followup to "Motor mower pull cord - sluggish retraction"

[N_Cook]

N_Cook wrote in message news:jpati0$4o4$ [e-mail]...

Hayterrette with Briggs and Stratton engine, probably 40 years old, starts > nearly first time every year. > This year required 2 pulls but the string was not retracting. Well was, but > very very slowly, eventually would fully retract. Had to disconnect the > spark plug and turn the cutting disc to wind up the cord, (then forgot to > reconnect the HT lead of course). Squirting PTFE lubricant in the the top > cover clock-spring housing and then WD40 made little difference. Very > sluggish with a ratchet-paul tick every few seconds. It reminded me of the > concentric rings and oil dampers on the entry flaps of cassette/CD players > when the oil goes sticky and grabs, instead of acting as a friction brake. > So to avoid taking the top cover apart and all that spring-thing stuff , for > "degreasing" - what to squirt in there for next time of use? Or in the case > of dismantling and then coating the cleaned spring with what, to avoid it > going rusty but also avoid this clagginess. > > > >

belated followup Had to get inside this to fix the pull cord retraction problem, cured that and worked out how to refix the spring safely.

Removed the top cover and cleaned all around with absorbent paper, including wiping the length of the spring. One end of spring at the centre boss. Other end near where the pull cord comes in. Looking down on the upturned top cover, the spring goes from the anchor point on the cover anticlockwise winding into the centre. Have a clamp ready spaced to accept the cord drum and width of the spring metal , so can be clamped up single handed. With spring anchored at the centre and holding back the bank of turns , wind outwards the spring turn by turn until just 4 inches or so left and clamp off. There is a hole in the cord drum , cut a piece of lacing cord , pass through this hole and the large hole for the square shaft to the engine and around the spring and tie off on the "eventual" underside of the drum cord. Remove the clamp and place the drum in the top cover , after having fed the loose cord through the feed hole . Squirt dry lubricant , finely powdered graphite from a locksmiths in and around the spring , drum and top cover . Tie off the cord to the top cover pillars for the vent area. Refit top cover and holding the cord with a bit of tension , cut the lacing cord. First pull did not fire and pull cord needed tickling in by finger in the vent hole and turning the cord back in. Second pull , engine fired up and cord half retracted. By the end of using the mower , graphite must have been well vibrated into the spring as it would pull and retract properly after that. Perhaps then routinely tip the mower on its side and squirt graphite into the spring area or once a season perhaps .

[Brian Gaff]

Maybe just dust from the grass gets in it.

Brian

[N_Cook]

I would not of thought so , the spring metal was nice and shiney. Probably oil turning to grease or going sticky. Its that which gives the slow retraction - AFAIK. Combined with what I thought was a ratchet pawl regular click noise, but there is no ratchet device, probably stick and slip of individual turns of the spring.