# Rope stuck in cylinder 051av



## Big John (Aug 7, 2010)

I've got a rope stuck in the cylinder of an 051av. It's well stuck after acting as a piston stop while I hammered the clutch off a damaged thread. 

I've taken off the gas tank and tried to turn the flywheel nut and it's stuck fast. I've also tried to turn the clutch nut but it won't go that way either.

I now want to see if I can find where the rope is stuck to give me a clue as to which way to force the piston - I obviously don't want to put pressure on the clutch or flywheel in the wrong direction!

I guess the ropes found its way through an outlet or inlet port. Does anyone know how the muffler comes off? I can't see any fixings for it but it's not moving and I don't want to break anything.

Any help or suggestions gratefully received!  :help:


----------



## treemandan (Aug 7, 2010)

How in the world did that happen?


----------



## pdqdl (Aug 7, 2010)

Turn the flywheel in the opposite direction that you were turning the nut on the clutch. This would typically be "backwards" from the typical engine rotation.

I suspect that you are right. You probably did force the piston over the string sticking out the muffler or carburetor port. Next time make sure that the piston is compressing the string against the top of the cylinder, not against the string hanging out the exhaust port (or whatever).

Mufflers are usually held on by 2-4 bolts on the opposite side of the block from the carburetor. They should be real easy to find.


----------



## pdqdl (Aug 7, 2010)

treemandan said:


> How in the world did that happen?



It is a common trick to lock up the engine by slipping a foot or two of pull rope string into the spark plug hole. This prevents the engine from turning over, which enables you to put a tool on the clutch and spin it off the crankshaft.

Some folks just do this by using an air impact, but it is actually better to lock up the cylinder with the string. I never heard of anybody not being able to pull out the string and free up the engine. Must be bad luck.


----------



## treeclimber101 (Aug 7, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> It is a common trick to lock up the engine by slipping a foot or two of pull rope string into the spark plug hole. This prevents the engine from turning over, which enables you to put a tool on the clutch and spin it off the crankshaft.
> 
> Some folks just do this by using an air impact, but it is actually better to lock up the cylinder with the string. I never heard of anybody not being able to pull out the string and free up the engine. Must be bad luck.



Um thats what air guns are for , right ....I have never seen a clutch removed without one ..


----------



## Grace Tree (Aug 7, 2010)

treeclimber101 said:


> Um thats what air guns are for , right ....I have never seen a clutch removed without one ..



+1
Phil


----------



## pdqdl (Aug 7, 2010)

Scenario: you're out on the job, and your clutch breaks on the big stump saw. You race down to the dealer who magically happens to have the right clutch, but he won't put it on for you until next week.

What do you do?

1. drive 10 miles back to the shop to do it with your air gun.
2. fix it right on the spot with your scrench and the pull rope on the saw.
3. Wait until next week when a true professional can do it for you. (prossibly using a scrench and some pull rope)

****************************************************************
I used to run a small engine clinic. Air tools tend to jump off and strip the shallow nuts on the clutches. I always preferred a wrench and a small striking tool like a small hammer (other wrenches work well too) to break the clutch loose without ruining anything.

I have even taken clutches off without stuffing the cylinder, using only a wrench and a hammer to bang it in the right direction, much like an air tool. Inertia from the piston and flywheel are often enough to hold the crankshaft for removal of the clutch.


----------



## pdqdl (Aug 7, 2010)

Scenario #2:

Some bonehead put an air tool on your broken clutch, and stripped out the nut using a 12 point socket going the wrong direction. Now the clutch is way overtightened and there is no machine surface to put a tool on.

What do you do now?

1. fill the cylinder with string to lock up the crankshaft.
2. invent something that can turn the clutch, using slow force. Perhaps an oil filter tool, a pipe wrench, maybe a spanner wrench. When desperate, you can even stick a tie rod end "pickle fork" down between the clutch shoes and turn it with a pipe wrench.

So long as the crankshaft doesn't move, you can twist off the clutch.


----------



## treeclimber101 (Aug 7, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> Scenario: you're out on the job, and your clutch breaks on the big stump saw. You race down to the dealer who magically happens to have the right clutch, but he won't put it on for you until next week.
> 
> What do you do?
> 
> ...


Ah I have air gun on the truck SCENARIO 3 : have the tools to fix the equipment or have extra , but not to say that theres anything wrong with how you do it , but look what can happen ...


----------



## pdqdl (Aug 7, 2010)

Well ! I guess there is always that scenario too.

I'm not sure how the originator of this post got in trouble. I have never heard of anyone getting the string stuck. Unless I am mistaken, filling the cylinder is some of the old manufacturers recommended procedure. I think I learned that trick from the McCulloch service manual.

I have never been a Stihl or Husqvarna dealer, but I'll bet they don't recommend air impact tool to remove a clutch.


----------



## treeclimber101 (Aug 7, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> Well ! I guess there is always that scenario too.
> 
> I'm not sure how the originator of this post got in trouble. I have never heard of anyone getting the string stuck. Unless I am mistaken, filling the cylinder is some of the old manufacturers recommended procedure. I think I learned that trick from the McCulloch service manual.
> 
> I have never been a Stihl or Husqvarna dealer, but I'll bet they don't recommend air impact tool to remove a clutch.



Well mine uses one when and if they maintain something for me but only a 3/8 so they can't break the crankshaft ... And that is what I use ...


----------



## pdqdl (Aug 7, 2010)

Of course they do !

Everybody knows it's faster and easier. Unless you don't have one handy...


----------



## Big John (Aug 8, 2010)

treemandan said:


> How in the world did that happen?


Simple. All I needed to do was replace the drive sprocket. To do that the outside clutch had to come off. The big clutch washer looks like it had been spinning on the thread for some time, so getting the clutch off was not easy as the thread was damaged. I had to lock up the engine with the rope, and beat the clutch using a punch and hammer until the clutch had gotten past the damaged thread. The mistake at that point was working the clutch back and forth to clean up the thread, but I didn't notice the engine freeing up so carried on.
It was only when I had reassembled everything and went to refit the spark plug that I realized the rope was stuck in the cylinder. 
This was supposed to be a simple job but it's turned into an epic!


----------



## ZeroJunk (Aug 8, 2010)

Next time, watch the piston and when it is at the top turn the crank counterclockwise just enough to get a little rope in there, but not far enough to get close to the port openings.


----------

