Honda/clone 6.5hp recoil starter questions.

[mckutzy]

I had a few ideas going on and wondered about the starter.
My starter is fine. Some ideas...

Will the starter pawls inside still engage to the cup on the flywheel with out the rewinding spring installed? Ie: no rewind spring it would freewheel with the flywheel.

 

[OzFab]

In my experience, not unless the pawl itself is spring loaded: On my Honda, it's not, it needs the recoil action to retract the pawl.

A short time ago I was working on two identical mowers; both recoil springs were broken but the pawls had individual return springs which were damaged on one only. The one with the good pawl springs was no problem but the one with the bad pawl springs didn't retract the pawls & it had a constant ding, ding, ding, as the pawl hit the cup.

It won't cause any damage, it's just annoying...

 

[mckutzy]

Im not worried for damage. I was working on a few starting ideas.

So without the rewind spring will the cord wheel just spin with the engine, engaged with the cup?

and if so... does simply having it stop spining with the flywheel cause it to disengage from the cup or is it some how correlating to the stationary housing ?

Im guessing there is some cams or something to engage them. Cant find a pic of the disassembled starter parts.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

What sort of idea(s) have you got in mind? And, here-

 

[mckutzy]

I wonder if at all possible to rig up an electric start. I know this has been beaten to death about a million times, but I cant stop on a few details. Been off of work for a while so im doing alot more thinking.

I was thinking about making a starting mech that uses the original pull start slightly modified.No spring or rope pull. If it works one way and can be used like a spragg clutch with out any machining of parts, and if it will disengage when the Gas motor starts.

The main Idea was watching TV, where these guys on a sailboat using a winch/capstan(?) with a rope. the way it payed out and also the way it was in a circuit of pulleys, made me think about some kind of powered chain block kinda thing. Powered by a modified 18v cordless drill.

I know this is alot of talk but I think there is something here for the DIY kinda guy.

 

[OzFab]

So without the rewind spring will the cord wheel just spin with the engine, engaged with the cup?

No, it'll stop & the cup will spin with the engine, hence the

constant ding, ding, ding, as the pawl hit the cup.

I mentioned earlier...

and if so... does simply having it stop spining with the flywheel cause it to disengage from the cup or is it some how correlating to the stationary housing ?

The housing stays still while the cup spins opposite the starter, therefore, throwing the pawl away from the cup. This is why all engines of this type make a "ding" when first started, it's the pawl being thrown in by the cup before the return action has a chance to work.

Im guessing there is some cams or something to engage them. Cant find a pic of the disassembled starter parts.

Correct. As soon as you pull the handle, it turns a cam which engages the pawl to the cup. Different starters will vary in design but, they're all based on the same theory...

 

[mckutzy]

Im sorry, is what im thinking possible?

 

[OzFab]

Yes, it may just be a bit bulky if you're talking about a mounted system; if you're referring to a unit that is removed after starting it's easy... You could even go halfway & make an engagement unit that's attached to the housing then just slot a cordless drill into it when you need to start...

 

[mckutzy]

Not a portable unit, mounted onboard. Planning on taking off the tank and making new one. Mounting a modified cordless drill to the block, with a type of rope pulley and using it like a windlass or a chain block.