Re: Needed pull starter spring TD-20 1947+- Johnson
I would just bend the end over. Take the spring out of the housing. I usually do this by laying a couple of rags thick on the floor then tossing the recoil onto the rags, spring down, and let it unspring itself out of the housing.
Then, gently clamp the broken end in a vice, noting which way it has to bend. heat up the last 3/4inch of the spring with a propane torch, red hot. Using needle nose pliers, wrap the end around a nail of the same diameter as the engagement pin on the recoil pulley. You can practice a bit on the broken piece to get the timing and maneuvering down. You essentially crimp it around the nail to put a new end on it. Don't heat up more of the spring than you need to, as you can make it brittle and lose it's springy-ness if you heat up too much of it. Let it air cool - don't dunk it in water.
Once cool, coil it up to a shade smaller than the recessed area in the housing. Clamp it gently with a pair of Vice Grips, only grabbing about half the thickness, from the bottom side of the spring. Insert it in the housing and release the Grips. Push it all the way in until seated. Apply a light grease to the sides of the spring, working it in a bit. I also like to spray a bit of WD-40 into the grease to let it seep in a bit. A long skinny screwdriver can help align the spring end with the pin on the pulley when reassembling.
I generally only put about 2 turns past rope-in to tension the spring on this type of recoil. All the spring does on this style is pull the rope in, as it is not operating any other cogs or catches. Put a new rope in while you're at it...
- Scott
