Pull Cord Broken on a Troy-Bilt Snow Blower

Troy-Bilt snow throwers, such as the two-stage model 2840, are designed to help clear snow from areas around a home such as a sidewalk and driveway. The Troy-Bilt engine features a recoil starter that is used to turn the crankshaft and start the thrower. An integral part of the starter is the pull cord. It is necessary to often pull the cord several times each time the machine is started. Over time, the cord may eventually break, resulting in down time. Replacing the pull cord is a basic repair that most owners can tackle with confidence.

Safety and Familiarity

It is always important to make sure any piece of outdoor equipment is safe to work on before starting the actual repair process. When working on the Troy-Bilt snow thrower, park the machine on a solid work surface like a driveway or garage floor. Place the transmission in gear to prevent the snow thrower from rolling while you work. Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug for safety while working. This is a good time to familiarize yourself with the layout of the engine and locate the blower housing and rewind assembly located on the side of the blower. This will be the round housing through which the starter cord extends.

How the Starter Cord Works

The starter cord is attached to a handle that allows it to be pulled for starting the engine. The cord feeds through a hole in the blower and rewind housing and then through a hole in the pulley where it is wound in place. The pulley and rewind spring are mounted inside the housing. As the cord is pulled and then released, tension from the rewind spring rotates the pulley and allows the cord to wind onto the pulley so it is ready to be pulled again during the starting process.

Accessing the Starter Cord

Accessing the starter cord is done by first removing the blower housing and rewind assembly. Loosen and remove the screws that hold the housing in place on the side of the engine. Save the screws in a safe location for use when you reassemble the housing back to the engine. Pull the housing off the engine and turn it over to access the pulley and starter cord. Untie or cut the knot on the end of the cord that holds it in place on the pulley, and remove all of the old starter cord. A replacement starter cord can be purchased from a small engine repair shop or a hardware store.

Installing a New Starter Cord

A new starter cord is installed by first adding tension to the pulley by winding the rewind spring. Hold the housing firmly in one hand and turn the pulley inside the housing with your other hand. Turn the pulley counterclockwise to add tension to the spring and continue until you start to feel resistance. It will typically take six or seven turns to tension the spring. It is necessary to line up the cord hole in the pulley with the cord hole in the housing. To do this, turn the pulley back in the opposite direction. Since the pulley is under tension at this point, insert a screwdriver through the hole in the pulley and the housing to keep it from unwinding. The replacement cord will need to be fed through the two holes and have a knot tied in the end to hold it in place. The other end of the cord will need to be inserted through the handle and a knot tied in the cord end to hold it in place. After replacing the cord, hold the handle firmly, remove the screwdriver and guide the cord onto the pulley. The housing will need to be placed back on the side of the engine and secured with the screws that were removed earlier. Connect the spark plug wire back to the spark plug and you are ready to go.