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Followup To
Question -
Hi,
I have a 32cc straight shaft Poulan weedwacker (approximately 2 years old). The pull cord just busted off and I thought that I'd open 'er up, wind on a new cord and away I'd go! Not so easy. I removed all the screws holding the plastic coverings on, but I cannot gain access to the pull cord pulley. It appears that the centrifugal clutch should disconnect from the output shaft to allow the engine cover to come off, but I can't see how to do that. Could you please advise me on this repair?
Answer -
Inside the center hole on the clutch is an allen head bolt or a torx head bolt. Most of the allen head bolts are 5/32 and the torx is a T25 or T27. You may need a long allen wrench or a standard torx driver.
Once the drum is off you can remove the clutch with a brass punch and hammer. Lightly tap on the clutch to unscrew it...it has normal threads.
Let me know what happens.
Eric
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Hi Eric,
Okay, I got the drum off (T20 torx), but for the life of me I can't get the clutch to unscrew. Do I need to lock the engine down to perform this and if so, what is the recommended way?
Thanks.
Ivan
AnswerThey sell special pistion locking tools but a knotted string works just as will and will not dent the piston.
Al you do is get some old cord, tie several knots in it and insert it into the spark plug hole. Leave enough string hanging out so you can remove it.
If the engine still rotates just tie some bigger knots and re-insert. This method works well and best of all it is cheap.
Try NOT to remove the starter spring when you remove the pulley. If your good, you should not have to remove the starter puller at all. Just remove the old string and install a new string through the pulley hole. You should see a small slit or guide on the outside of the starter pulley. This is what you use to rewind/tension the spring. This is difficult to explain. With the rope tied in the pulley hole, put the rope in the pulley guide and rotate the starter pulley by hand. You should feel the spring getting tight. Once the pulley is slightly tensioned, usually 5-10 turns, release the pulley and let is pull the string onto the pulley. You may have to add some tension to get all the rope to wind on the pulley.
Does this make any sense at all?
Let me know how it goes.
Eric
