PULL ROPE INSTALLATION
Todays small engines have a pull rope mechanism a lot
simpler than the old style engines of yesteryear.Flywheel
cap must be removed before attempting to install new
rope,usually there are from four to five bolts holding it
on,usually three eights in size.Once you have cap off you
will see the inside recoil disc,that is mounted with a bolt in
the center which you will not have to take loose,if you try
to spin the recoil disc around you will see either two
plastic or metal starter pawls or dogs as most people refer
to them.Sometimes they will break,causing you to replace
them.They fly out and catch the starter cup on the
flywheel, thus spinning the engine.
To replace starter rope you will have to spin disc in a
counterclockwise fashion all the way, until it feels tightly
wound making sure you align the hole in the disc with the
hole in the flywheel cap.You will have to hold disc in this
fashion without it unwinding.I usually use a pair of vice
grips or any means to wedge disc to keep it wound up
while installing the pullrope,since you will need both
hands free for this.Try to size the length of your new rope
with whats left of the old before you install.
With everything line up,disc wound up,feed new rope
through hole in flywheel cover and intostarter disc
hole.You may need to burn end of rope with a lighter to get
rid of any frazzles that hinder this proccess,if flywheel
cover hole and starter disc hole are aligned it should be
simple enough.Once rope is through starter disc hole,tie a
good knot and pull from outside flywheel cover,release the
vice grips or wedge,letting disc unwind,thus winding rope
up,before you do this its a good idea to have your rubber
handle installed on opposite end of rope,to keep rope from
winding all the way in to starter disc.
You can see a photo on this by going to my trouble
shooting guide at http://pass.smallenginetrblshtng.com
and going to contents.
Older style engines, such as some of the briggs 5 hp tillers
and go carts,and still some of the pushmowers are
different in having a spring that must be removed and
wound up before being installed, thats room for another
article.