Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): leaf blower, leaf vac, leaf blower

Question
I had to disassemble my craftman gas leaf vac/ blower because the recoil wouldnt spring back. I got it together but now it wont start. I replaced the spark plug but that didnt help.
Does the piston need to be in a certain position (upstroke ,downstroke) relative to the recoil shaft for it to run similar to top dead center on a car?  

Answer
The recoil has nothing to do with the engine's ability to run other than getting it rotating.  If the blower ran before you disassembled it, I suspect you have pinched or improperly connected the shut-uff lead and this is causing the ignition to be grounded and a no spark condition exists.  Make sure you check for spark first.  If you have spark with the switch 'on' and no spark with switch 'off', the circuit should be OK.  The next thing I might suspect is you missed hooking up either the fuel or the impulse hose to the carb.  Hope this helps.