Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Our generator lasted valiantly for most of the week without power, until the starter rope stopped turning the engine over.  In other words, it pulls easily and retracts properly, but without the stiff resistance from actually moving the crankshaft.  It's intermittent, so I gather it's something in the ratcheting mechanism that's sticking.  To make things more complicated, the cover of the recoil mechanism is riveted to the engine, so I don't think it's something I could easily remove and replace.

Any suggestions, short of having our local small engine shop pick it up and fix it?  Or what it might cost if they do?  That's assuming they will.  They don't normally stock generators, but I presume that there isn't a huge difference between the B&S engines that power this versus other products.  (I think we got it via the electrician who installed our transfer panel, but I've no idea who his supplier was, and that was ten years ago.)

Fortunately power is finally back, but not before I picked up a 5KW Husky generator from Home Depot as a backup measure.  I still haven't opened it yet, and we'll need to decide whether to keep it or fix the Generac.  Opinions on this decision are also welcome.

Many thanks,

Gary

if its riveted you'll have to take the whole cover off , it should be at least four bolts 2 on top and 2 near the bottom of the cover.  There are metal tabs that pop out when the recoil string is pulled most likely they're stuck or broken, if they're stuck try some spray lube, like Fluid Film in where the metal tabs pop out, first try without taking the cover off,  after that jerk the recoil string a few times if that dosen't shake them loose then try taking the cover off to get a better look.

DCPowered wrote:
Thanks for the reply.  But I'm no longer so sure that the starter has such tabs (pawls?).  I found what I believe to be the engine parts list, and if I'm reading it right, and our date code (which is 981111), our engine uses some sort of clutch mechanism (identified as assembly 66 on page 5).  I can't tell from the parts diagram whether that mechanism is located up against the starter cord assembly or at the other end of the shaft, closer to the engine flywheel.  Another possibility is the spring (identified as part 63, within the 608A assembly on that same page), which may be broken.  I'm really not sure.

It may be reasonable to take off the entire cover, but I'm not sure what to expect in terms of small parts falling off.  I'm a little hesitant to do that in this weather, with cold fingers in an unheated garage full of junk (i.e. places for small parts to roll and be lost forever).  If they had the repair manual online, that might be different, but I can't find it and I'm not that interested in ordering one.  Or if someone were really sure that it's not a big deal. 

Otherwise, at this point I'm more curious about what the repair bill might be, ignoring pickup and drop off costs.

Many thanks,

Gary

(PS: The parts list is from the B&S search results.  The owner's manual for the engine is there too, but doesn't seem helpful for this problem.)

That Clutch assy. has five or so steal bearings in it...  The bearings catch in the assy when you pull the starter and  the bearings jam in the mech ..When the engine is running the bearings are forced  out of the way and allows the engine rewind to ratchet freely..    When the starter  unit  "does not Catch",  the bearings have stuck in the postion of the engine running ( gummy grease inside the starter ratchet).

If it was me I would change the ratchet assy,  It unscrews Like a nut,   put a 2X4 against the large cast ears on it and give it a good wack counter clock-wise...  Last time I bought one it was about $14..

You can take off the cap that is held on by 2 screws and lube it with  wd-40,  but the little square part that rides on the end of the crank has a light oil inbeded in it...  if it gets gummy and drys out-- it can ruin the rewind assy, spring, pully, adn crank end... (you can tell when that is going bad... the engine makes a squeal).

When you go to replace the ratchet,  be sure to clean all the varnish and gummy grease off of the crank end that goes in the square part of the ratchet assy..,  this will extend its life...

Friiy