What to do if your engine made a clattering sound and then stopped, or if you are getting a squealing/clicking noise as engine turns over, or it feels like your engine is locked (cannot turn engine with pull chord):

Fix

It is possible that something like a screw or small rock could have fallen into the flywheel area and may have jammed the flywheel from turning. This is easy to check/fix. A shake upside down may give you a clue or dislodge the debris. Look on the outside of the unit and in particular on the screws holding on the the tank or any plastic covers. If you see one missing this might give you a clue that this is the problem. First, remove the pull start unit (just 4 phillips screws) and check that it is in good shape. If the pull unit is working and that is not your problem, try using pliers on the metal flange under where the pull unit was to try and gently rotate the drive shaft back and forth. Once this starts moving you may feel the debris/screw drop out and you can shake it out through air holes in side of engine. If this does not work, you can also remove the top plastic cover (see steps below) and look inside the flywheel/cooling fin area and see if anything is caught between the flywheel and CDI unit. You can also remove the CDI unit (just 2 bolts) and see if that helps. When replacing the CDI unit, pull up the CDI unit as far as possible away from the flywheel before tightening bolts to make sure that there is a space between flywheel and CDI. If this solves your problem replace all screws and check them for tightness. If not contact us.

To remove cover:

1) Remove exhaust grill secure screw on pull unit

2) Remove screw on front exhaust grill

3) Remove screw on bottom of exhaust grill

4) Remove screw on plastic top cap

5) Pull up cap

6) Pull off spark plug lead and stop switch leads

7) Pull off cover and check for screw or debris between CDI unit and top of flywheel.

8) Remove debris and reassemble in reverse.