Lawn mower motor

Picked up non running mower with a decent Briggs and Stratton motor. Guy I got it from somehow overfilled the oil, I took about 36oz out of it and it probably needs about 18-20oz at the most.
The muffler was filled with oil, spark plug was nasty, oil pushed back through the carb and into the gas tank I think as the fuel was black and oily too.
So, I took the muffler, carb, linkage and gas tank off, cleaned them up. Looked inside the spark plug hole and the piston looked nasty dirty and oily.
Should I try to flush the piston area out with fuel or carb cleaner to clean out a bit of the oil before reassembling? I don't wanna take the head off if I don't have to. I don't have any oil in it now asi wanted to flush it.
Any advice is appreciated.

I wouldn't bother with cylinder at all it will burn off the first time you start it. I would clean up the carb make sure the passages aren't plugged. Put a new plug it push it outside and fire it off and get ready to fog with it for a while the oil will burn off in a big billowing cloud. Other then that just run it and enjoy.

Pull the plug and spin it over with the starter, that will blow the majority of the oil out.
Get two plugs in case the first one fouls.
Take a can of carb cleaner and blast out the carb, getting into as many of the orifices as you can.

Thanks guys. Got it running and it starts first pull. Little bit of smoke when it started but you told me that would happen. I think I might try tearing it completely down to see if I can rebuild it and get it to work again. I'm not very mechanical but I only have $7 into it so wtf, might as well try it.

It's good exercise that is where I started with most of mechanical abilities took small engines in high school now I basically work anything and everything. Except for mounting scope I let Burt do that for me.

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Originally Posted by 2XS

It's good exercise that is where I started with most of mechanical abilities took small engines in high school now I basically work anything and everything. Except for mounting scope I let Burt do that for me.

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"A mans got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry I believe.

I have kept my B&S mower from Sears running since 2004. I tell my son that is older then him.....and works harder!
Rebuilt the card and a new blade two weeks ago and she has started every year on the first pull or two.

I still have a large wheel Craftsman mower we bought new in '92. Had it serviced a couple of years ago, starts on third pull and it's a beast.

Got 2 large wheel mowers with busted wheels I need to get rid of myself. 1 needs a good tune-up too. The other ran until I busted the starting cable 2 yrs ago.

I had an "award" at work that was getting ready to expire last year and one of the few places I could redeem it was Sears. Got a new mid-grade mower for ~$15 out of pocket. Now I have these other 2 mowers that I need figure out what to do with them. Anyone have a need/desire for them? Pick up one or both locally and they're yours.

ETA: ** GONE **

I'll take em. When and where can I pick them up?