[juicejug]

Awhile back I was having problems with fuel delivery and spark on my sno-tek lct 208cc engine.

To adjust the valve, I used the rope in the cylinder trick, then turned the engine by hand, just enough to keep the valve in place.

I made all the adjustments, turned it again by hand to remove the rope, put it all back together, and it fired right up.

I had been using the electric starter, but now every time I try with the pull start, the kickback is terrible and has even broken the handle while being pulled out of my hand.

What did I screw up and what should I check to fix it?

 

[Shovel]

Alot of these engines have a compression release which is built in to crack the exhaust valve momentarily to lower starting compression ..if the valve clearance is to fat on the exhaust side then you will not benefit the lowered compression which can cause a kickback.
You don't need a rope..just take the plug out..rotate then engine slowly...when the intake valve closes...then just use a flash light to look down the plug hole..rotate the engine a little more until piston is at the top..if you pass top dead center a little don't worry about it.
If you are sure the valves are set correctly..then the little finger that cracks the exhaust valve open is either stuck or damaged.

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[juicejug]

Alot of these engines have a compression release which is built in to crack the exhaust valve momentarily to lower starting compression ..if the valve clearance is to fat on the exhaust side then you will not benefit the lowered compression which can cause a kickback.
You don't need a rope..just take the plug out..rotate then engine slowly...when the intake valve close...then just use a flash light to look down the plug hole..rotate the engine a little more until piston is at top..if you pass top dead cent a lite don't worry about it.
If you are sure the valves are set correctly..then the little finger that cracks the exhaust valve open is either stuck or damaged.

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I'm sorry, but I don't totally follow what you're saying.

When I did adjust the valve, I did adjust it exactly to spec.

The reason I had used the rope trick is because I also removed the spring and wanted to check all of the valve components.

 

[Shovel]

I thought you used the rope to find TDC.
The kickback is either caused by ignition timing to far advanced...or an inoperable compression release.
The flywheel key should be OK as its not a mower...but if the flywheel left the factory slightly loose the key can shear during normal usage..which can advance or retard the timing.

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[scrappy]

If you had a rope stuffed in there, the piston was not at TDC. If the valve clearance is too much, the release won't open the valve. Here is a vid,where he shows what happens. Ignore the clown part, Taryl knows his stuff.

 

[captchas]

go back over the valve adjustment as it sounds like you have possibly miss adjusted the exhaust valve, when to loose the compression release fails to operate properly lowering the compression when using the pull starter

when properly set we are only talking holding the valve off the seat for a short amount of time which lowers the compression allowing for easier pulling
there is a grove in the camshaft lobe the fly weighted arm sits in, only during pull starting does it hold the valve up. as soon as it starts the arm retreats same when using the electric starter .

 

[orangputeh]

good advice here. always learning sumting new. now all i gotta do is learnt sum speling.

 

[LouC]

Agreed if you had a rope in there, there's no way the piston could have been at TDC, you want it on TDC of the compression stroke to adjust the valve clearances. You could probably tell by using small LED flashlight remove the spark plug so you can see in the cylinder and the valve cover removed so you can observe the valves (make sure to mark the Intake valve and the Exhaust valve). Then have some one pull the recoil starter slowly while you watch the piston and valves. What you are looking for is the intake valve closing and then the piston coming all the way up to the top, that should be TDC on the compression stroke.

 

[captchas]

real world just a tad past top dead so the lifter is off the release arm other wise you don't get the proper clearance since the valve is being held off the seat

 

[laser3kw]

I wouldn't adjust the valve without the spring / retainer in place. The lash adjustment would be the last thing I do before installing the rocker cover.

 

[tabora]

To adjust the valve, I used the rope in the cylinder trick

The rope trick is for servicing/replacing the OHV spring & rocker components, not for when you are setting the valve lash.