On my small Homelite weed eater, (Approx 2 years old)The pull start cord does not retract, the return spring is ok and I have loosened off the three tabs that hold the spool in place, I assume I have not reassembled the pull cord unit correct. The pull start operates OK when I have in in parts but when it is assembled, the cord just fails to return , can you help, even a diagram of the pull start assembley may help thanks Neil

SOURCE: Homelite

Go to www.homelite.com then in the red up top click on order parts then click launch to parts catalog then scroll down to accept agreement and then you will need to enter your model # and then you can go thru the list of breakdowns and get your part # from the diagrams.

SOURCE: need to add new string to a weed eater xt 12

For manual go to;
http://www.poulanpro.com/poulanpro/manualSearchPrepare.do;jsessionid=332BA6FC1EA2792C79A0A463204716AA

Preparation Instructions


1. Press the lock and rotate the spool counter-clockwise.
2. Remove the locking ring if your weed eater has one.
3. Take off the automatic feed button.
4. Wipe away any debris.
5. Push down on the spool to release the locking tabs.
6. Remove the spool from the chamber. Restringing the Weed Eater
7. Feed the line into the lower deck, traveling the line in an upside down J fashion (almost like sewing on a button but do not tie off the line). This secures the internal end of the line.
8. Wrap the line following the directed arrows. Do this until it wraps to the depth of the chamber.
9. Secure each of the lines into its own upper and lower deck grove settings.
10. Install the spool back into its chamber.
11. Pass the lines into the left and right holes and snap the spool into place.
12. Once the spool is in its sleeve and fed into its left and right eye holes, pull both ends simultaneously.
13. Reinstall the locking ring if necessary.

Do it yourself repair: common repairs for a weed eater Amazingly, weed eaters are one of the simplest yard tools to take care of. One of the first things you should do to keep your weed eater in good condition is to clean it. It is important not to clean your weed eater with water or gas, which may destroy the engine. The best, and easiest way to clean it is by blowing off dirt and grass with an air compressor or a leaf-blower after every use. The next most important thing to maintain on your weed eater is string. When the string gets low you can remove the lower part of the head (the part that the string comes out of) by pushing in slightly and turning the head counterclockwise. Cut the new string no shorter than 6 inches or the weed eater will not advance the string properly when in use. Thread the string back though the guides, making sure to follow the arrows on the guide. If the string is not put through the guides the right way, the head may pop off during use. Next, replace the bottom of the head by pushing and turning clockwise. You can totally skip this step by buying a string replacement cartridge. Though it is much more expensive, it saves you the trouble of having to restring your weed eater yourself. window.google_render_ad(); If you find that the head of your weed eater is worn on bottom or hard to get off to replace the string then it is time to replace it. This can be done very simply by unscrewing the two screws at the top of the head and slipping it off. Then, just slide the new one on and tighten the screws. After a few months of use, you may find that your weed eater is losing power or that it is making a strange lower pitched noise. This may be caused by a dirty filter. To check, unscrew the knob or wing nut on the carburetor. Inside you will find a small square screen, this is the filter. If the filter is gray or black then it is time for it to be cleaned. The easiest way to clean it is to blow it out with an air compressor. It can also be washed with plain water, but you must let it dry before placing it back into the carburetor. Once the filter is white or only light grey it is ready to use again. Always make sure to mix the gas and two-cycle oil in the proportions that are listed in the weed eater’s manual. Never use anything but two-cycle oil, normal car oil will not work and will damage your engine.

SOURCE: weed eater wont start,put straight gas in it.

if you didn't mix any oil with the fuel,you probally burnt the piston and cylinder up.the only to find out if you did is to pull the muffler off and look inside the cylinder and see if there are any scoring on the piston.if there is you need to replace the piston and cylinder assembly.most cost $100.00 or more.usually they are not worth repairing.i know this is not good news but i hope this helped,let me know.................

SOURCE: gas weed eater pull cord wont retract after pulling cord

remove the cover and the screw holding the recoil down, turning the pulley ccw should release the spring then wind rope around pulley and (hopefully yours has the slot in it) wind in the direction of the pulley teeth then, holding rope in slot put back on spring and wind cw till almost tight, and install screw. Usually you can do this without taking rope handle off. sometimes you have to remove handle. look at spring end in the middle and make sure its not broke as long as you have it apart. Its a easy fix.
Thanks for using fixya

SOURCE: HOW DO I REMOVE SPOOL FROM HOMELITE WEED EATER TO RELOAD

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