Recoil briggs

[homeowners]

It will be better to replace the entire recoil starter assembly. It's not a very expensive part and by the time you remove everything that's on the way (cover, gas tank, dipstick tube, etc) to get to your old recoil started assembly to look if you can reattach the spring, you might as well put a new one in. 

[Nitro]

Recoil spring comes loose when engine starts, spring and cord still in place and attached but spring jumps out of place and leaves cord hanging out.