lawn mower repair

[andrew29]

G'day,

I've borrowed a mates lawn mower for a few months while he is away and the other day I snapped the starter cord (must be too strong...

Anyway I went and got a new cord and started installing it.

It seemed straightforward to replace it... wind back the plastic housing that rewinds the cord after you have pulled on it, feed the cord through, tie the knots, let the plastic bit go and it'll wind up the cord and there you have it. Alas I seem to have been a bit over zealous winding back the plastic bit against the return spring and now there is no spring left. I figure I have either busted the spring or just popper it out of it's little notch or whatever holds it in place.

looking down on top of the round plastic bit that the cord winds around there is one big flat nut. Either way I try and undo it the plastic bit just rotates and I get nowhere. I've pulled the whole bit off now so I can see down in the engine but I still can't work out how to get inside to see the spring and whats happening.

Can anyone help? Seems a shame to have to go to the mower man for such a seemingly simple problem.

Thanks heaps

[dazzler]

Hey

Photos, brand and model and Ill get the overalls on

[Auld Bassoon]

Ask Al (Ozwinner) about replacing starter cords on small motors...

[Ashore]

Hey

Photos, brand and model and Ill get the overalls on

Ditto

[Daddles]

I'm only guessing Andrew, but I reckon you probably swore loudly when you snapped the cord. You shouldn't do this because it scares the little pixie that rewinds the starter cord :eek: My guess is he's shot through and I'm afraid that no number of cold beers will encourage him to come back ... though it's always worth trying

Richard

[andrew29]

Its a Victa 2 stroke Lawnmaster. anything else in the way of identification seems to have worn off over the years. I'm guessing its probably at least 10 or 15 years old.

Alas I can't supply any photos at the moment (no digital camera) but I should be able to rectify that soonish).

Thnaks

[andrew29]

yes daddles I did swear just a bit! The frustrating thing was that at that stage I just reattched the handle to the short cord and it worked fine, just took a few more pulls. BUT I figured I'd better return the mower to my mate with a full cord and now I've stuffed it.

On the bright side, I'm sure to learn more this way though

[dazzler]

Hi Andrew

If you can see inside the engine then the victa you have is the model change from around 1988ish. Have you undone 4 1/2 bolts with phillips head screws in them?

When you put this back on you will need to make sure the big rubber 'o'ring is put back on the outside and lubricate it with a litttle engine oil otherwise the motor will lean out.

Sounds like the hook on the spring has popped off the black pully. If you rotate it counter clockwise you should hear it click as it comes past it each time. If you cant hear it then you need to open it and check the spring hasnt broken. If it has broken replace (der) otherwise prise it out so that it can pick up on the pully again.

Cant remember why it wont undo. Will have a think.

[andrew29]

I have finally gotten around to taking a couple of photos to help describe the problem with which I am faced. Bloody mower!

Assuming I can work out how to post the photos on here there will be:

• a photo of the plastic bit that holds the wound up cord, while its attached to the mower
• a photo of the top of the 'plastic bit module' when its removed from the mower
• a photo of the bottom of the 'plastic bit module' when its removed from the mower.
• and just for interests sake a photo down the throat while the 'platic bit module' is removed from the mower.

You'll be able to see the big nut on to of the plastig bit which i assume i have to undo somehow to get in to the spring and stuff it up more, I mean fix it.

Do the photos help anyone to see what I'm talking about? The lawn is getting a bit on the long side now and the girlfriend is threatening to make me take it to the mower man which would be a huge blow to my ego!!

Thanks heaps for all your help!

[Bleedin Thumb]

Well we got one photo ar least. Don't think of the lawn mower repairman as failure - think of it as saving valuable drinking time, not to mention relationship savour.

[scooter]

Does look like you need to undo that nut, sounds like when you try to turn it, the motor turns over too.

You need to stop the motor turning over when you try to undo the nut. Best way to undo it I'd reckon would be with a rattle gun, the impacts of the rattle gun vs the inertia of the motor should undo it.

Make sure you try to undo it in the correct direction

Failing this, I have heard of pushing a length of cotton sash cord into the cylinder through the spark plug hole, then turning the engine over unitl it is compressed, preventing it from turning further. Then a breaker bar & socket on the offending nut, give the end of the bar a rap with a mallet to break it free, & you should be able to remove it.


Cheers..........Sean

[dazzler]

STOP!!!

No rattle guns!

(sorry scooter thats for old models)

Can you see the three bolts that form a triangle on the top. There is one next to the black pull starter handle, one is near the muffler and the other is near the carbie (black yucky cruddy thing).

Undo these and the top will come off with the starter. On this model there is no top crank bearing and when you remove this you can see inside the sump area.

Once you have it off give it a clean with a rag. Off to the mower man and he will fix it for you.

Get a new o'ring and replace the old one that fits around the top of the inside of the pull start, add a light wipe of oil on it and reassemble. While at the mower shop grab a new plug and air filter. When you get back take the fuel tank off and give it a clean with some fresh new fuel, refill and away she goes.
cheers

dazzler

[keith53]

Ask Al (Ozwinner) about replacing starter cords on small motors...

Yep! No need for any further comment. Al's the guru when it comes to replacing starter cords on small motors. C'mon guru! Do your stuff!