confused and mystified!!??!!!#@&%$#. 372 recoil

[david newbie]

I received a very dirty well used 372 x torque in a trade. I started looking at it today and noticed the pull rope would not retract, and I wanted to feel the compression so I removed it and removed and cleaned the spring. Still won't retract!@@#. so I did a couple extra wraps on the rope to increase the tension... Still won't retract until I loosen the 4 mounting screws.@#%$%$## I happed to have an extra good recoil cover in a parts box and tried that. Still won't retract **&%%. Could something in the motor be so sticky that it wont retract. Or is something wrong with the flywheel pawls? I sprayed a little wd40 on them and they seem fairly free. I also pored a capful or 2 of seafoam down the spark plug hole in case the motor was sticky, but it seems to turn over by hand. as you can see, I'm only mechanical enough to get in trouble. Have you seen this before? thanks , frustrated in Oregon

 

[david newbie]

one additional question, saw came with a damaged coil. I think I read somewhere that other 3 series coils might work. True dat??

 

[Gord404]

if you have the origanal pull start for that saw should work, maybe your knot is hanging up.- I usually give it a bit of a pull to make sure it is set into place before tightning, I could be wrong but I think tha pawls are a little longer on the newer xp's than the old xp and if that's what your pull start is off of it could be a problem, But i could be wrong, maybe someone else will chime in, I have built and rebuilt a lot of 372's

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I received a very dirty well used 372 x torque in a trade. I started looking at it today and noticed the pull rope would not retract, and I wanted to feel the compression so I removed it and removed and cleaned the spring. Still won't retract!@@#. so I did a couple extra wraps on the rope to increase the tension... Still won't retract until I loosen the 4 mounting screws.@#%$%$## I happed to have an extra good recoil cover in a parts box and tried that. Still won't retract **&%%. Could something in the motor be so sticky that it wont retract. Or is something wrong with the flywheel pawls? I sprayed a little wd40 on them and they seem fairly free. I also pored a capful or 2 of seafoam down the spark plug hole in case the motor was sticky, but it seems to turn over by hand. as you can see, I'm only mechanical enough to get in trouble. Have you seen this before? thanks , frustrated in Oregon

So, rebuild the starter.

 

[david newbie]

You think the spring is weak? you saw that I tried 2 starters on it, both feel fine when pulling unattached.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

You think the spring is weak? you saw that I tried 2 starters on it, both feel fine when pulling unattached.

Hmm, I have a 660 clone that started out kinda like that...see other thread
Thread 'Ah, clone quality control, lol' https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/ah-clone-quality-control-lol.372421/

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Lets see some photographs of the internals.
Lets see if all is original and OEM in there- or has someone swapped out incorrect or cheap aftermarket pulley or similar.

If I understand correctly- the starter/starters work fine off the saw, rope extends and recoils as per normal- but once fitted to the saw it is binding so that the pulley does not recoil at all to draw the rope back in.
Therefore the pulley is binding somehow- is there an air conductor plate fitted?
Spacing the recoil cover off the saw will answer some questions for you- a couple of washers between case and recoil cover at the screw positions- some thick cardboard- pieces of zip tie- something to pack the cover off of the case. If the starter works and rope recoils with the starter cover packed off a few mm then there is your answer- something is incorrect in the starter assembly in relationship to the flywheel.

I have seen it where the pulley has been removed and refitted to not align the spring tail into its slot at the back of the pulley and the spring tail is under the pulley holding it off the recoil cover front face- could be that simple.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Lets see some photographs of the internals.
Lets see if all is original and OEM in there- or has someone swapped out incorrect or cheap aftermarket pulley or similar.

If I understand correctly- the starter/starters work fine off the saw, rope extends and recoils as per normal- but once fitted to the saw it is binding so that the pulley does not recoil at all to draw the rope back in.
Therefore the pulley is binding somehow- is there an air conductor plate fitted?
Spacing the recoil cover off the saw will answer some questions for you- a couple of washers between case and recoil cover at the screw positions- some thick cardboard- pieces of zip tie- something to pack the cover off of the case. If the starter works and rope recoils with the starter cover packed off a few mm then there is your answer- something is incorrect in the starter assembly in relationship to the flywheel.

I have seen it where the pulley has been removed and refitted to not align the spring tail into its slot at the back of the pulley and the spring tail is under to pulley holding it off the recoil cover front face- could be that simple.

Could well be the wrong pulley. I started a thread regarding this but with 2series saws. Same pt# but 3 different length metal portions.

 

[idiotwithasaw]

Could be something wrong with the flywheel too if the coil was damaged look to see if flywheel is loose

 

[david newbie]

Lets see some photographs of the internals.
Lets see if all is original and OEM in there- or has someone swapped out incorrect or cheap aftermarket pulley or similar.

If I understand correctly- the starter/starters work fine off the saw, rope extends and recoils as per normal- but once fitted to the saw it is binding so that the pulley does not recoil at all to draw the rope back in.
Therefore the pulley is binding somehow- is there an air conductor plate fitted?
Spacing the recoil cover off the saw will answer some questions for you- a couple of washers between case and recoil cover at the screw positions- some thick cardboard- pieces of zip tie- something to pack the cover off of the case. If the starter works and rope recoils with the starter cover packed off a few mm then there is your answer- something is incorrect in the starter assembly in relationship to the flywheel.

I have seen it where the pulley has been removed and refitted to not align the spring tail into its slot at the back of the pulley and the spring tail is under the pulley holding it off the recoil cover front face- could be that simple.

I removed the air conductor shroud to simplify my testing , but maybe that's part of the problem. I will put it cack on and try again

 

[david newbie]

looks like putting the air conductor shroud might solved the problem. Now I have to find a coil!

 

[singinwoodwackr]

looks like putting the air conductor shroud might solved the problem. Now I have to find a coil!

not having the shroud will make a difference in pulley fit...it wont
Hm, forgot these are plastic pulleys...

 

[david newbie]

Spoke too soon. Still sticking. Will have to keep experimenting

 

[singinwoodwackr]

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Spoke too soon. Still sticking. Will have to keep experimenting

So lets see some pictures of your saw like the one @singinwoodwackr just put on above?
We can all play guessing games into the wee small hours of the morning- or see something obvious and point it out off of evidence.

 

[david newbie]

So lets see some pictures of your saw like the one @singinwoodwackr just put on above?
We can all play guessing games into the wee small hours of the morning- or see something obvious and point it out off of evidence.

Ok, but I'm embarrassed cuz mine is not so pretty. Will do. I still think it may have had to do with resistance in the engine? There was a ridiculous about of fuel in the crankcase, and then when I pulled on recoil with spark plug out, it seems to retract fine. Will post embarrassing pictures anyway. I borrowed a 390 coil off a saw to see if I could get spark, but very intermittent. I just have the plug wire, missing the skinny black?blue coil wire, Do I need that skinny wire to get spark? Off to take a pic

 

[david newbie]

 

[david newbie]

Still wondering if I need both coil wires to get spark? Currently all I have is the main spark plug wire.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

The big ring groove worn in to the pulley might be an indication something is not right.
See how half the H is missing?
The two clean halves on the pawl bolts look a bit suspect.
Your rope tail and knot are sitting a little proud of the pulley.

 

[david newbie]

well, that was interesting... Apparently you don't even need that skinny blue wire! I put the recoil back on to see how it worked with no spark plug. worked fine. Put a plug in to see if that changed recoil retraction and accidentally started it! so apparently, an old 390 coil will work, and the skinny blue wires part of the kill switch, so I could not shut it off until I put my palm over the intake tract to fully choke it.