Lawn mower starter handle. How to fix a lawnmower pull cord that is stuck, step by step

7th August 2023

What Size Rope Should My Lawn Mower, Snow Blower or Other Equipment Use?

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When you’re selecting the size of rope for your small engine, chainsaw, trimmer, push mower or riding mower, keep these in mind :

#3 (3/32 Diameter) and #3-1/2 (7/64 Diameter) rope is used on most trimmers and small 2-cycle engines
#4 (1/8 Diameter) and #4-1/2 (9/64 Diameter) rope is used on most chain saws and larger 2-cycle engines
#4-1/2 (9/64 Diameter), #5 (5/32 Diameter) and #5-1/2 (11/64 Diameter) rope is used on most 4-cycle push mower small engines
#6 (3/16 Diameter) and #7 (7/32 Diameter) rope is used on most larger 4-cycle engines

If you ever have any questions on recoil starter rope, send us an email or give us a call!

When you’re selecting the size of rope for your small engine, chainsaw, trimmer, push mower or riding mower, keep these in mind:

#3 (3/32 Diameter) and #3-1/2 (7/64 Diameter) rope is used on most trimmers and small 2-cycle engines
#4 (1/8 Diameter) and #4-1/2 (9/64 Diameter) rope is used on most chain saws and larger 2-cycle engines
#4-1/2 (9/64 Diameter), #5 (5/32 Diameter) and #5-1/2 (11/64 Diameter) rope is used on most 4-cycle push mower small engines
#6 (3/16 Diameter) and #7 (7/32 Diameter) rope is used on most larger 4-cycle engines

If you ever have any questions on recoil starter rope, send us an email or give us a call!

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How to fix a lawnmower pull cord that is stuck, step by step

You have finally decided to take your lawnmower out to give your grass a nice, elegant look. Just as you try to pull the starter rope on your handle, it seems badly jammed. You don’t want to damage your cable, so you stop pulling it right away. You can’t resume your mowing unless you fix the pull cord. Luckily, fixing isn’t a lengthy procedure and can be performed in less than an hour. There can be several reasons for a stuck pull cord, and we shall investigate those causes separately in this blog post.

How to fix a lawnmower pull cord that is stuck, step by step:

Step 1: To start, inspect your blade for any stuck strands of grass or debris. Remove them as they cause the pull cord to get stuck.
Step 2: Open the blower housing and inspect the recoil starter. If it appears damaged, you need to replace it.
Step 3: Check if the engine is hydro-locked, remove the spark plug and pull the rope repeatedly to restart the engine.
Step 4: Inspect if there’s some structural failure in the engine, such as a bent crankshaft.

The pull cord on a lawnmower is connected to a hub that spins the crankshaft of your mower’s engine, thus causing the blades to turn. At the same time, the engine draws an air-fuel mixture from the carburetor. The firing of the spark plug initiates the ignition. Hence, your engine starts over. If there are obstructions within the mower blades or the engine’s starter hub, you won’t pull the starter cord.

If you are looking for an elaborated description of the fixes mentioned above, you should stay tuned to this blog post as we shall provide you with insight regarding the pull cord-related problems.

Causes and fixes of a stuck pull cord on a lawnmower:

A stuck pull cord on a lawnmower may be an outcome of various issues. We shall address them one by one as mentioned below:

Equipment needed:

For performing these fixes, you don’t need sophisticated equipment. Just make sure you have a screwdriver, wrench set, a rag, and a pair of safety gloves at your disposal.

Step 1. Inspect for blade obstruction:

You may often witness a situation when the blade gets stuck with debris or any branch. This condition prevents It from spinning due to obstruction between the blade and the mower deck. As said before, the pull cord is responsible for spinning the mower blades that eventually start the engine. Hence, blades not able to spin mean that the cord cannot be pulled.

– Fix: Tilt the mower to dislodge the obstruction:

To free the blades from any debris caught, you should tilt it over first. However, you should do that with your air filter pointing upwards. It is better to remove the spark plug cable so that the engine doesn’t start over. Now check if debris, grass, or a branch getting stuck between the debris curtain and the blade prevents the blades from spinning. If it does, you should remove it. Putting the spark plug back on and tilting the mower back shall now fix your problem with the pull cord.

Step 2. Check and fix the recoil starter:

If there isn’t any debris preventing the blades from spinning, then the chances are that your recoil starter might be damaged. For such walk-behind lawnmowers, the recoil starter is easy to find and replace.

– Fix: Remove the mower housing to view the starter:

The recoil starter is situated under the blower housing. Before doing anything, ensure that the spark plug wire is removed. Also, release the starter cable or the pull cord from the mower handle. Now, remove the screws securing the blower housing.

Check the recoil starter for any damage. Check whether it can spin by pulling the starter cable right near to it. Also, see if it is free from any debris or obstruction that may prevent it from spinning. If the cable appears tangled, you should rewind it.

Replacing the recoil starter:

Replacing a recoil starter is seldom difficult. To perform the replacement, remove the recoil starter guard. Next, use a screwdriver to remove the tabs connecting it to the blower housing.

Remove the old starter and add the identical one to its place in the tabs. Reinstall the guard and attach the blower housing back onto the mower.

Note: Please make sure that you go through your owner’s manual to search and purchase the recoil starter precisely in accordance with your device’s model number.

Step 3. Check for hydro-locking:

Hydro-locking of the engine is a condition when oil escapes from the crankcase into the cylinder casing. The high viscous fluid jams the cylinder, thus preventing it from sliding and thus rotating the crankshaft. Hydro-locking generally occurs when you have tilted the mower upside down with the air filter pointing downwards. If you’ve heard about this for the first time, then don’t worry as the remedy to this problem isn’t much difficult.

But first, you need to diagnose whether the problem actually is hydro-locking or not. To check for this, remove the spark plug and the spark plug wire. Clamp the control bar at the mower handle to release the blade brake. With the blower housing removed, manually rotate the starter cup to see if the engine turns. If it turns, reinstall the blower housing.

– Fix: Remove the spark plug and pull the rope:

To fix this, make sure that the spark plug is removed along with its wire. Place a dry cloth near the spark plug hole since we will spray the oil out of the engine. Try to start your engine by pulling the rope several times. You shall notice oil being thrown out of the spark plug hole.

When the oil has stopped spraying out, reattach the spark plug and connect the wire back to the plug. Pull the rope again to see if the engine starts. When the engine starts, it might run erratically and throw out some white smoke. That is due to it being burning oil remnants along with the fuel. It shall start running smoothly once the oil has been completely burnt away.

Note: To prevent the hydro-locking of your engine in the future, we recommend that you should consult the owner’s manual regarding the tilt instructions. Generally, for most walk-behind mowers, tilting the deck with the air filter pointing up is the way to go.

Step 4. Engine seizure:

While diagnosing for hydro-locking, if the engine’s starter cup doesn’t turn at all, it indicates your engine’s serious problem. This condition means that the engine has either encountered a bent crankshaft or a stuck piston.

– Fix: Spraying lubricant in the plug’s hole:

Although engine related faults can seldom be repaired, some ways of fixing a stuck cylinder involve spraying a lubricant in the spark plug hole and turning the blades with the spark plug fixed back on. Don’t forget to wear gloves while dealing with the blades. If the engine seizure can’t be fixed, then you don’t have any choice other than to buy a new lawnmower.

Final Remarks:

When the pull cord from your lawnmower is stuck, it means you can not start. There can be several reasons why this happens. This blog post helps you check the various causes and help you fix them. If you look at the multiple reasons, you will notice that proper maintenance is not always the cause, but it will prevent many problems. It will ensure a long and relatively trouble-free usage for many years to come.

How to Replace a Lawn Mower Pull Cord in 6 Simple Steps

You filled the gas tank and put sunscreen on. It’s mid-summer, so you even set a water bottle outside for mid-mowing hydration. Then you went to start the mower, and one swift pull changed your plans for the afternoon. The cord came flying off!

Don’t worry—wear and tear can lead to a mower cord breaking, and you aren’t the first to have this happen. In fact, if you notice your lawn mower cord is frayed but hasn’t ripped, this could be part of your annual lawn mower maintenance to preserve the life of your device.

Learn how to replace a lawn mower pull cord in this simple six-step guide.

Prepping to Replace a Lawn Mower Pull Cord

For safety and efficiency purposes, there are two things you need to do prior to disassembling your mower and replacing the cord.

Identify the Type of Pull Cord You Need

Not all lawn mower pull ropes are the same: they vary in thickness and length. The wrong thickness will make starting your lawn mower more difficult to start (or could cause a jam inside your mower) if you replace it with the wrong string. Thin cords will fit, but likely rip faster than the right-sized cord.

A new lawn mower starter rope causes between 10 and 20 at home improvement stores. The majority of pull-start mowers use either a cord numbered 5, 5 1/2, or 6.

If you’re unsure which you need, bring some of your damaged rope into the store and match the size, or check your lawn mower’s manual.

Always Let Your Mower Cool Down First

To avoid lawn mower mishaps, especially if your mower cord just tore and you’ve been running the mower, wait at least 30 minutes for the engine to cool before you start taking it apart. Never take apart a hot lawn mower.

It’s always a good idea to remove your spark plug before working on a mower. This way it can’t accidentally start.

Lawn Mower Pull Cord Not Catching (This Is Why)

Without a pull cord, we’re going nowhere. Unlike a car, we can’t boost it. Hey, I know the feeling when your day doesn’t go to plan. Not to worry, you’ve come to the right place.

Why is my lawnmower pull cord not catching? The most likely cause of the mower pull cord not catching and turning over the engine is worn Pawls.

What are Pawls?

Pawls are spring-loaded arms that catch the flywheel and turn over the engine. In this post, we’ll look in more detail at what a Pawl is, what it does, and, more importantly, how you can take action today and get it fixed. Strap yourself in!

This post covers pull cord issues pretty well. However, if you need video help, check out “Pull cord faults video.” It covers diagnosing pull cord problems and their step-by-step repair processes.

Pull assembly pawls

Pull Assembly Components and What They Do

Pull cords work hard and do give their fair share of problems. Having an understanding of how a pull start works will help when repairing. Let’s just take a minute to understand the basic components involved.

The main components of your lawnmower pull start system include:

Pull cord
Handle
Pulley
Pulley recoil spring
Pulley cover
Pawls
Flywheel pawl receiver
Pull assembly housing

The most common pull cord problems listed in order of commonality include:

Pull cord snapped
Broken pull cord handle
Pull cord recoil spring failure
Damaged pull cord pulley
Damaged pulley pawls

The Pull Cord

The pull cord is the most likely component to fail. The pull cord wraps around the pulley, and the pulley lives inside the pull assembly housing. Replacing the pull cord will require removing the pull assembly housing. I wrote a post about it here, “Replacing a pull cord.”

The pull cord is the most likely component to fail. The cord wraps around the pulley, and the pulley lives inside the pull assembly housing.

Replacing the pull cord will require removing the pull assembly housing. I wrote a post about it here, “Replacing a pull cord.”

The Pull Cord Handle

Pull cord handle often breaks as the handle can sometimes fly loose during the starting procedure.

The problem is, the cord may retract back inside the mower. This will require removing the pull start housing to re-tension the spring and fit the new handle.

The Pulley

When fitting a new pulley, best to opt for the spring and pulley combined. Springs can be difficult to handle, and the combo, for a few extra dollars, saves a lot of frustration. The pulley is central to the whole mechanism.

Its functions include guiding, feeding, and storing the pull cord, retaining the recoil spring, and housing the pawls. Pulleys are made from plastic and will often crack, causing the cord to bind. Replacing the pulley will require removing the pull assembly, and it’s better to replace the pulley and recoil spring together.

Pulley Recoil Spring

The pulley recoil spring is responsible for retracting the cord after pulling. The spring lives in the center of the pulley and is anchored against a spud on the pull assembly housing.

To replace the spring (usually replaced with the pulley), the pull assembly housing will need to be removed and also the pulley. If you fit a pulley spring, check out “Replacing a pull cord”

The Pulley Cover

The pulley cover is also made from plastic. Its functions include fixing the pulley axle in place and guiding the pawls in and out.

Pulley covers are made from plastic usually and can simply crack due to wear and tear. Replacing will require removing the pull assembly housing but not the pulley.

The Pawls

The pawls are also made from plastic, but some models use metal. Their function is to fly outwards under centrifugal force caused by the pulling of the pull cord.

When the pawls are flung out, they catch on the flywheel receiver, which causes them to couple. The engine now turns over, and when the engine starts, the pawls retract.

Flywheel Receiver

The flywheel receiver (fixed to the engine flywheel) seen here has four recesses. The pulley pawls will catch two of these (whichever is closest) and turn the engine over.

The flywheel pawl receiver is a metal cup fixed to the flywheel. When the pulley pawls connect with the receiver, they couple and crank over the engine. Receivers don’t generally cause much trouble.

Pull Start Assembly Housing

The pull assembly housing (also known as the blower housing) is, as its name suggests, the outer cover that retains the various pull-start components.

The housing is commonly made from plastic and usually doesn’t cause problems. Most repairs will require removing the pull assembly housing. Removing them isn’t difficult.

Some housings will be large and cover the whole engine, while others will be far more user-friendly and just be large enough to house the pulley.

Pull assembly – Housings will vary in size. Yours may be smaller and less work to remove.

Replacing Pawls

A mower that won’t catch and turn the engine most likely has a faulty pawl issue. The pawls are made from plastic, as you know, simply wear out. There are other possible reasons that the engine won’t catch and turn, and we’ll look at them below. Check out the pull start troubleshooting video here, which covers all the main faults and the repairs, and if you need parts, check out the great pull starter deals on the Amazon link below.

How To Fix a Broken Starter Rope in a LawnMower or Other Engines

Remove plug wire – It’s always best to remove the plug wire before working on your mower; it prevents any possibility of it starting.

Remove Honda housing – The housing on a Honda mower is held with three fasteners and is typical Honda – very user-friendly.

Remove housing – The housing on other mower engines may require a little more work to remove.

Test pull assembly – Test the assemblies by pulling the pull cord – the pawls should shoot outwards from under the pulley cover.

Remove cap – Honda fixed their cap using a Torx head screw. It’s important to know that it is a left-hand thread. Meaning to remove the screw, turn the Torx head clockwise. (right)

Other types may use a clip; the clip just slides off, but I place a rag over the clip when removing as this guy can fly, and you could spend a whole afternoon searching and still never find it.

Remove pawls – Your pulley pawls may be worn, damaged, or just dry. Remove them to examine. The pawls should fit snugly in the pulley; if they’re loose, they’re worn. On the top side of the pawls, you should see a spud; it sits on the track of the cap.

If the spud is missing or worn, go ahead and replace the pawls. If, however, the pawls are just dry, put some silicone grease on them, reassemble and test.

The pulley cap must also be checked for wear and damage. A damaged cap will prevent the pawls from working.

Fitting pawls – Add a small amount of lube on the new pawls and cap, it will help them work smoothly, and they’ll last longer.

Reassemble, test, and refit your plug wire, and you’re all set; nice work you!

Other Possible Pull Starter Issues

So what if my pawls and cap look good? What else could cause the problem? Other possibilities include:

The pulleys are made from plastic; they don’t outlive the engine. A cracked or worn pulley will cause the pawls to bind and stick. Replacing a pulley is a little more work, but it is a job you can take care of yourself. I’ve written a post about it here “Pull cord repair”.

A damaged receiver isn’t very common, but it can happen. Most are made from metal and are durable, but others are made from plastic, and you know what happens to plastic. So if your pawls looked fine, FOCUS your attention on the pulley and receiver.

Flywheel receiver may be plastic or metal – check for damage, wear, or misalignment.