# Ariens :: Rewind Starter Cord Ripped -- HELP



## crosis38

Snowblower: *Ariens ST524 snowblower (model: 924046, 24", 5HP, serial: 001247)*

My *Rewind Starter Cord* has ripped -- the rest of the rope has retracted back into its housing. 

Can someone please tell me the correct length for a replacement rope and MOST IMPORTANTLY how the heck do i remove the old cord and install the new? 

I removed the unit which houses the cord but for the life of me dont know how to open it up to replace things. Are there any things i should be careful about (springs?) and must loop the cord in a certain way?










Much appreciated.


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## Simplicity Solid 22

Welcome crosis 38.

This might help!


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## crosis38

Thanks. Good vid!


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## crosis38

*Pulling the cord is NOT SMOOTH...*

I followed the video but am experiencing problems when i attempt to pull the cord to start the engine....

As instructed i spun the wheel 3 times to allow it to rewind and take up the rope. *I tested the cord (still not connected to the engine) by pulling on it several times and allowing the unit to retract it back in. All seems smooth. *

I then placed the complete unit up against the engine aligning the screw holes. As far as i can feel there is nothing else that needs lining up. The start cord is pointing upwards angled towards the fuel tank. 

Once screwed on i pull the rip cord slowly out until a feel a slight tug. I then give it back some slack then pull out quickly. <these are the Tecumseh manual instructions>. When i pull out quickly it isnt smooth and the odd time that it is smooth *the engine sounds like it only had a quarter of a turn*.

I tried spooling the starter cord again with 4 turns of the wheel (instead of three) but now when i allow the wheel to coil back (clockwise) the rope is too much that it stops due to friction. I will try 3.5 turns instead.

Any ideas on what i'm doing wrong? How much starter cord should be wound (the # of times) for the Ariens snowblower Tecumseh 5HP engine? And why the heck doesnt it pull out smoothly on pull startup?

Thanks for any assistance.


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## micah68kj

Not sure I can help but just what do you mean by "smooth"? 
Process is:
Get the new rope on the recoil per the video.
Install recoil back on engine. 
Pull rope until resistance is felt. Relax tension just a *very* *tiny bit* then pull. 

If you do these steps properly it should start "smoothly".
If it doesn't seem to be engaging the engine you more than likely need to lubricate the starter pawl. It doesn't seem as though it's engaging the flywheel on the engine.
Hope this helps. I've never had any trouble with the Tecumseh engines I've owned.


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## Shryp

The number of turns you wind it is only so it will retract itself fully when you release it. There is a spring in there that can break if you wind it too tight, so you only want it wound just tight enough so the handle meets the recoil and doesn't flop around.

Did you maybe use the wrong size rope and it is too tight in the recoil? Or maybe the rope was thicker and you didn't get as long of a piece as the old one?

Did you make sure you put everything back together properly? I am not sure if you took the recoil apart once you had it off the engine or if you wound it back up with everything still together.

Your old one does look pretty rusty. Did you put any kind of oil on the moving parts?


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## crosis38

Yes i only removed the recoil unit from the engine and rewound the rope as per the video. I did not disassemble anything. 

I wasnt thinking several months back that once i ripped the starter cord i tossed the ripped end away. Once i removed the old cord i wasnt sure the exact length so i purchased a new cord that is 6 feet long. It appears slightly smaller in thickness to the old rope though however my local Hully Gully reps said it will do fine for the snowblower. 

I lubed the recoil unit with ATF+4 fluid like the video shows. When i go to pull on the rope, the recoil seems fine. Smooth in and out. Once i attach it back to the engine the 6' rope is dangling out the hole but ONLY because i'm in the test phase -- i will cut it appropriately and add the handle when all is fine. I pull the rope slightly until i feel a tug, give it some slack, then attempt to pull quickly out, the pulling out is not smooth, that is, i get a bit of a tug back on the line. And the time when it is smooth coming out (no tug back) it sounds like the starter coil didnt have enough spin (almost like a quarter turn as opposed to a full or more turns).

I will try this all again to give a proper explanation.

Thanks so much guys for bearing with me on this.

Appreciated.




Shryp said:


> The number of turns you wind it is only so it will retract itself fully when you release it. There is a spring in there that can break if you wind it too tight, so you only want it wound just tight enough so the handle meets the recoil and doesn't flop around.
> 
> Did you maybe use the wrong size rope and it is too tight in the recoil? Or maybe the rope was thicker and you didn't get as long of a piece as the old one?
> 
> Did you make sure you put everything back together properly? I am not sure if you took the recoil apart once you had it off the engine or if you wound it back up with everything still together.
> 
> Your old one does look pretty rusty. Did you put any kind of oil on the moving parts?


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## crosis38

I installed the recoil again but did not touch the cord -- everything the same. Again pulling is not smooth; the engine appears to be quite rough to turn so i really put some muscle into it to get it to spin. I have a lawn mower and when pulling the cord it feels quite normal, the snowblower on the other hand feels a bit rough like it is resisting. 

The snowblower engine did in fact start up! So apparently all is fine. *Is it possible for me to lube the engine side to make the pulling a bit easier?* The recoil itself feels smooth on pulling when i have it apart. The engine does have adequate oil.

Thanks a lot guys!! You saved me $40 from the mechanic.


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## Shryp

Older engines were not as easy to pull over as the newer ones. Is it possible that what you see as a problem is perfectly normal? Maybe you haven't used this machine much so you just aren't used to starting it.


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## HCBPH

*Rope*

Here's what I did a couple of months ago to restring a recoil that had broken.
First off, I got about 6' of starter cord, I know it's too much but it's easier to cut off than add on.
I took a piece of ply and put the starter so the inside was up and put some long screws through the mounting holes to hold it steady, not tight just secure. I stuck the end of a phillips screwdriver through the opening where the rope ties off and used that to wind the record up. I aligned the hole with the hole where the rope goes through the housing and wedged a flat screwdriver between the recoil and the housing.
I pulled the rope out. I tied a piece of fishline onto the end of the new line and worked it through the 2 holes and knotted it and brought it tight to the inside of the recoil.
While holding the rope, I removed the flat screwdriver and slowly let the rope pull into the recoil. Once it was in all-the-way, pull it back out about 3" and tie on the handle to end where that 3" line is. Unmount the recoil and work the rope in and out several times so the starter rope is laying correctly in the recoil then put it back on the engine.
I've restrung a few recoils but this seems to be the easiest and least problematic for me.

Hope that helps.


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## micah68kj

Shryp said:


> Older engines were not as easy to pull over as the newer ones. Is it possible that what you see as a problem is perfectly normal? Maybe you haven't used this machine much so you just aren't used to starting it.



^^^^^^^^^
What he said


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## fju2112

Hi - new to the forum - can someone please let me know where I can buy a new ripcord for my ST28LE 28" Deluxe Ariens? Model # 921022. Having trouble sourcing the part. Same issue, need to replace the starter cord. Glad I bought a model with electric start but don't want to rely on it as we do lose power in storms sometimes.


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## db9938

You should be able to pick it up an any hardware store. Personally, I like to use Para-cord.


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