Heald vt8 hm80 recoil start

[har_v1]

1974 hm80 on Heald runs well, but you can really jerk your arm with the pull start as it locks up every few pulls...Im guessing these don't have decompression for easy starting.

Any ideas for easier starts? Is there a trick to it?

Things im considering is a bigger pull handle (like on snow blowers)...harder to rip from my hand.
And have researched conversion to electric start...but cant find anyone who has done it...the first complication being that my flywheel does not have gear ring.

Thanks.

 

[roccosbike]

Check your shear key in the flywheel....its probably slightly sheared and that will cause the hard pull starting.

 

[chrisr]

If it doesn't exhibit the "you can really jerk your arm with the pull start as it locks up every few pulls" with the kill switch on (no spark), it may be the partial sheared key or the timing is off. If you pull the flywheel to check the key you can set the points as well as set the timing.