, worth spraying into the gas tank? I don't think spraying
into the carb will do any good, will it?

What about gum-out fuel injector cleaner? That's meant to go into the
gas tank and disolve deposits wherever the gas goes. Likely to work
here?

Is Sta-bil going to do any good at this point? I thought that just
stops gum from forming?

Can I use all 3?

Is there any point to any of the three? That is, does pressing the
red bulb bypass the bowl and tube to the primary jet, and is that
where the problem is?

It's getting cold out and I have a recently broken arm, and recent
abdominal surgery, but I really want to fix this, and mow my lawn with
my own mower, before winter comes.

Any help is appreciated.