Husqvarna Starter Pawl for Chainsaws

This Husqvarna starter pawl is the small catch on the flywheel that the recoil starter grabs to turn the engine. A worn or broken pawl lets the starter slip, so the cord pulls but the saw never cranks.

Diagnosing a slipping starter

Pull the starter cover and look at the flywheel. Pawls should pivot freely and spring back. Rounded tips, cracked pawls, or missing springs all lead to a starter that grabs only sometimes or not at all.

Also check the starter pulley's engagement teeth; if they are chewed up, replace the pulley along with the pawl.

A starter that only catches every few pulls is often the first sign, long before it fails completely. Fixing it early saves time and frustration on the job.

Fitting and keeping it working

Clean the flywheel area, swap the pawl and spring, and confirm smooth movement before refitting the cover. Avoid yanking the cord at an angle and keep the starter area free of packed sawdust to make the new pawl last.

Check the pawl spring as well as the pawl. A weak spring lets the pawl stay retracted, which feels the same as a worn pawl from the starter handle. Replace both if in doubt, and test the starter several times before reassembling the rest of the saw.

Confirm the part number against your saw's model and serial plate or the manufacturer's parts lookup before ordering, since parts can change between production runs. Browse more Husqvarna chainsaw parts.