As to your choke problem, the carburetor is either out of adjustment, or more likely has some crud blocking a jet and can't get enough gas into the engine without using the choke. Try turning the load screw out a turn, sometimes that will allow any crud to break free, plus it makes the air mixture have more gas in it. It should be a brass screw on the bottom of the carb, toward the starter, but it can vary. Try a can of Seafoam in the gas to clean things up. You should be able to find it at almost any auto parts store.
If this doesn't help, the carb will need to be torn down, cleaned, and reassembled.