MTD 5.5 Hp wood chipper

[davey buoy]

This machine I bought about 7 years ago. If you ever tried pulling one of these things to start it your lucky it doesn't pull your arm off.So much compression if you don't pull on the right stroke you can almost lift the machine off the ground.

My arms sore once again. Anyone ever heard of a portable remote starting mechanism for something like this?. I have a two speed gear box heavy duty drill with the right quick release attachment would turn it over. The flywheel is huge. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Twocoda]

your idea with the drill is on the right track....take the starter side off and use an electric drill with the correct socket to start initially start it then once its warmed up you can start it with a cordless drill if you have to keep shutting it down...i used to do this method with an old briggs years ago...beets the heck out of wrecking the arm

[davey buoy]

your idea with the drill is on the right track....take the starter side off and use an electric drill with the correct socket to start initially start it then once its warmed up you can start it with a cordless drill if you have to keep shutting it down...i used to do this method with an old briggs years ago...beets the heck out of wrecking the arm

 

So take the pull start case off,and there should be a bolt on the crank?,if so I get it. They should of put a electric start on these.If it doesn't start in 3 or4 pulls you sure feel it.Thanks.

[Twocoda]

thats correct...make sure the socket is a tight fit and youll get 100 starts out of it ....then once the nut starts to round off you can replace it or just hammer a smaller socket on that wont come off...then just disconnect the drill from the socket leaving the socket attached to the machine....youll have to get the feel for it so you dont have a drill spinning around on you causing bodily harm....so be careful..

[tb4me]

Yes be very carefull whith putting anything on the crank to start the machine..I wouldnt do it myself..

[Twocoda]

Yeah Ron your right ....even though i used to do it all the time ...it isnt for everybody....soloution number two ....small shot of ether (again not advisable) so that brings us to the perfect solution....hire a kid to start it and poke fun at him for not being able to..

 

have the mechanic look at it to see why its compression is so high....

[BITEME]

you might want to check about and find out whether there is an electric start version most times same unit just a bit more money to get the starter you just never know

 

Biteme

[aplumma]

Pull the starter rope slowly to get the flywheel turning then pull a little faster it will light off with little effort. The spinning of the socket will tighten the magneto on to the point of being a real bear to get off and can shift the crankshaft.

 

 

Art

[Blue Lk]

MTD also manufacture snoblowers with 110V starters,perhaps 1 of these would fit your chipper.

[davey buoy]

Thanks for the reply's. When I said flywheel it is actually the blade mechanism your pulling over.You could imagine the pull needed.When it starts it is a gradual build up to speed. I'm thinking pop the plug,little Quick start and hope she takes off.

[pics]

Mine is the same make and yes they are hard to pull because you are moving all of the blades which are heavy.....

[dave524]

Maybe you are trying to pull too hard and fast, came across this video, didn't appear to be as hard as my mower or rototiller.

 

[Big Cliff]

The fist thing I would want to do is make sure your flywheel key isn't damaged at all. It is a fairly common problem with those chippers. Someone puts something too big in the chipper and jams it and the flywheel shifts slightly on the shaft. Throws the timing off just a bit and can make it very hard to start. After 7 years, might even be time for a tune up.

 

DO NOT use the drill technique, it is very dangerous!