How to Repair a Small Engine Recoil Starter

[@ebeep]

Thank you internet! Haven't started the repair yet, but the fact that fine people like you make such info and instructions public makes the world a better place! Much appreciated!

[@paultout4087]

Borrowed a motor cultivator from a friend. Rope broke first pull (it had been idle for almost a year). Dismounted engine cover and replaced rope ... totally slack. Relevant Briggs & Stratton page utterly useless. Found this video. Rewound the coil, replaced the rope. Perfect. Started first time. Thank you Mark!

[@Dondraper66]

Thank you very much sir. Just fixed my snow blower in a few moments and am now ready for this Missouri snow storm.

[@sugarpenny10]

Looks easy enough :) The cord on my Briggs and Stratton snapped and I replaced it and rebuilt the mower, only to find that the first time I pulled the cord it started the engine but didn't recoil! The annoying thing was that the weather was perfect for cutting my lawn but I only got half done - and now it is pouring with rain! Hopefully when I have a go at re-tensioning the spring I can make it work properly!

[@johnjoeflanagan]

This is the simplest and most effective way to tension the spring. I tried this on the recoil starter for an outboard motor. Works first time. Cheers Mark.

[@jabrah1000]

This video helped a LOT. I fumbled quite a while trying to figure it out until I looked here and in a few short minutes had no problem repairing the starter and I was on my way. Well done Thanks.

[@starlight7830]

With these videos you will put yourself out of business !

[@rssg1984]

Best repair video on KZbin. Thanks again and again. How simple.

[@adelabarreda]

u make the repairs look so easy.. my husband and i will try to repair our lawnmower....

[@soxpicks]

Thanks so much. Rope just broke getting the snowblower ready for the season. Needed to recoil the spring as well. Saved time & money. Excellent !!

[@MrCraigwhyte]

Excellent video, very well explained, step by step. The mysteries of the small engine pull starter unravelled! Well done!!

[@TheBadGumby]

Mark, Well My pulley cord would not move but 6 ", During tear down I discovered not only a pull cord close to breaking but the spring had come off the hooks. $4.00 later and remount the spring, we are good to go. Thanks your video help a lot.

[@jaypweaver497]

I watched several videos on how to replace the pull cord. I think your way is the easiest! Thanks Mark

[@brucehampton1545]

Haven't fixed my pull yet but your video has great sound and clarity and is so easy to understand. Thank you.

[@mrwatusay]

Try drill starting i havent went back

[@thomaswoods1625]

Thank you! You just saved me $106 in replacement parts! Awesome video!

[@cgrscott]

Very helpful. Thanks to your instructional video, I was able to replace my broken recoil string without having to take the recoil assembly apart. I only had to remove the recoil assembly from the engine. My local neighborhood small engine shop had plenty of replacement recoil string, for cheap. :-)

[@FIXTechGuides]

@lyerlyman Not necessarily. You'll just have to test the direction in which the pulley pulls the rope for that part of the repair and proceed accordingly. Very good question. Thanks for watching! -Mark

[@rylos17]

Thanks for the help. I just tried starting my MTD snowblower today and my cord broke. I purchased a new cord but was not able to figure out why the cord won't recoil back until I watched your video. You just saved me from shoveling tomorrow night since we are about to get a storm here in Minnesota.

[@MikeNess012]

Thank you very much. You are the only one I saw that put tension on the spring then attach the cord. That was the solution I needed.

[@menty6666]

Thank you! I was struggling with this tonight on my generator ahead of the hurricane, and had a duh moment when you mentioned the bit about making sure you're tensioning it in the right direction. I had it done and back on within 10 minutes after that.

[@tombelknap3160]

I use this site a lot!! I'm not a natually handy person. With all the how-to info,I'm able to do most things myself!!

[@leovasquez5016]

Well Done, Mark. I'll work on my tiller in the morning. Thanks.

[@TonyWesley]

Thank you for this clear video. I have a starter where the tabs are not fully coming out when I pull the cord, so the starter doesn't engage. I took it off and sprayed some lubricant in it but that didn't solve the issue. After watching your video, I won't be afraid to take the starter apart.

[@mbigbrat]

I did order a new recoil for my Baja mini bike. But your instructions was great .. Im going to try and fix the old one as use as back up. Thanks

[@johnbregonje4841]

Thanks mate. You make it look a lot easier then all the trouble I've been having

[@raijinb]

very helpful. Appreciate the pace and clarity of directions and tips to stay safe.

[@dendy1996]

thanks i work with tools that have pull cords all the time as i am an arborist,haven't had to do one for so long thanks for the video refresher

[@discolemonade66]

Thanks for the video! This just happened to me yesterday. This was extremely helpful and an easy fix once I knew what to do.

[@FIXTechGuides]

@ContraMondial The spring will need to be rewound into the starter housing. The key is to start from the outside of the spring and work toward the center. Most folks will try to coil the center of the spring working out and then place the coiled spring back into the housing. That method is nearly impossible. You have given me an idea for a new video we can do so watch for a "How to recoil a Starter Spring" video soon. Thanks for watching, -Mark

[@Ithan010710]

Hey, Mark! A rally squirrel ate my pull cord, and I was having a crazy time trying to replace it. Turns out I needed to remove the cord before adding tension, instead of having it attached while. I would have never figured it out. Muchas Gracias Amigo!!

[@rowdyboudy]

this video helped me do the job thankyou, also there is a small spike on the coil tht holds it together whist being wound up tight

[@stnemason]

Mark, You're da man. I wish I watched your video BEFORE I bled all over my B&S recoil. Yep...I was winding it the wrong way.... Many thanks for saving my lawnmower from an angry-induced firey death!

[@waynegeorgiades4662]

Mark I seen how you disassembled the starter . mine is the same but feels like it won't budge. I see it should come apart and I will try. thanks

[@shakazulu7371]

So much easier than the other methods Thanks

[@1976gt]

Thank you for the great how to....Eye protection is always a good idea when working with springs under tension!

[@FIXTechGuides]

Often times you can remove the entire blower housing with the starter still attached and perform the starter repair. In some cases you might need to drill out the rivets to make the repair. Then you can reinstall the starter with new rivets or some small bolts and lock nuts. I hope this helps, -Mark

[@andrewwillis4761]

Thanks! I just put a new carb on and got it running good when the cord popped. I appreciate your video.

[@geraldbasford6713]

Thanks for your clear and detailed video. I always come back to you for a video.

[@FIXTechGuides]

So glad to hear it! Let us know if you need something in particular :)

[@wierdful1]

+eReplacementParts.com yes ... Dog ears or pawls do not contact flywheel enough to cause tension on pull

[@5052awhite]

i have a question, i have a craftsman weed eater, my pull cord wont retract, when i remove the housing it retracts fine, but when i reinstall the housing seems to get jammed somehow, is it the recoil spring or could it be the little spring or something else? i ordered both parts just in case

[@markwkingjr]

How do you get the housing off? Mine is a Toro Recycler from around 2006 or 7 - its not a standard head bolt, it looks like a square inside a divot. thanks! (my chord just ripped, so i'm hoping I can just tie a knot and be done, but the housing has to come off...

[@darrellparkhill]

Thanks for a great how-to. Saved me a unwelcome headache on my Husqvarna chainsaw!

[@ducttapeking7063]

Saved me a lot of time and money- needed to say thanks for posting- that's all!

[@sjtut]

Any idea why after I put it back on the engine it only works once? It seems like the second time the two pieces do not come out to grab the engine.

[@TheLaxdude77]

ive tried to learn this for years for skills usa but this station always tripe me up but this video made so much sense i hope i can finally get this station down right

[@FIXTechGuides]

Some manufactures offer the individual parts for the starter and some do not. Go to our website and type your engine or tool model number into our parts finder to find a complete list of parts for your starter. If the individual parts are available replacing them is usually an easy repair. Thanks, -Mark

[@andrewparmley8767]

Thanks for the video,sure gave me the confidence to repair my snowmobile starter thanks

[@DerptimeTV]

is there any way to repair the knobs on the oposite side of a recoil assembly because they are worn down to nothing and one is missing or should i get a new 1

[@sankstone]

what about the pawls ? My chord pulls but doesn't catch. Nice video.....

[@avemariapickleball]

Dude. Thanks so much!! I had NO CLUE how to fix my edgers pull start until I watched your vids. I'm not too mechanical, either. Again Thanks a MILLION!!!!!!!

[@FRANKSBESEK]

So much easier to rewind spring first and then pull rope through. I always wound rope first and then tried getting it back through hole from inside. Fantastic tip. Thank you.

[@JasonPlouff]

I love how you guys teach. You should mention what parts could be bought from your website (and include the link). This way your views can convert to leads.

[@JohnDiPonio]

Perfect! I was able to repair my Cub Cadet with ease! For the life of me I could not figure out how to rewind the pull start spring.

[@dperique]

Good video, very informative and I used it to repair the pull starter on my Ariens 8524 snowblower

[@robertsherard4657]

Hi, Mark, Will this be the same for a craftsman model 536884580 snow blower? Would you know how to take the cover off to get to the pulley?

[@FIXTechGuides]

@kodibass Thanks a bunch for the feedback and thanks for watching!

[@emmahull9781]

Very clearly explained. Thanks

[@apple1999207]

Great video. Best of this kind around. Great camera work and clear instructions. My old qualcast will be running again soon.

[@crowe46538]

Very helpful video. Only problem i had was that my entire spring coil came out. Seeing how it was supposed to look inside helped a ton. Even how you recoiled it. Appreciate the video :)

[@ralpha7975]

Great video man thanks much appreciated. Ran into this problem today and came to a resolution way quicker before getting someone else to rip me off

[@FIXTechGuides]

@KingdomUploader That might be a tough repair. You could try a little epoxy and see if it will hold but I kind of doubt that it will. If not your best bet would be to replace the housing if it is offered or the entire starter assembly if not. I hope this helps and good luck, -Mark

[@MrBabadax]

Thanx I only had to watch a few minutes and my light bulb lit up. It dawned on me that my spring wasn't seating correctly so with the help of needle nose pliers I bent the end so it would catch properly and walla problem fixed. Wound it up, clamped it, threaded rope, and it wound back by itself once again. Thanx much BA.

[@aldadsad]

i like your explaination very much very simple and easy to follow becuase i am having problem with my Honda generator know i could go and pracice your method thanks my man

[@jgalente]

You make it very easy to learn how to fix the recoil stater! Thank you.

[@brucehampton1545]

In addition to my last comment there is a piece that is on top with a plastic clip in it and not sure what that does maybe just hold the pull assembly in the cover I donj't know for sure. Is that maybe an adjustment for the pull to flywheel?

[@acook955]

Hi can you tell me how to stop the pull start from rattling please the mower runs fine its a Briggs and Stratton engine thank you

[@kaeleemccoy05]

This was helpful because I just got a used four wheeler that didn't have a starting cord and I was trying to see how to install one so this helped!

[@michaelmahony1563]

Thanks Mark . love watching your show helps a lot . Michael Mahony Australia.

[@MicroKommander]

Professional approach. To the point. Keep it up.

[@grahamatkinson9851]

Thanks. This vid was a big help to me when fixing my mower today. :)

[@MrPixelater]

Thanks Mark, just what I needed to fix my problem!

[@ContraMondial]

How about if the Tension spring comes completely off the recoiler? My tension spring came completely off the recoiler. I've got a Ridgid RD6800 Portable Generator.

[@johnsokolowski4507]

I pulled the top part off (with the plastic tabs) a small spring came out, where does that spring go?? Thank you.

[@kodibassInsideoutboards]

good vid, as always' very clear & easy to understand

[@alpinewhite]

Very nice video. Thanks. I need to replace the cord on my Craftsman chipper/shredder.

[@patrickwarby1140]

Cool demonstration. Thank you

[@alanstetzsr2121]

Thanks for the help on the starter pulley

[@dalsenov]

Very informative! Thank you very much! I have this problem with the tension loss but another one too: One of the 2 tabs that engage the engine came out.I am afraid that if the second does this too,I will have to buy a new starter. Any idea how to couple the tab back to the pulley?

[@larry4347]

How do you access the starter housing? I took off the top but there are what look like 4 silver hex/allen screws, but they are not as I tried to fit both. I have a Toro GTS2 Recycler Model 20452. It looks easy on every other Toro but this one.

[@waynegeorgiades4662]

the part came in today and I went to my work shop with the new part. Just like the video it went in I wound as instructed counter clockwise blocked the spring system re-threaded the rope and it was good to go. Now the gas tank is leaking. another day on the farm!

[@davidknowles4266]

Absolutely great, explained so clearly,a fantastic video.

[@HCox46]

Very simple instructions thank you.

[@gurpalkingra8498]

Thanks very much!Great job,very well explained Gurpal

[@brucehampton1545]

I have one I've never seen before with a sears mower tecumseh engine the starter pull assembly won't engage the flywheel unless I push down on it before every time I pull the rope. Itw ill rock back and forth on top and I just can't figure out why. When I remove it the wheel turns fine and the wings come out correct but the stupid thing just won't mount far enough down on the engine to engage. Any ideas nothing looks worn or bent.

[@kentbogan3196]

Will it be the same problem if the pulling frooze and you cant pull it??

[@charlesebeams9294]

Thanks for your help. I had a broken rope and that fixed it up.

[@michaeldomino3334]

How can i do this on a toro push mower, everyone seems to be showing a brigs engine??? Please help!

[@musicmansuperman]

Well done! Very clear and concise instructions!

[@gavinsimons8022]

Your video saved the day.

[@rjputt]

Many thanks! Very clear on the process and I got it done by myself!

[@vc.la.sucvathosucvat6483]

Thanks for great video. You fix the problem with ease I had been struggling mine for hours unsuccessful. Now I can fix mine very helpful video !!!

[@HELYEA666]

I got a scooter with a pull starter that i repaired, but doesn't go all the way in. Any suggestions?

[@FIXTechGuides]

That sounds like it might be a square drive screw. Drivers for square drive screws are readily available at your local home improvement store. #2 is the most common size. I hope this helps, -Mark

[@rockinventor]

Good job. That service tech, like Barney Rubble, is some actor.

[@neogovernment]

Very clear instruction. Thank you very much

[@zayidblackmoor]

Thanx! Simple, Safe & quick- My Favorites!

[@dcs30750]

Thanks! You made it simple. I was trying to do it with the rope attached.

[@JuanSanchez-fz3vo]

Very helpful had a situation similar to it I got it but with some difficulty thanks for the info

[@SuperJacob7]

this helped so much! I had no idea it was that easy to fix this problem

[@nataliehowarth9898]

I never needed to use the pull cord on the 2 year 2 month old Toro Recycler and found it was usually stuck anyway, so used the electric start. Last mowing, the starter complained and required a few cranks..now the electric start just clicks (yes, charged the battery and replaced the fuse) and the grass is growing long. Would like to now use the pull cord on the mower but it won't budge. Any ideas why it won't move...would like some advice prior to trying to take apart for a first time experience.

[@FIXTechGuides]

Natalie Howarth First off. Disconnect the spark plug wire and see if you can turn the motor over by hand. Make sure the plug wire is disconnected . You don't want it to start with your hands anywhere close. Both starters going out is very uncommon and I wonder if the motor hasn't seized. I recommend getting the Battery tested for your mower. Even though it has been on the charger, these get old and wear out and will make the starter click and then fail to work at all. Second, carefully remove the starter rope assembly looking for either a piece of debris or a twig and check the rope to see if it has become tangled and twisted.

[@wmp3346]

I hope this works - thanks so much for the video.