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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Commodore b14 recoil starter issues.

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Evening all.

Been stripping as far as I can with the lawnmower and it's mostly back together. Now I went to start it with fresh fuel and the recoil didn't recoil so I told the housing apart to have a look and the coil had come out as the split pin gave out. I had no idea what way the engine needed to go to get it started and where everything went. 

I have managed to clean the coil as that was all greasy, the arms were also covered and the bell housing which the arms come out to grip was also dirty. All all cleaned I put the coil back in which took several attempts. I have tried to wind more tension on the coil but without sucess.

 I have a much shorter pull due to the coil tension being a pre-loaded tension. As in when you wind it into the housing and once it's in that's all the tension I have to work with. The tension is enough but it still doesn't retract all the way back and I have about 75cm of pull instead of over a good meter. I can start the mower and runs sweet but I'm not getting a full pull.

So what do I do? Do I get a new coil spring on its own?

Get a repair kit that has a new spring?

The coil is abit corroded and I think it has lost some coils from being stretched over the years. 

Do you have to put mone tension on the spring or is pre-loaded tension enough? If that's the case then I think a new coil maybe the way to go.

Unless I can convert to a different style of pull start? I have seen some b14s with electric start? How easy is it to convert? 

Many thanks

Ryan

Forums

hortimech Sun, 31/01/2016

What do mean by 'wind it into the housing' ? are you talking about winding the spring back into its holder ? If so, you need to be aware that you need to apply tension to it by wrapping the rope around the pulley, so that when you pull you the rope out, the spring pulls it back. It would be easier to show you how to do it than tell you how to do it.

Lets try anyway, make sure the starter rope is the correct length, tie a knot in end and push the un-knotted end through the hole in the pulley and then through the outlet on the starter from the inside, now put the starter handle on the rope and secure it. Place the pulley into the housing and turn it slightly to engage the spring. Start to wind the rope around the pulley until it is mostly wound on the pulley. Pull the starter handle to put some tension on the spring, hold the pulley so it cannot return and then pull the rope back into the starter and wrap this around the pulley, repeat until all the rope is on the pulley and the handle is pulled back against the starter housing outlet. At this point, you should be able to pull the starter handle & rope out to its full extent and it should then return smoothly.

As I said it's easy to do, than describe how to do it, but I hope you get the drift.

I would also forget trying to fit an electric starter, you would have to change quite a bit of your engine, there would also probably be a bit of difficulty in obtaining the parts to do it.

 

 

 

 

wristpin Sun, 31/01/2016

As above but bear in mind that the rope should pull out until it "runs out" and not because the recoil spring is "spring bound" with rope still on the pulley. If the spring becomes spring bound sooner or later it will break or even worse break the nasty little plastic anchor pin that is molded into the housing. 

hillsider Sun, 31/01/2016

Totally agree with all that has been said about recoil starters.

 I find that if the starter rope is pulled out until it stops you then need to be able to turn the rope pulley a further 1/4 to 3/4s of a turn before the spring binds. This should ensure that the spring has enough tension to recoil rope fully (unless you have a mower with the starter cord extended up the handle) and safeguard the spring from binding.

 

Footfistart Mon, 01/02/2016

That's what I meant the holder. I started from the outside where there is a ketch for the tight coil at the end of the recoil to sit and work my way around until it fits into place. Next I align the recoil spring to the plastic rope holder and then place it back into the housing. The leg in the housing is in good condition for now but the recoil sometimes jumps out so I have made the loop tighter so it's a better fit. But because of the access doing so it's hard to see what you are doing. The other end of the recoil spring seems to sometimes slip out of the plastic rope older too.

So it could be the fact the spring has stretched over the years and has lost some tension.

What sort of height should the stater rope sit at? I think not has been moved but not by me as j haven't touched any of that. Just gives me an idea where to go from. 

So from what your saying the recoil spring is still ok and it's just getting the right position of the rope ect ect. 

So if no wind the rope back up just enough to the rope is kind of taught, it should give me enough length and the recoil spring shouldn't need any more tension other than what it is when wound into the recoil spring holder.

I though guy electric start would be out of the question.

I'll see if I can get some pictures up tomorrow as this may help what kn in about.

Many tha KS for your help.

Ryan