Poulan chainsaw starter rope

[Tom7227]

I borrowed a Poulan Wild Thing 18inch chain saw and the starter rope came out a couple of times. Anyone know how it goes back in correctly cause I've done it wrong two different ways so far. Clockwise lasted 2 pulls, counter clockwise 1.

Thanks for any help.

Tom

[croixflats]

It sounds as though the coil spring may be broke. Did you take the assembly apart. On both ends of the coil spring there should be a hook. The hook sometimes breaks off. The hook catches, on both ends, on the housing it sits in preventing it from spinning loos.

Or tighten the coil a few more times before winding the rope on.

I have to laugh, because I rember the fustration I've had with those pull ropes on my machines.

Clockwise should be the right direction

[Tom7227]

No, when the saw is in one hand and the entire rope is in the other it's pretty clear it's the rope. There is a plastic cover over the spring and a indent where you wind the rope, which is held in place with a screw and a washer. You have to have seen one to know what I'm writing about.

[Powerstroke]

Recoils are pretty much the same. See which way the spring winds.

If your rope continues to pull straight out then its not the direction of the winding, you need to tie a bigger knot in it or thread it in differently. It doesn't use tension to hold the rope in. It usually passes through a channel in the wheel and has a knot to prevent it from pulling through. If you mean the screw and washer holds the rope in place then you need to find the right way for it to hold the rope in place.

[Surface Tension]

Remove the handle on the rope. Slide one end of the rope through the hole in the rewind case and to the spool. You'll see where the end of the rope should be in the spool. Get it into the hole and tie a knot. Now turn the spool against the spring. Keep going till the other end of the rope pulls though the case. When you have a few inch not on the spool put it in the notch on the side of the spool and continue to wind. This puts enough preload on the spring so your rewind rope isn't left dangling. Thats usually a couple more turns. Now take the end of the rope, same end that in the notch of the spool and work it back through the rewind case. Attach your handle. Test again to see if the rope retracts all the way. If it doesn't then take the handle off, get the rope back in the spools notch and give it another turn.