Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): mower cranks but wont turn over, briggs and stratton, spark plug wire

Question
QUESTION: Have a murray 405000x8 with a Briggs and Stratton engine model 284 707 type 1026-e1 cose 030620zd.
was cutting grass yesterday when too much clippings in the deck caused it to stall and it would'nt restart.  Have since changed the spark plug and the solenoid, i get a spark when i hold the wire a bit from the plug, the starter spins the flywheel but the engine will not turn over and run.  The wire from the spark plug to the magneto appears to have been munched on a bit by a mouse but not completely thru the insulation.  Could this be the issue?  Motor is 2 years old battery is one season old and is holding the correct charge.

ANSWER: If you have spark then the coil is good...99.999%.  Have you tried spraying some starting fluid into the carburetor to see if the engine will start?

Let me know if the engine starts with starting fluid.
Eric

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Starting fluid does nothing.  something that i have noticed tho is that the engine is cranking without me sitting on the seat.  should this be happening?  could it be the safety switch?
thanks

Answer
That is a safety switch malfuntion.  However, safety systems are designed to either not allow the starter to spin the engine or grounds the ignition preventing spark.

If you remove the spark plug, insert the spark plug in the spark plug wire and hold the metal time of the spark plug to a metal engine part to you have spark when cranking the engine?

Need to first isolate the problem.  Not the carb's fault if it will not start on starting fluid.  Suspect the ignition system.  Does the engine have compression?  Use a compression gauge or use the poor man test and put you thumb over the spark plug hole while cranking the engine.  The compression should pop you thumb off the spark plug hole.

An inline spark tester would quickly test the igntion system.
Let me know what you fine.
Eric