Re: 1969 Evinrude 4hp "Break Away" Outboard Motor!
Marine Engine also has the spring you can also get it from any BRP dealer. It is a very common part.
http://www.marineengine.com/parts/j...9B&manufacturer=Johnson§ion=Magneto+Group
Here are the instructions for installing the new spring. I suggest you also replace the starter rope while you are at it.
Read this a few times before starting as I'm leaving out some of the obvious stuff. Before you start clean all parts in varsol or paint thinner and then give everything a good coat of new light grease. Standing on the port side of your engine the pull cord goes on clockwise. I believe the length is 68 inches. with the recoil removed, wrap the pull cord all the way on it's pulley and then take an elastic band and place it on so the pull cord stays in the pulley. You will see a hole in the casting looking at you where the idler gear is. Fit a snug fitting drill bit in the hole. Push the idler gear up so it is making contact with the flywheel. Make a couple of wooden wedges that will sit on the cowl and force the drill bit up so the idler gear stays meshed in the flywheel. At the back (stern) of the cup there is a slit where the spring enters into the cup and locks on the spring pin. Once you get everything aligned take a socket wrench on the flywheel nut and start turning the flywheel clockwise (plugs removed). As you turn the flywheel the spring will commence winding into the cup. Once the entire spring is in the cup you can take the rope and feed it out of the cowl and tie a slip knot on the outside of the cowl. Put the handle on the rope and release your knot and the rope should wind back into the recoil. Hope this helps. Wear old clothes as I always end up filthy during recoil work. Best of luck. Rick. P.S. here is a parts break down you can access to see exactly where all the parts go. Don't exclude any.
http://epc.brp.com/SiteMods/BRP_Publ...0-a8e2e2efa43f You have to go johnson/1973/4hp and so on to find your parts.
Edit. once the spring is in the cup remove the wedges and drill bit before you feed out the rope. This is why an original OMC service manual is so important. Saves me a bunch of typing and brain pain trying to remember everything. My manual is at the shop so I am going by memory.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=497473
