Hello all. New to the group and to ATC's in general. Already I have a problem, and I haven't even gone for a ride!

Basically, the pull starter was shot and missing about 6 parts of it. So, I ordered a rebuild kit, which replaces enough parts except the decompression portion, so I will have to make due.

Anyhow, I was rebuilding it per the manual, and it doesn't seem to preload properly or something. I can get it to recoil pretty well, getting all but the last 4-5 inches of rope into it (no handle attached yet), but it does not have that much spring to it. I am not sure how much it really needs. I preloaded it with 2 turns as the directions say. I figured it would want to pull the entire rope in if I let go, or at least be tough to turn by hand, but it was pretty easy. Does that sound right?

So, I got that far, thinking perhaps it is just not as strong of a recoil as I figured, and when I get it all together with the top plate on and everything, I pull the rope, it has no recoil at all. I have to wind it back in by hand. Everything else seems to function nicely. As soon as I take that top plate off and release the pressure from its spring, the recoil is back as before. What am I doing wrong, or what can I do? Nothing seems to be binding up or anything. I think I am missing something here in how I am reading the directions.

Any help would be great! Thanks

Scott

 

I would put more winds in the spring
Seens simple to me
Look at the pull hub
Did you check for free operation prior to reinstalling back on em=ngine
It sounds like either toy have pull rope to long or something to tight and spring cannot overcome
That is a fairly stout engine to pull start without compression release
What part are you missing
Ray

 

Make sure you wind up the pulley that the rope goes on before attaching the rope to it. Does that make sense? In other words, with no rope attached, use your hands to wind the pulley and put tension on the spring. Jam a screwdriver between the side wall and the pulley so that it doesn't un-wind and then fish the rope through the housing and through the little hole in the pulley. Tie it off, attach the handle to the rope, and then slowly remove the screwdriver allowing the spring/pulley to re-coil the pull rope.

It can take some time to fish the rope through the small hole in the housing and the small hole in the pulley, but it is much better than any alternative. And whatever you do, don't let that spring come out. Also, make sure your rope is longer than the pull stroke that you'll need. That way, you never put all the tension of the pull on the knot at the end of the rope...one of the main reasons for pull start ropes to break.

 

Make sure you apply grease to the pully shaft. I agree with smfrey and rjcruiser do not make the mistake that I did and removed the spring, it took four hands, vise grips to keep the spring loaded and in place.

 

Thanks for the tips on this everyone. So rjcruiser, you are saying to put the pulley in and wind it up, the put the rope in and letting it pull the rope through, but how many times do i need to turn it to make sure it pulls it all in? I think that is most of my problem, but I am not sure what was really wrong. The book says 2 rotations, but that did not seem like enough. What direction should I turn the pulley prior to adding the rope? I don't have the book with me now, so if you know, that would be great.

As for the missing pieces, the parts I am missing for the decompression part are pretty much everything within the starter housing related to the decompression, except for the cable. I tried to order the spring and hook, but then realized I am missing the little housing for that spring, which can no longer be ordered. So, I didnt buy them.

After taking it apart last night, the spring came pretty loose, and I spent an hour getting it all coiled back up in there. I am glad I at least got that back together.

Thanks again!

Scott

 

When I did mine I basically used my best judgement making sure that I did not apply too much tension that would cause for the spring to bind. I think I did four rotations.

 

Ha ha ha...I spent about an hour or so as well when my spring came out. I guess it is a rookie mistake that we all make. Sometimes you just gotta learn the hard way [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

On my 110, I rotated it until it felt like a good amount of tension was on it. I just wanted to make sure that after I went to all the trouble of getting the rope through housing and the hole in the pulley, that it would wind it all the way up [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

As far as the direction you want to rotate the pulley, you should be able to think it through depending on the direction the hole is/comes out on your housing. From memory, on my 110, the hole in the housing is at 1:30. So, when it winds back up, the winding should go counter-clockwise. Because I want it to wind up counter-clockwise, I originally rotated the pulley clockwise putting tension on it to go counter-clockwise....jammed a screwdriver between the housing and the pulley, thread through the rope, then when I released, the pulley went counter-clockwise pulling the rope back in. Again, put the handle on first, or your rope will get sucked in the hole into the housing and you'll have a mess of a time trying to fish it back out.

Good luck with it....and now you know why they charge so much for a complete unit. It takes a lot of patience and time to get that rope through that hole. I can only imagine how many chinese workers cuss everyday as they are putting these things together [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

My bet is they have a fixture and takes about 30 seconds
Ray

 

Alright everyone, no dice here. I re-wound it, and there is no change. I turned it about 4 times and it recoils the rope well. However, once I put it all together, it won't recoil it. Once I take the pin out, everything rewinds up nicely.

I tried a few more things, all with no luck. I put the old center spring in, since it is easily 1/4 inch shorter, nothing. I tried removing the lower washer that goes under the spring, since it is getting worn already, I figured it might be binding. No change. I tried my 2 old "dogs" I had, no change. I removed all of the dogs and it recoils fine. Whats the deal? When the dogs are in, they spread when pulled, and go back inside the housing after. But, they seem to be causing the bind somehow. They fit well inside the pulley, and they are not too thick, the move freely...

I think I am out of ideas here.... Any new ones?

Thanks,

Scott

 

It sounds like you aren't putting the thing back together correctly.

I can't exactly remember how it went on my 110, but there was a spring in the middle that would push the top plate up. There was a washer that would keep that spring in place and I can't remember if it was on the top or on the bottom. Then as I pushed down on the plate, I'd get the C clip in to keep it down.

To me, if it rewinds without the plate on and then it doesn't with it on, you've got something out of order that is restricting the pulley from winding up. Go through things again and make sure you've assembled the top half (above the pulley) correctly. Other than that, I'm at a loss. Good luck.