Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): toro lawnmower, check oil level, spark plug wire

Question
I try to start my toro and the pull rope jerks out of my hand after a couple of pulls. I jerks really hard. This is just started happening a little time back. Do you have any answers why this is started happening. I had a repair guy tell me he thought it could be a broken shaft in the engine. Another repair guy told me it probably had to do with the drive cable coming from the release bar on the handle. What do you say it may be.

Answer
Most common problems based on your description:

1) Oil in cylinder.  Fix, remove spark plug, pull string and see if any oil squirts out the spark plug hole.  Check oil level and see if it smells like gas.

2) Loose blade bolt/blade adapter.  Dis-connect spark plug wire, tilt mower up with spark plug hole facing the sky.  Check blade bolt, blade and adapter.

3)  Sheared flywheel key.  Remove flywheel and check flywheel key.

Let me know what you find.

Eric