This always happens late Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. You go out to do a routine lawn mowing, pull the rope and out it comes in your hand. All the lawnmower shops are closed, so what choice do you have? Dynamite - good thought, but that doesn't get the lawn mowed. Here's a thought, why not fix it yourself.

Let's see if we can talk you through a simple rope replacement. In most cases you will have to remove the blower housing from the engine to gain access to the underside of the rewind starter where the rope hides. I'm going to assume at this point that the spring is ok and you can just wind it back up again. Check the spring by turning CCW on the hub and see if the spring gains tension. Do not try to remove the spring from its holder or you may have more of a job than you want. Save this for the brother in-law.

Remove the rope from around the hub, since their is no tension on it, it should come right out. If you are lucky and it broke near one end, you can probably reuse it. If it is frayed badly or to short, you will need to find a replacement at a local hardware store, Wal-Mart etc. Now we get to the good part.

Attach the handle or tie a double knot in one end of the rope so it will not wind all the way into the hub. You also may want to burn the rope ends to keep them from fraying. Set the rope aside where you can grab it once you wind up the spring. Wind the hub CCW using your thumb to keep it from unwinding, until the spring is tight. Now let it come back slightly so the rope hole in the starter housing lines up with the rope hole in the hub. Stick the rope through both holes while holding the hub from unwinding. This is the tricky part because you don't want to let the hub unwind on you before you have the rope secured in it. A pair of needle nose pliers or a small screwdriver or pick may help get the rope through. Tie a half hitch knot in the rope after you have it through both holes. Holding the rope, release your hold on the hub and let the rope slowly pull itself back into the starter. Put the blower housing back on and your ready for action. Pretty simple even though it took me a whole page to explain it. I guess I'll have to work on a streamlined version. Happy mowing.

Footnote for B&S starter: If you removed the spring, the best way to re-install it is to have it layed loose on a table and insert it through the hole in the side of the blower housing into the slot in the rope pulley. Make sure it hooks in the slot and wind the hub as listed above. This will pull the spring back into the housing. Make sure the end of the spring hooks in the slot in the housing as you finish winding.

Also see Step by Step Two Stoke Carburetor Rebuild.

Also see Complete Engine Rebuild, Carburetor Rebuild, Loose Valve Seats, Carburetor Troubleshooting Chart or My Engine Won't Start for more troubleshooting.

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