FIX YOUR RECOIL STARTER!

[400brian]

Few things offer as much instant gratification as this simple fix.

The recoil on my '74 X8 would get stubborn after the engine was warmed up a few years back, and I found it embarrassing to stand there messing with the rope, trying to get it to rewind, so you could pull the engine over.
Electric start really fixed that, but you need the recoil starter to function as a back-up, or for those really cold mornings.

The fix was found in a '74 Service Textbook. This is the book Deere put out detailing all the improvements they had made from the '73 model year. The fix was described as simply removing the nut, lock washer, and flat washer, from the stud that holds the recoil assembly together, and taking a look at the underside of the flat washer, and the corresponding area of the plate the retains the pawls. If either were scored or rough, you were to smooth them up with some emery cloth, put a dab of grease under the flat washer, and re-assemble. I found it easier to flip the flat washer over, but you get the idea.

On the '73 recoil I just did, I found a fair amount of corrosion under the pawl plate and pawls. I cleaned that up a bit, added one drop of 3-in one oil under each pawl, smoothed the plate, and added an NOS brass washer ( M65975 ) that is the replacement for the original steel flat washer ( with a dab of lithium grease ).

That parts hoarder Rainville has these washers flying out his ass along with the monkeys.

The only tricky part is to get the tail of the spring back through the pawl plate, and getting the pre-load right.
The spring helps hold the pawls in the retracted position, by pulling the plate to its home spot. Easier to see than explain. Install the lock washer and tighten the hut, and you should be good to go. My X8 has worked great ever since I did this, several years ago.