Rewinding pullcord on briggs and stratton mower engine

Pull the plug. MAKE SURE THE PLUG IS COMPLETLY REMOVED AND SEPARATED FROM THE MOWER!! Remove the cover with the pull start attached. see if you can turn it by the flywheel or the blade. If you can, you can just have the rewind repaired.
If not, then you have a probable bent or twisted crankshaft. Most likely not worth repair.

Did you remember to "wind" the cord when you replaced it. They normally have a spring type of set up that you have to wind before you bolt everything together.

You need to remove the starter cover and rewind the rope a bit.

It is actually not too hard to do. And you dont need any parts!

you can buy the whole recoil + pull cord ready to install ,or have a small engine shop rewind it if you cant. some times the tab that held it breaks and you have to replace it.

It depends upon what brand of engine you have on the mower but the most common one that seems to the most confusion with its owners is the Briggs & Stratton so here is the directions for them direct from the Briggs & Stratton web-site:


This is a relatively simple process, but you have to be VERY careful when doing this. The spring is long, under some tension and has sharp edges. Anytime you are dealing with the manual rewind starter assembly, there is risk of the spring coming out and possibly injuring yourself or others. If you do not feel comfortable performing this repair, I strongly suggest visiting one of our many authorized dealers in your area and have them do this for you.
You will have to remove the gas tank to get at the rewind and blower housing. Remove the entire blower housing and rewind assembly and turn it upside down.
NOTE:You do not have to drill out the rivets to get to the back of the rewind assembly. This is only necessary if you are removing the ENTIRE rewind assembly, (metal housing and all) and are separating it from the blower housing.
You'll need a pair of vise grips or a screw driver, some rewind rope, a long thin sharp tip flexible object (the wire from a coat hanger may work) and a lighter handy.

1. Take the pulley and start to turn it so that the rope becomes loose.
   
2. Remove the rope.
   
3. Once the pulley is all the way out, with the most tension, either use the screwdriver between the spokes of the pulley, or use the vise grips to hold the pulley in place; be careful not to place too much pressure on the vise grips, the plastic pulley may break!
   
4. Make sure that the hole in the pulley lines up with the hole on the rewind assembly.
   
5. Using the wire from the coat hanger, push the rope through the hole of the rewind and pulley. Pull the rope through the pulley and tie it off. Now use the lighter to burn the end of the rope to prevent the not from coming off.
   
6. Now, remove the screwdriver or vise grips, while holding on to the pulley.
   
7. SLOWLY let go of the pulley and the rope should feed back into the pulley as you do this.
   

If you are unsure how to do this, I suggest consulting a Briggs & Stratton Authorized Dealer located in your area. Your Briggs & Stratton Authorized Dealer has all the information relating to Briggs & Stratton warranty information, replacement engines, short blocks, parts, pricing, service/repair, specifications, etc.

You neglected to specify but if this is for a Briggs & Stratton engine:

FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS FROM BRIGGS & STRATTON:

This is a relatively simple process, but you have to be VERY careful when doing this. The spring is long, under some tension and has sharp edges. Anytime you are dealing with the manual rewind starter assembly, there is risk of the spring coming out and possibly injuring yourself or others. If you do not feel comfortable performing this repair, I strongly suggest visiting one of our many authorized dealers in your area and have them do this for you. You will have to remove the gas tank to get at the rewind and blower housing. Remove the entire blower housing and rewind assembly and turn it upside down.
NOTE:You do not have to drill out the rivets to get to the back of the rewind assembly. This is only necessary if you are removing the ENTIRE rewind assembly, (metal housing and all) and are separating it from the blower housing.
You'll need a pair of vise grips or a screw driver, some rewind rope, a long thin sharp tip flexible object (the wire from a coat hanger may work) and a lighter handy.

1. Take the pulley and start to turn it so that the rope becomes loose.
   
2. Remove the rope.
   
3. Once the pulley is all the way out, with the most tension, either use the screwdriver between the spokes of the pulley, or use the vise grips to hold the pulley in place; be careful not to place too much pressure on the vise grips, the plastic pulley may break!
   
4. Make sure that the hole in the pulley lines up with the hole on the rewind assembly.
   
5. Using the wire from the coat hanger, push the rope through the hole of the rewind and pulley. Pull the rope through the pulley and tie it off. Now use the lighter to burn the end of the rope to prevent the not from coming off.
   
6. Now, remove the screwdriver or vise grips, while holding on to the pulley.
   
7. SLOWLY let go of the pulley and the rope should feed back into the pulley as you do this.
   

If you are unsure how to do this, I suggest consulting a Briggs & Stratton Authorized Dealer located in your area. Your Briggs & Stratton Authorized Dealer has all the information relating to Briggs & Stratton warranty information, replacement engines, short blocks, parts, pricing, service/repair, specifications, etc.

Check out the following link that I am attaching. It should assist you in rewinding the pull cord in your mower. Hope so anyway and best wishes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3ZMVFi0yqY

sounds like you have dirt in the recoil clutch, (under the screen) or you bent something there. try removing the clutch and make sure shaft is very clean and lightly coated with oil. This would be for a briggs and stratton engine.