How to repair a leaf blower cord that won’t pull

Are you facing issues with your garden tool and unsure what to do? We’re here to help. Our easy-to-follow guide will have your equipment working smoothly again.

Remove starter housing—Untangle cord. Replace the damaged cord. Drain excess oil through the spark plug hole. Replace the broken pull starter spring. Add oil if the engine seizes. We may need to remove covers for access. Some repairs require specialized tools.

There is no need to call in the professionals just yet. You can fix that stubborn leaf blower cord with our step-by-step guide. It’s easier than you think. Continue reading to find out how!

Tangled or damaged pull cord

This is the most common reason a starter cord won’t pull. The cord can get tangled onto itself or somewhere inside the pull starter housing. A tangled pull cord is either going not to pull at all or pulling halfway until it gets stuck again.

If a pull cord is not pulling out entirely, it won’t be able to turn the engine enough to start it up. Luckily, untangling the pull cord is not too difficult, and all you have to do is access the pull cord by removing the pull starter housing.

However, the process of removing the pull starter housing and the pull cord can vary. Either way, here is how you can repair a tangled-up leaf blower pull cord that is not pulling:

● Step 1

First, remove the pull starter housing to access the tangled or damaged pull rope. Now, there are a few ways to remove the pull starter housing of your leaf blower in some leaf blowers.

You can remove the pull starter housing directly without having to remove the side cover by removing the screws holding the pull cord housing in place. While in some leaf blower models, the pull starter mechanism is inside the side cover.

Which can also be removed easily by removing 3-4 screws holding the side cover in place. Then, some leaf blowers require you to take apart the impeller and the engine cover to access the pull starter housing. Refer to your leaf blower’s user manual to locate and remove the pull starter assembly.

● Step 2

With the starter cord assembly removed, inspect the pull cord to see if there is a knot, if the cord is tangled onto itself, or if it may have come off the reel on which it is supposed to wrap around when the pull cord retracts. You can use a screwdriver to help you untangle a badly tangled pull rope.

If you notice strands coming off the pull rope, it is a sign that the pull rope is damaged and needs replacing because the strands can get caught inside the starter mechanism, making it difficult to pull the rope.

If you have to replace the damaged pull cord (you can find pull cords here), you can do that using the following method:

• Use pliers to remove the damaged pull cord from the reel and get a replacement pull rope with the same thickness as the old one.
• Put the new cord through the same hole in the pull starter reel where you removed the old rope. Make sure to put the rope through the top of the rope, so it comes out from the bottom.
• Tie a knot at the end of the rope after putting it through the hole to stop it from slipping out, ensuring that there is as little rope left after the knot as possible. You can cut off the excess rope after the knot to prevent the extra rope from getting stuck.
• Now, put the other end of the rope through the inside of the hole in the pull cord housing so that it comes out of the pull cord housing. This is the end to which you will attach the pull handle.

Note: Some pull starters have a screw on the reel to secure the cord along with a hole. So if that is the case with your leaf blower, make sure to put the cord around this screw as well.

You can find replacements, pull cords, or full Starter Assembly here.

● Step 3

Finally, all you have to do is wind the pull starter mechanism up until the rope winds up onto the reel, and if you installed a new pull cord, attach the handle at the other end of the rope outside the pull cord assembly housing.

● Step 4

Test the pull cord assembly by pulling the rope a few times to see if it pulls without sticking, and reattach the pull cord assembly housing back onto the leaf blower. Ensure not to leave the extra cord hanging after tying the knot with the starter pulley, as this can also result in the cord getting tangled.

You will have to repeat the whole process all over again. When installing the new rope, cut the correct length so no extra rope is hanging after the pull starter assembly winds up.

You can do that by attaching the pull handle so that no limp rope is left outside the pull starter housing.

Oil in the combustion chamber causes a hydro lock

Too much oil can sometimes enter the combustion chamber or the head cylinder of a leaf blower, which doesn’t leave room for the piston to move inside the chamber. This scenario, known as hydro lock, stops the piston from moving.

A hydro-locked leaf blower will not allow you to pull the starter cord. If you want to be sure that the hydro lock is not allowing you to remove the starter rope, look for signs of engine oil leakage from the exhaust of the leaf blower.

• Causes of Oil in the Combustion Chamber

If the head cylinder of a leaf blower has too much oil, it will try to seep out from the exhaust. Now, the engine oil can enter the combustion chamber for many reasons. You might have overfilled the engine oil reservoir, causing the engine oil to get inside the combustion chamber.

Or you might have held the leaf blower in an awkward position that might have caused oil to seep into the combustion chamber.

No matter what caused the engine oil to reach the combustion chamber, it is essential to remove it if you want to be able to start your leaf blower. You can repair a hydro-locked leaf blower engine by following these simple steps:

● Step 1

To get rid of the excess oil in your leaf blower’s combustion chamber, remove the sparkplug and drain the oil through the sparkplug hole. To remove the sparkplug of your leaf blower, you must locate it first.

Luckily, most leaf blowers have their sparkplugs located so you can remove them without removing any protective covers. In most cases, you will find the sparkplug on top of the leaf blower near the handle.

● Step 2

Remove the sparkplug boot that covers the sparkplug of your leaf blower, and you should be able to see the sparkplug underneath it.

To remove the sparkplug, take the correct sized socket, fit it on the sparkplug, and turn the socket until the sparkplug becomes loose. Remove the sparkplug from the leaf blower engine and place it somewhere clean.

Note: Keep the sparkplug boot away from the sparkplug hole when the sparkplug is removed to prevent any oil from getting into the boot.

Note: If your sparkplug does not look ok, test it and, if needed, replace it. You can find a sparkplug tester here. You can find new sparkplugs here.

● Step 3

With the sparkplug removed, the hole will act as a drain to remove the excess engine oil from the combustion chamber. Pull the starter cord of your leaf blower to push the oil out from the combustion chamber to fix your hydro-locked leaf blower.

Pulling the cord might take a little force, but you will notice oil coming out of the sparkplug hole when you pull the starter cord. Keep pulling the starter cord rapidly until engine fluid stops coming out of the sparkplug hole.

This means that you have fixed the hydro lock, and your leaf blower’s engine is free from excess oil in the head cylinder.

Note: Oil might also come out of the muffler of your leaf blower as you pull the starter cord, so don’t panic if you see oil coming out of the exhaust.

● Step 4

Once you are sure that all the oil has left the combustion chamber, spray some quick start fluid into the sparkplug hole to help the engine to turn over quickly. Make sure you spread the fast start at an angle to make sure it gets to the cylinder.

● Step 5

After cleaning the oil from the hole, fit the sparkplug back into the sparkplug hole and reconnect the sparkplug wire to the sparkplug.

● Step 6

Try to start the leaf blower, and with quick start fluid in the cylinder head, the leaf blower engine should start after a few pulls. Don’t panic if you see a lot of smoke from your leaf blower’s exhaust because leftover oil in the combustion chamber is burnt up, resulting in excess smoke.

Keep the leaf blower running until the smoke clears out. The hydro lock can also be caused by excess fuel getting into the engine of your leaf blower, and you can use the above-mentioned steps to remove extra fuel from the leaf blower engine as well.

You can avoid hydro lock by making sure that you are putting the correct amount of oil inside your leaf blower, and when using the primer, make sure not to pump so much fuel into the cylinder that it ends up being hydro locked.

The spring inside the pull starter assembly is not working properly

The pull starter on your leaf blower uses a spring to wind up the rope after you have pulled it. But if the spring gets broken, the pull starter mechanism can get stuck, and you won’t be able to pull the starter cord.

Unlike the pull cord that can be replaced without taking the whole pull starter assembly apart, you must remove the complete starter assembly to replace the spring. Finding the correct-sized spring to fit your leaf blower’s pull start kit can be difficult.

So, it is best to replace the whole pull starter assembly. After you have found the correct pull starter assembly for your leaf blower, here is how you can replace it:

● Step 1

Remove the starter assembly from the leaf blower and place it on a table.

● Step 2

Make sure to remove all the tension from the pull starter assembly before removing the screw on the starter assembly. To do that, remove the rope from the pull handle and let the spring unwind. The starter assembly might not unwind independently in a broken or stuck spring.

In this case, you will have to manually turn the assembly in the direction where the cord would unwind from the reel to make sure the spring is not wound up when you remove the assembly, as it can flare out and cause an injury. You can find a new starter assembly here if the assembly is broken.

● Step 3

Now all you have to do is undo the screw in the middle of the pull starter assembly and tap the starter assembly housing on a table to remove the assembly from the housing safely. You should avoid removing the assembly directly because the spring can flare up rapidly and be dangerous.

● Step 4

After carefully removing the bad spring along with the starter assembly, fit the new starter assembly into the pull starter housing, ensuring the hook on the spring of the new assembly fits into the slot in the housing.

Now tighten up the screw in the middle of the starter assembly to hold the new assembly to the housing.

● Step 5

Now, put the pull cord of the new pull starter assembly through the hole for the cord in the housing, attach the handle to the end of the rope, and fit the housing back onto the leaf blower, and you should be able to pull the starter cord without any problem. 

You can replace the damaged spring instead of the whole starter assembly. However, it can be challenging to find the right-sized spring and install it into the starter assembly. You can find a new starter assembly here if the assembly is broken.

The engine has seized

If a backpack blower has been running without proper lubrication, it can seize up, and the piston will stop moving inside the cylinder. The starter cord won’t pull since the piston has seized against the cylinder walls.

Unfortunately, fixing a seized leaf blower can be costly, and it usually requires help from a mechanic because specialized tools are needed to fix a seized leaf blower engine. But if your leaf blower has run out of gas while sitting and is not being used,

You might be able to fix it by adding some engine oil and pulling the starter cord again to see if the engine turns over. But in most cases, a seized leaf blower engine will require a complete rebuild. You should consider if your leaf blower engine has seized while riding on a green field.

• Problems with the Fuel and Air Mix

It might be due to a lack of lubrication. In such cases, you should post a request for help on your mobile device. Also, remember to check the warranty of your leaf blower. If it’s still under warranty, you might be able to get it repaired or replaced for free.

Hearing any unusual sounds from your leaf blower could indicate a problem. It could be due to a problem with the mix of fuel and air in the engine or a problem with the flywheel.

Lastly, always check the spark plug of your leaf blower. If it’s dirty or damaged, it could cause the engine to seize. You can quickly check the spark plug using your mobile phone’s flashlight.

You can find good leaf blower oil here.

Remarks

Now that you know the possible causes and fixes for a stuck leaf blower pull cord, you can quickly diagnose and repair your leaf blower’s pull starter assembly at home. Remember that some leaf blowers might have a slightly different design, making the repair process different for each leaf blower model.

But the primary working mechanism of the pull starter mechanism for each type of leaf blower is the same, and you can use the above-mentioned repairs to fix your leaf blower’s jammed pull cord.