Hi everyone... I have been given an Electrolux grass cutter which
appears to be in vgc but it would benefit from a new blade etc...
Before I get into this there is something that causes me some concern
(I have no great knowledge of mowers)... I tried to start the engine
but the pull cord is pretty well 'solid' and I cannot pull it. I
suspected a seized engine but that is not the case as I can rotate it
easily from the underneath and after doing this the pull cord is free
until I give it a pull and it 'locks' once more... Can anyone suggest
what may be causing the pull cord to lock-up and what might be the
wisdom of attempting to 're-habilitate' this machine... It is only
about five years old and hasn't been used at all for the past three
years... Any advice would be much appreciated....

On Feb 8, 2:03*pm, Ardamerr wrote:
Hi everyone... *I have been given an Electrolux grass cutter which
appears to be in vgc but it would benefit from a new blade etc...
Before I get into this there is something that causes me some concern
(I have no great knowledge of mowers)... *I tried to start the engine
but the pull cord is pretty well 'solid' and I cannot pull it. *I
suspected a seized engine but that is not the case as I can rotate it
easily from the underneath and after doing this the pull cord is free
until I give it a pull and it 'locks' once more... *Can anyone suggest
what may be causing the pull cord to lock-up and what might be the
wisdom of attempting to 're-habilitate' this machine... *It is only
about five years old and hasn't been used at all for the past three
years... *Any advice would be much appreciated....

On all the mowers I have had, it is necessary to hold the brake lever
in the off position whilst pulling the cord.

Sorry if this is a granny teaching the sucking of eggs kind of reply
but you never know!

Steve

On 8 Feb, 14:16, stevelup wrote:
On Feb 8, 2:03 pm, Ardamerr wrote:

Hi everyone... I have been given an Electrolux grass cutter which
appears to be in vgc but it would benefit from a new blade etc...
Before I get into this there is something that causes me some concern
(I have no great knowledge of mowers)... I tried to start the engine
but the pull cord is pretty well 'solid' and I cannot pull it. I
suspected a seized engine but that is not the case as I can rotate it
easily from the underneath and after doing this the pull cord is free
until I give it a pull and it 'locks' once more... Can anyone suggest
what may be causing the pull cord to lock-up and what might be the
wisdom of attempting to 're-habilitate' this machine... It is only
about five years old and hasn't been used at all for the past three
years... Any advice would be much appreciated....

On all the mowers I have had, it is necessary to hold the brake lever
in the off position whilst pulling the cord.

Sorry if this is a granny teaching the sucking of eggs kind of reply
but you never know!

Steve

Thanks for that Steve, and yes, that is the case here, if I don't hold
the brake lever as you say, there is no way the cord will move at
all... But what I am describing is the situation when the cord should
be free as the brake is in the 'off' position... I'm probably not
much use at sucking eggs either :-)

Richard.

On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 06:16:05 -0800 (PST), stevelup wrote:

On all the mowers I have had, it is necessary to hold the brake lever
in the off position whilst pulling the cord.

That's engine brake or the "dead mans handle" that kills and stops the
engine PDQ if you let it go.

I'd been trying to think of something to fits the OPs description but
failed but now this has been mentioned. I can only just turn over my mower
engine if the brake is on but pushing the blades underneath isn't a
problem.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Feb 8, 10:40 am, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 06:16:05 -0800 (PST), stevelup wrote:
On all the mowers I have had, it is necessary to hold the brake lever
in the off position whilst pulling the cord.

That's engine brake or the "dead mans handle" that kills and stops the
engine PDQ if you let it go.

I'd been trying to think of something to fits the OPs description but
failed but now this has been mentioned. I can only just turn over my mower
engine if the brake is on but pushing the blades underneath isn't a
problem.

--
Cheers
Dave.

That's interesting Dave, so it looks like the 'dmh' brake could be
stuck 'on' and although the bowden cable is operating the actuator it
may not be releasing the actual brake itself eh?

Regards... Richard.

On Feb 10, 5:27 pm, Ardamerr wrote:
On Feb 8, 10:40 am, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 06:16:05 -0800 (PST), stevelup wrote:
On all the mowers I have had, it is necessary to hold the brake lever
in the off position whilst pulling the cord.

That's engine brake or the "dead mans handle" that kills and stops the
engine PDQ if you let it go.

I'd been trying to think of something to fits the OPs description but
failed but now this has been mentioned. I can only just turn over my mower
engine if the brake is on but pushing the blades underneath isn't a
problem.

--
Cheers
Dave.

That's interesting Dave, so it looks like the 'dmh' brake could be
stuck 'on' and although the bowden cable is operating the actuator it
may not be releasing the actual brake itself eh?

Regards... Richard.

Hi all... For what it's worth the problem was caused by the fracture
of the Bowden Cable from the Dead Man's Handle to the brake / engine
stop switch. The Bowden Cable had been 'fatally' bent when someone
had carelessly hinged the handle down. This had the effect of
'lengthening' the outer sheath of the cable preventing the brake from
releasing... It actually took almost a complete dismantle to
discover this problem!!

Thanks to all who put me on the right track!

Richard