Add on 120 volt start for a briggs?

[Jim147]

My wood splitter is about 15 years old and has a Briggs 675 series engine on it. Late yesterday afternoon the pull rope broke. No big deal I've replaced a bunch of them over the years. I looked and didn't have enough rope. Went to town and the hardware store was closed so had to make a longer trip to get rope.

It is cold here but got it apart and find out the rope broke because something between to pully and spring has broken. Well a rope won't help today. And I can't get the whole starter assembly until sometime next week. So it hit me. I have a 120 volt impact. It should turn it fast enough to start. Now can I get it back off before it winds the cord up or breaks my arm?

Thoughts? One more whiskey to warm up and I might go try this.

[dogmush]

 The last time I tried this the impact sheared the crank bolt off, and an easy starter repair turned into a more complicated broken bolt extraction.  That was on a 5k generator.

You need smoother torque than an impact delivers.  A drill might be a better bet.  Or fashion a temporary rope holder on the flywheel somewhere.

[Jim147]

I had an old drag race buddy stop by right after posing this. The ones used on jr drag (Briggs) up to topfuel all have a clutch.

It always starts on the second pull so I will try the wrap around for now until I can get new parts.

[HeroHog]

Project Farm uses a 3/8" or a 1/2" drill and a standard deep socket to crank most of his small engines as do a few other small engine guys I follow.

[charby]

I remember something from the 1980s which was an aftermarket add on for popular Briggs engines on lawnmowers to be started with a 3/8" drill.