# How to repair broken starter rope?



## deepvo (Aug 17, 2013)

Hello, I have a 6.5 HP Sears lawn Mower with a Briggs & Stratten engine.
I pulled on the starter rope and it came out of the assembly.
Can anyone help me to repair this?
Thank you in anticipation for your help.


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

First, you have to check and see if the spring isn't kaput. YOU HAVE to remove all the old rope first. You'll have to read through this to see how and when you can or will be able to do that. You may just have to pull on it until it's fully extended and cut it off, but BE SURE *NOT TO LET THE PULLEY FLY BACK FROM SPRING TENSION.* ELSE, you may ruin the spring.

Remove the recoil starter (it may be riveted to the blower housing, so it'd have to come off as an assembly).

Second, using one hand to turn, the other to hold pulley position after turning it, turn turn the pulley repeatedly a few times around in the SAME direction the rope pulls it. If you're unsure what direction, with it UPSIDE-DOWN look where the rope feeds in which is called a rope guide. The guide is at an angle to the left or to the right, you want to turn the pulley into it. When you turn it, the PAWLS or DOGS will pop out of the starter pulley, else YOU'RE TURNING IT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

If after a few turns you feel a good resistance, you're probably ok. PROBABLY. Upon full wind-up the spring may jump/fail due to a tail (spring end hook) problem.

Anyway, if you have good resistance, SLOWLY return it to "neutral."

MOST all newer recoils have slots in the top housing area and a spoked pulley. GET A POCKET screwdriver or similar tool.

WIND the pulley up in the direction you did as above UNTIL it STOPS (DON'T MUSCLE IT!!). THEN back up at LEAST 1/2 turn until the rope hole IN THE PULLEY aligns with the ROPE GUIDE in the housing. Turn the pulley tighter a scosh (a little bit) and insert the pocket screwdriver / tool through the pulley spokes so it goes THROUGH the housing slots, and release the pulley. THE IDEA HERE is to hold the pulley in place and free up your hands.

Then, taking a length of probably what amounts to #4 or 4 1/2 rope, depending on whether it's ZONE start or not (could be 4 feet or more) insert the rope through the rope guide and then through the pulley rope hole, pull about 2 feet through. Make a once-over knot near the end of the rope tail, THEN USING a pair of needle-nose pliers put the rope knot tight. I position the pliers with the tip area on the bench and the rest floating in air but in my hand, close the pliers LIGHTLY on the rope with the knot above the plier jaws and and pull down hard. The idea here is to lock the knot down, so the starting forces later don't pull it apart.

THEN, pull the rope so the pulley moves releasing the pocket screwdriver, and while HOLDING THE ROPE SECURELY let it wind itself onto the pulley UNTIL THE ROPE wrap over extends beyond it's confines and hits the starter housing, at which point you have too much rope on the pulley. Then pull it back out slowly until it is either NOT touching the outer housing or not in danger of going over the pulley sheave edges.

I would then MARK the rope externally of the rope guide with a black magic marker. This marks the maximum point of rope you want to allow to wind up.

The thing here is, whether the starter grip was at the starter itself, or up on the handlebars.

In either case, using the screwdriver - pulley lock trick you can work with the rope without having to fight recoil spring action to secure your pull-grip in the proper location.

I also have posted this: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=328771&highlight=recoil


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