The pull cord froze up. I tried to take it apart and rewind the coil spring but can't figure out how it attaches back to the pull cord housing to retract the pull cord. Any help with pictures would be appreciated.

If you are going to be repairing B&S air cooled engines, may I suggest that you make a handy tool for repairing the pull cord starter. To access the pull cord assembly, remove the blower housing to expose the backside of the pull starter. All of the B&S pull start engines have a starter clutch that secures the flywheel to the crankshaft. These clutches go bad after a while. Go to a local repair shop and ask if you can have an old B&S starter clutch. Take it apart and keep the spindle. Have someone weld a T bar handle to the spindle. You will use this to reload the spring in the recoil starter, winding backwards to load the spring. Use a C clamp to hold it in place after loading the spring. Insert the new nylon pull rope through the grommet and out through the hole in the rope spool. Tie a figure 8 knot in the end of the new rope. Slowly release the C clamp to allow the spool to rewind, loading itself with new pull cord. You need about +/- 20 inches of pull cord. Replace the rubber handle on the pull cord and you are ready to mount to blower housing back on the engine. I hope this helps. PS. See the attached url for the Operator's Manual for the 9000 horizontal. http://www.tranzsporter.com/tpdf/Briggs%20&%20Stratton%209000.pdf

First remove the pull starter housing.
The next part is tricky. You'll have to release and unwind the spring that rewinds the pull starter cord. Remember how you do this because after replacing the cord, you'll have to rewind the cord and spring before inserting it back in the housing.
re-attach the pull cord housing to the chain saw.
Hope this helps.

if the spring is still in its compartment and the cord just hangs off some and it used to recoil all the way, the coil , spring , and rope are gathering dirt, the spring wants to be dry or have some graphite on it and the string needs to be clean, .
take off the housing that holds the pull rope, clean around it on the inside, pull it a few times to let out the dust .it wont come off. on the inside you can wrap the rope another time around the pulley, if you really need to. try to clean it first. Don't take apart if you don't have to , it will spring out and its 6 feet long!!!! not easy to get back in.

Most likely the reason for the jamming of pull rope would be the rewind coil was over stressed due to use and age (they become brittle after a while) and where the coil catches on inside of housing snapped causing a slight unwinding and then the restricted movement of pull rope assembly. If you have it apart you should be able to see where the coil connects at both ends and attaches to its mating location. If you do not see the typical bent coil hook then your coil is broken. No worries, if this is the case, heat the broken end with a lighter or torch and use a pair of needle nose pliers and reshape to match the hooking location. Once completed, rewind coil and place masking tape around coil temporarily holding coil in place and leave yourself about three inch lead of coil to attach where it needs to go. Insert and fasten coil assembly then remove all pieces of tape. At this time your pull rope should be recoiling and rewinding pull rope. Always wear eye protection.

Hi vanzedo, I will try to help you out. Because you don't specify the brand and model I will try to give you the Weed Eater brand that is manufactured by Poulan because it is the best known in my area and I hope it is well known in your area, but it is pretty well the same procedure for other brands.
To disassemble starter, detach starter housing from engine. Remove rope handle and allow rope to wind into starter. Unscrew pulley retainer or pulley retainer screw and remove rope pulley. Wear appropriate safety eye wear and gloves before detaching rewind spring from housing as spring may uncoil uncontrolled. Try to prevent spring from unwinding if possible, I use a flat piece of metal stiff enough not to bend, about 1" wide or less and try to put it between the spring and pulley, if I have the room to do it and prevent spring from uncoiling as it is quite a job to put it back in. (good luck with that one).
To assemble starter, lubricate center post of housing and spring side with light grease. Install rewind spring so coil windings are counterclockwise from outer end. Install proper size and length of rope. Assemble starter while passing rope through housing rope outlet and attach rope handle to rope. To place tension on starter rope, pull rope out of housing. Engage rope in notch on pulley and turn pulley counterclockwise to place tension on rewind spring. Hold pulley and disengage rope from pulley notch. Release pulley and allow rope to wind on pulley. Check starter operation. Rope handle should be held against housing by spring tension, but it must be possible to rotate pulley at least an additional 1/4 turn when rope is pulled out fully.
I hope this is helpful to you even if a little bit. Regards and good luck. Denis.

Recoil Spring Rewind
I invert and secure the housing and rewind the spring large coil to small (need eye protection, both hands and no women around work area!). I'm right handed so I tension the spring enough to insert it inside the previous coil while holding what has already been installed with my left about 180° from my right hand. The tension will hold the spring in the housing once completely inserted. Then bend slightly the inner most part to engage the starter spool. It will require about 2 turns of pretension for it to retract properly. HTH
Lou

I invert and secure the starter housing and rewind the spring large coil to small (need eye protection, both hands and no women around work area!). I'm right handed so i tension the spring enough to insert it inside the previous coil while holding what has already been installed with my left about 180° from my right hand. The tension will hold the spring in the housing once completely inserted. Then bend slightly the inner most part to engage the starter spool. It will require about 2 turns of pretension to retract properly.
If you're lucky you can pull the cord out enough for a pretension then slightly raise and add the withdrawn cord to the spool.

Both methods require about 2 turns of pretension to rewind the cord when pulled. HTH
Lou

Recoil Spring Rewind
I invert and secure the housing and rewind the spring large coil to small (need eye protection, both hands and no women around work area!). I'm right handed so I tension the spring enough to insert it inside the previous coil while holding what has already been installed with my left about 180° from my right hand. The tension will hold the spring in the housing once completely inserted. Then bend slightly the inner most part to engage the starter spool. It will require about 2 turns of pretension for it to retract properly.
If you're lucky you can pull the cord out enough for a pretension then slightly raise and add the withdrawn cord to the spool.

Poulan.com Look your saw over carefully and maybe you'll find a model number that matches one of these.
http://www.ordertree.com/modelinfo/POULAN-WEED-EATER/75.59.html

A new spring comes wound tight enough to be dropped into place in the starter housing (Easiest).

I invert and secure the housing and rewind the spring large coil to small (need eye protection, both hands and no women around work area!). I'm right handed so i tension the spring enough to insert it inside the previous coil while holding what has already been installed with my left about 180° from my right hand. The tension will hold the spring in the housing once completely inserted. Then bend slightly the inner most part to engage the starter spool. It will require about 2 turns of pretension to retract properly.
If you're lucky you can pull the cord out enough for a pretension then slightly raise and add the withdrawn cord to the spool.

Both methods require about 2 turns of pretension to rewind the cord when pulled.
Lou

A new spring comes wound tight enough to be dropped into place in the starter housing (Easiest).

I invert and secure the starter housing and rewind the spring large coil to small (need eye protection, both hands and no women around work area!). I'm right handed so I tension the spring enough to insert it inside the previous coil while holding what has already been installed with my left about 180° from my right hand. The tension will hold the spring in the housing once completely inserted. Then bend slightly the inner most part to engage the starter spool. It will require about 2 turns of pretension to retract properly.
If you're lucky you can pull the cord out enough for a pretension then slightly raise and add the withdrawn cord to the spool.

Both methods require about 2 turns of pretension to rewind the cord when pulled.
Lou