Sqeal!

#1
We where out riding the boys Bonansa and all of a sudden a loud SQEAL, stopped the engine and pulled the rope and a few minutes later it did it again. The rope sometimes would slack out.

Before I go in I want to know if anyone had this problem and what was the fix. I imagine I should rewind the tension on the rope spring but it could be the bearings inside the recoil start,,, OR?

Engine is an old early 70's 5 HP briggs ($25 tiller engine that has always run awesome with no smoke.
 

richs

Active Member
#3
I had it happen on my boonie and I readjusted the shroud and oiled it it hasht done it sence Im not sure if it was stuck from being dry or the shroud shifted wile the shroud is off put some light oil in the ratchet peice that holds the flywheel on
 
#4
its the recoil ratchet thing. this is a common problem. pull it apart and lube the shaft with ATF it lasts better than anything else. There should also be a small piece of felt in the end of the recoil ratchet at the end of the shaft that retains some oil
 

richs

Active Member
#5
when you pull it apart the 5 or 6 ballbearings comeout and are a bitch to get back in if you try to use grease to hold the bearings in place then the ratchet starts to slip once in awile when you pull it do you have a better way to do that now I just flip it over and fill about 1/8 to with oil and let it seap in
 
#6
when you pull it apart the 5 or 6 ballbearings comeout and are a bitch to get back in if you try to use grease to hold the bearings in place then the ratchet starts to slip once in awile when you pull it do you have a better way to do that now I just flip it over and fill about 1/8 to with oil and let it seap in
to put them back its easy if the ratchet is off the motor you set it on the bench put the square drive in the housing and put the balls in put the cover on and your done . if it is still on the motor a little harder tip the motor on its side so the starter is pointing up and put the center in then the balls the cover and done .any time i have to work on a starter i just pull them it is easier to clean every thing and check the shaft for rust .
 
#7
when you pull it apart the 5 or 6 ballbearings comeout and are a bitch to get back in if you try to use grease to hold the bearings in place then the ratchet starts to slip once in awile when you pull it do you have a better way to do that now I just flip it over and fill about 1/8 to with oil and let it seap in
what i do is tilt the engine sideways, put the square shaft in place then place the balls in. Then snap the cover on. Thats the only way i know to do it :smile:
 

richs

Active Member
#8
yea that sounds like it would work but doesnt the motor smoke like hell when you start it thats why I never did it that way
 
#10
GTO with all your mini bike experience, I would have thought you of all people would have come across this at least once. That's a notorious B&S thing. I found it happened alot on 3hp Briggs when you over rev them alot.:doah: ATF is the best to use(as posted above) after trail and error of grease, wd-40, motor oil, dry, and replacing them.
 
#11
OK thanks, I figured that was it but never had a squeal problem before. I swear I had the ball bearings out and lubed a few years ago but it must have been another engine.

As I recall, there was a hole to lube into.

And Vett,,,, it is better to ask when you're going senile,,,, BIOCH! :thefinger:
 

cxbra

New Member
#12
The thing is, once you lube the bearings they stick in the open position instead of dropping back in place ready for the next start. I would know, i've taken it apart 3 times in the last 2 days.. Leave the bearings DRY, if you lube them they will not work point-blank-period.

The reason they are dry is because the bearings arent moving... The shaft going throught them is (the ratchet's claw) is not moving, but the whole ratchet itself is spinning w/ the flywheel. The bearings are forced away from the starter assembly by centrifugal force so they are not used at all once the flywheel is spinning. Once the engine is off, they drop back into place to work as the ratchet in the starter assembly. When you put lube (do NOT lube the bearings unless you dont want it to start when the engine is hot), the bearings seize in the position they were when the engine was running (stuck disengaged). Once the engine cuts off, the starter works because the balls dropped back into their ratchet space.
 
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