Sorry if this is slightly off-topic, or not quite the right group for thi,
but if any of you have knowledge of these engines I would be grateful for
some help.
The engine is a 3.5HP one about 25 years old. It runs reasonably well until
you increase the revs and then the flywheel key (the square bit that turns
the engine for starting - I don't know what else to call it) seems to engage
and drives the starting coil, which makes a terrible screeching sound and
threatens to wreck the mechanism, we have to shut it down at this point.
Anyone got any ideas what the problem might be?

sounds like a broken spring in the recoil mechanism allowing it to engage 
when the revs rise, but i may be wrong, if i am someone will jump all over 
me  and put us both right  :)

"Jb"  wrote in message
news:d3h82u$cnr$1@titan.btinternet.com...

> sounds like a broken spring in the recoil mechanism allowing it to engage
> when the revs rise, but i may be wrong, if i am someone will jump all over
> me  and put us both right  :)
>


Sounds pretty plausible to me - and, even if it's not the problem, I
appreciate you trying to help. Many thanks.