I've recently purchased a sidewinder rc nitro buggy. Have done the break-in stuff, and all has been fine. Took it out yesterday and was using it, turned the car off for a bit, and then when i went to turn it on again, the pull cord came out and stayed out. After checking it and changing it with other ones, the problem that i have is this ( and this has happened with every pull start i have tried).........

it won't retract once i put it on the car, it will work fine and retract when it's OFF the car, but as soon as i put it on the car, it won't retract anymore. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is??

Ihave checked the cord and everything, and it's not snapped, it just won't retract once i get it onto the car, and it's driving me nuts!! lol

I've had that happen when I tightened down the recoil housing to the engine. Loosened the screws up a bit and it worked fine.

Now loosening the screws is only a test to help troubleshoot what's wrong. Unless you really tightened them way too much.

With some recoils, the OWB is a press-fit intil the gear. Sometimes you need to move OWB in or out of the gear a tiny bit. What's happens is the OWB gets pushed against the engine backplate and sticks.

If the engine starting shaft is hitting the housing, you will have to figure out something....maybe washers as spacers between the recoil housing and the engine.

Anyway, loosen the screws to see if it works, and if so, take the recoil back off and inspect...look for things that touch where they shouldn't when the hosuing is compressed.

i had this happen too. If its no the screws, then take it off and add some oil in there> it worked for me

Make sure the OWB is installed in the correct direction...

Good one.......never occured to me to suggest that

Not only that it's installed correctly, which it probably was/is since it was working then stopped, but that it's clean and unbroken. If the housing cracked or it's full of old oil/dirt/gunge the internal bearings won't "release" and allow the bearing to "spin" backwards.
You can clean them with nitro cleaner, old nitro fuel or alcohol. I always reinstall mine dry because they always pick up some oil from the fuel but many people like to lightly coat them with oil before reinstalling.

Thx for the info guys, i've taken the whole thing apart and checked and cleaned the OWB, and replaced it with another one that i had. It works for a couple of pulls, then it just stops again, i'm wondering if maybe there is actually a fault somewhere in the motor, not really sure, but i'll keep trying :-) I've gotta get another OWB and see if that one works yet.