Recoil spring has come out of pull cord housing. Wondering if there's any good trick to reloading it? Have tried many attempts with much frustration!

Its an easy opperation to undertake if you know how. Take note of where everything goes during the stripping down of the recoil assembly. Use eye protection when trying to recoil the rewind spring, they have a tendency to jump back out at you while coiling them back in. easiest way is to start by putting the hooked end into the plastic housing and work your way inwards coiling it back in. Then place the starter cord roller in on top, adding the one or two black sliders, the washer and the spring clip to hold it all in place.

Possibly the recoil starter pawl's on the inside of the recoil housing not engagning with the flywheel.

Sounds as either the recoil spring located under the the recoil housing has either broken or the plastic housing that holds the spring end has broken. you will need to remove the recoil housing to determine the problem. To remove:
1. Remove the drive tube by removing the clamp around the front of the housing and gently pull the drive tube from the engine.
2. Remove the torx or slotted screws holding the recoil assembly on
3. Remove the star washer with a flat screwdriver and gently lift the recoil from the housing.
The spring will be directly. You should be able to see the problem at that point.

To replace the pull cord line:

If your pull cord is still attached to the grab handle, it's likely your spring is still wound. Follow this if this is the case, purchase rope of the correct length (or cut) and the correct diameter at your local lawn/garden store, then:
1. Disconnect the long drive shaft by removing the small set screw and the clamp - pull the shaft out of the engine body.
2. Remove the recoil assembly (About 5-5 torx bolts). You may need to disconnect a wire to the kill-switch at this time.
3. Pull the cord until it stops and use a small piece of wood acting as a wedge to jam between the recoil and the housing.
4. Cut the line and pull the knotted terminating end from the hosing.
5. Keep the wedge tight so it does not spin back. If this happens, you will simply need to rewind the spring back (about five turns) and re-wedge it.
6. Feed line through the recoil housing and into the recoil. Pass line through the hole in the recoil and knot the end. Trip to about .25 inch tail. Pull the rope through the grab handle and single or double knot this.
7. Remove the wedge and allow the spring to pull the rope back into the recoil.
8. If it does not completely recoil, either your rope is too long or you will need to add a "wind" to your spring buy removing the line and wind back 1 more turn. Retry.

Good luck!

You have a broken recoil spring. Dis-assemble (pull-off) the recoil housing and check for proper dog alingnment, broken spring, or something jammed between recoil sprocket and engine block.

If the spring is unwound.
Recoil Spring Rewind
I invert and secure the starter housing and rewind the spring large coil to small (need eye protection and both hands). I am 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 rewound. 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 the starter cord needs a pretension, this works quite well.
R² Starter Rope by SmallEng.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRyy3MlsjVo

If you have more questions or need additional help please reply below and I will get back to you. Thank you for using FixYa and Good Luck. HTH
Lou

broken cord? remove bolts holding recoil housing.lift housing straight up,you may have to wiggle it a bit.turn housing over,remove any cord thats left,note how & where it connects to the spool.wind the spool [and consquently the spring under it]in the direction the cord would turn it as pulled when starting.hold spool tight.thread new cord through hole in housing.let spool turn back just enough to attach new cord.hold cord & housing,let spring "re-coil" cord slowly.check for smooth operation.replace housing.you may need to pull cord slightly to align 'square' shaft w/hole in spool.only after you are satisfied with the operation of it adjust length of cord by pushing excess cord through the handle,tie a new knot,then cut off excess,if any.

Good job on the cord replacement. Most people take the cover off the spring and then find out it is nearly impossible to get the spring tension set. I have personally repaired dozens of these cords that have been messed up by owners that did that.
If anyone has this problem, just do what this post says...remove the assembly and turn the pulley until you can get to the part of the cord that is broken...grab the end that is broken after you get it out of the opening with a vise grip and pull the cord out fully and lock the recoil spring with a vise or vise grip (but don't crush it)...then replace the cord and hold the end of the cord pull fully extended and remove the lock and allow the spring to recoil...and reinstall the assembly.
Simple, but THINK before you take the housing apart. It is REALLY TOUGH to reset spring tension properly.

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

sounds like the spring is broken itself.there should be a hook at one end and a loop at the other end.the hook usualy breaks off but the spring looks good.replace the spring with part number..4140 190 0600 ....that is the stihl part number.let me know if this helped you...if not give me a quick mail and i'll try to help some more......