Timing got to me though, I didn't have anyone chime in so I went to the trouble of full disassembly. I pulled the fuel tank, disconnected the choke lever cable, fished the entire choke cable out (until I learn how they properly connect and disconnect from the carburetor body it was safer to undo the other end). And I pulled the carburetor and then went to town pulling off the air intake manifold.
All that work for naught, it is the style you see on ATVs etc., not the top of my list of favorite types. They try to have that rubber in the middle form a kind of seal. The next guy with excess mold flashing still attached will at least be informed.
