Staff Answer
May 26, 2026 - 05:03 AM
If the pull cord on your Mercury 9.8HP will not work, the first thing to figure out is whether the rope is stuck, not retracting, or it pulls but does not turn the engine.
- If the cord will not pull at all, don’t force it too hard. Remove the engine cover and check if the recoil starter is jammed, the rope is tangled inside the housing, or the starter pawls are stuck. Also make sure the engine itself is not locked up. You can usually check that by trying to turn the flywheel by hand with the plugs removed.
- If the cord pulls out but does not grab, then the recoil pawls or starter mechanism may not be engaging the flywheel properly. If it pulls out and does not return, then the recoil spring is probably broken, slipped, or jammed.
Also check that the motor is in neutral, because some outboards have a start-in-gear protection system that can stop the starter from working properly.
A service manual would help a lot here because it will show the recoil starter assembly, how it comes apart, how the spring and pawls sit, and how to check whether the problem is in the pull starter or the engine itself. If you can send us the exact year or serial number of your Mercury 9.8, we can help point you toward the right manual.
