Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): install pull start rope, vise grip pliers, rope thread

Question
Hi Michael,
   I have a 5 hp johnson two cycle outboard motor with a pull start. Rope broke so I took off the cover to check and found top plate bolted to top of engine. took bolt out and removed top plate to see wound spring. Of course messed with it and it unwound. I have been able to get spring back in its original position but how do I thread a new rope from the top of engine through the plate and out the pull hole? Should the rope be wound around both top plate and top of engine? Once I get spring in position to accept both pins that hold spring in place should I wind spring by turning rop plate and is there any way to tell whether it should be wound clockwise or counterclockwise. Thank you so much in advance, Gerry.

Answer
Hi Gerry,

Some engines have an extra pulley to be used to emergency start the engine with a rope if the recoil breaks.  The spring should be prewound with enough tension to pull the rope back.  I'm not sure of the exact configuration of your model but see my mower recoil repair proceedure below, which may help.

Good luck,
Michael

Remove the recoil shroud and take a look at the assembly.
You might have a broken spring or just a rope that has slipped out of the reel.
The spring usually breaks at one of the end tabs. If so, you will need to get a replacement spring and carefully wind that in, before re-assembling the rope reel. You might wish to replace the rope also, if it shows signs of wear. Below is my proceedure for replacing a broken recoil rope.

You will need to remove the entire cooling shroud. There should be 4 bolts on the sides. You might need to remove the fuel tank also.  Pre-wind the recoil reel by hand [about 6 turns, to set the spring tension] and clamp it with Vise-Grip pliers. Remove the old rope. Thread the new rope through the shroud housing eyelet and to the reel hub. Let the reel re-wind itself until it is full. If there is not enough spring
tension you can wind it a couple of turns more by slipping the rope around between the reel and shroud. Re-clamp the reel. Cut the rope to length and thread it though the handle. At all knots, burn and melt the rope end with a lighter to prevent untying. Re-assemble.