"Easy spin" starter doesn't:-(

[Douglas de Lacey]

I've an ancient Landmaster 100 rotavator with a 3hp B&S 4-stroke motor with "Easy spin starting" (so the label claims). It has given great service until, after a gap of about a month in using it, suddenly the recoil starter doesn't recoil. The problem is that the clutch (is it a sprague clutch?) has become very stiff: I can *just* turn it manually, and as I do I can hear what seem to be two balls/pawls/whatever falling into place.

There is no obvious way of getting inside. Can anyone help?

Douglas de Lacey.

[Jupiter]

Take the sheet metal engine cover off. The starter mechanism is attached to its underside - probably with bent over tags. The cover will just lift off the crankshaft. Careful if you dismantle it, there's a big spring in there. Yours may be broken, or detached, with those symptoms. If you do a google search on replacing a starter cord you'll find instructions for dismantling and reassembly.

[Andrew Gabriel]

That's probably well understating the danger from that spring...

My recollection of the clutch is a ball race with about 6 balls in it and a cog with one more or fewer (can't recall) teeth, any one of which will catch on a ball in one direction, but push the balls out of the way in the other direction (so it's a bit like a ratchet and pawel with (balls x cog teeth) ratchet teeth. However, the balls are all thrown out of the way of the cog by centrifugal force when the motor spins. I should add it's probably 25 years ago since I took one to pieces (and probably 10 years ago since I last used it), so I might not remember the details properly. Damn nice things they were though, much better than pull-cord starters.

ISTR there was an oil hole in the top of the "Easy spin" starter. A blast of WD40 in the hole to blow out dirt and then a re-oil might clear the problem, without disassembly.

[Douglas de Lacey]

Yes, but I'm happy with clock springs. I thought my message made it clear I'd excluded that as the problem.

Thanks, Andrew. The hole was stuffed with wadding; and WD40 in the evacuated hole didn't seem to go anywhere -- nor did a narrow probe. So I removed the rubber seal between shaft and body, and copious quantities of WD40 there seem to have done the trick. Still can't see how to remove or dismantle the clutch though. *And* I had to tease out the wadding which I've now misplaced:-( Any suggestions for a replacement?

Douglas de Lacey

[Andrew Gabriel]

Make sure you oil it too. The WD40 will have washed out all the oil (with the dirt, we hope), but left it with no lubrication and ready to start going rusty.

I can't remember how to take it apart, sorry.

Are you sure it wasn't a lump of dried grass? I don't think mine had any such. It's a long time ago, but I just recall a small hole with the word "oil" embossed in the metalwork with an arrow pointing at it.