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CHAPTER 5 The Two-Stroke Cycle Engine
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
tensions (tightens) the spring. Releasing the pull
on the rope allows the spring to unwind, which
rotates the pulley in the opposite direction of
the initial pull and “rewinds” the rope onto the
pulley. Thus, the pull-rope assembly is called
the rewind assembly.
The typical rewind assembly consists of the
following parts:
• Rewind housing.
• Rope and handle.
• Rope grommet.
• Rope pulley.
• Spring.
• Pawl.
Rewind Housing
The rewind housing provides the container for
the rewind spring, pulley, and rope. The rewind
housing is either a separate assembly bolted
onto the engine or the housing is integrated into
an engine cover. See Figure 5-23. Additional
names for the rewind housing are starter hous-
ing or starter cover.
SHOP PRACTICE
Additional terms used for the rewind assem-
bly are rewind starter, starter assembly, recoil
starter, and recoil cover and pulley assembly.
Rope and Handle
The starter rope is wound around a pulley on
the inside of the starter housing. One end of the
rope extends out through the starter housing so
the handle can be connected to the rope end.
The handle, also referred to as a grip or starter
grip, is usually made from a durable plastic.
The rope is manufactured in specific diam-
eters to accommodate specific engines. Exam-
ples of rope diameters are 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm,
or 4.5 mm. The diameter of the rope determines
how many times the rope can be wound around
the starter pulley.
The length of the starter rope will vary from
one engine series to another. Not all starter
ropes can be pulled out to the same length
during the starting process. The starting pro-
cedure for each engine usually states how far
out the rope can be pulled. The rewind start-
ers for two-stroke engines are not designed to be
habitually pulled to the end of the rope, as this
would cause premature damage to the starter
and cause the rope to break.
Rope Grommet
Each time the rope is pulled, the side of the
rope rubs against the hole in the starter hous-
ing where the rope is pulled through. If the hole
is not protected, the rope would wear a notch in
the starter housing plastic. A rope grommet is
installed in the engine cover to reduce wear and
A B
Rewind housing
Rewind handle Mounting screws Engine cover
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 5-23. Rewind housing designs. A—This rewind housing contains the rope, pulley, and rewind
spring. Screws are used to mount the rewind assembly to the engine. B—In this design, the rewind
starter components are built into the engine cover.