How to Replace a Broken Starter Cord on a Lawn Mower
Lawn mower starter ropes are susceptible to breaking occasionally. Replacing a broken starter cord requires removing the housing and rewinding the cord around a spring-loaded pulley. When replacing a starter cord, avoid disconnecting the cord pulley from the housing. The recoil spring is usually intact, even when the cord breaks. Removing the pulley will uncoil the spring and you end up with an extra repair. Replacement nylon rope is available at home improvement centers. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Disconnect the sparkplug wire from the lawn mower sparkplug. Remove the three to four hex head screws or bolts that secure the starter housing to the mower with a socket wrench. The housing is where the starter cord goes into. Some lawn mowers require removing the plastic gas tank to access the housing bolts. Locate the screws securing the gas tank mounting brackets, and remove them with a Phillips-head screwdriver to move the tank out of the way. You do not need to remove the fuel lines, just move the tank enough to access the housing bolts.
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2
Lift the starter housing straight up and turn it upside-down. Remove any remaining pieces of the old rope out of the plastic rope pulley, without removing the plastic pulley from the housing. A recoil spring is between the top of the housing and the pulley. Cut a nine-foot piece of nylon rope off the rope roll with a utility knife.
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Turn the plastic pulley inside the housing clockwise with your hand to rewind the recoil spring. Line up the rope hole on the pulley with the rope hole on the housing, and clamp the pulley to the housing with a pair of vise grips. This will keep the recoil spring wound.
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Insert one end of the new rope through the hole in the starter housing and through the plastic pulley. Pull the rope through the plastic pulley and tie a knot on the end of the rope. Hold the plastic pulley firm against the housing with your fingers, and remove the vise grips. Hold the other end of the rope with your other hand, and slowly release your grip on the plastic pulley to allow the recoil spring to wind the rope around the pulley.
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Place the starter housing back on the mower, securing the housing with the securing screws and Phillips screwdriver. Place the gas tank back into position and secure with the retaining screws. Thread the end of the rope through the eyelet on the mower handle that holds the starter rope handle. Insert the rope through the handle.
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Pull the rope tight until there is slight tension, and seat the rope handle on the eyelet. Tie a knot on the end of the rope at the handle. Cut off the excess rope with the utility knife.
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