The spring is missing up

ANSWER : Normally these small engines use a clock spring to retract the rope.
Remove the cover on the top and you should find the spring either broken or the tab where the spring end has broken off or jumped out of the mount.
You will need to pre-load the spring with enough tension to retract the rope.
Remove the pull handle from the rope, load the spring and then wrap the rope around the pully holding the pully and spring in the loaded position. place the end of the rope through the hole and tie up the handle. The rope should pull and retract without being installed on the engine.
Best explained here…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmo6oYOJJ4U

ANSWER : If it goes into a metal housing that is like a can lid with short sides and has one area that is open onthe side and the whole thing has a small hole in the center of the flat side….Take the metal housing, lay it flat on a table or other flat surface. Figure which way the spring would go. Lay the small end of the spring in the housing with the spring wire going out the open slot. Now all you do is wind the spring in by turning the housing. You must keep the spring in the housing with your other hand, maybe a flat piece of wood or something to hold the spring from jumping out. Once you have it all in the housing, reinstall it. If the spring is backward, CAREFULLY pull the spring out until it is no longer under tension, flop the spring over and go again…Good luck…Lee

ANSWER : Remove the starter cover, with the cover off remove the centre fixing screw in the plastic pulley, remove the pulley, be carful that the old spring does not fly out, new starter springs will be in a keeper, place the it into the cover make sure the looped end is located onto the anchor point in the cover, push home and take away the keeper, re fit the pulley and securing screw.

ANSWER : The part no. of the spring is 501763101 it comes in a plastic keeper so is very easy to fit, check the web for sellers.

ANSWER : Craftsman rider mower brakes failed all of a sudden a spring broke but I can not find where the spring attachs on the blueprint

ANSWER : If you are having to recoil the spring after its come out. Roll it tightly with your hands then use vise grips on one side pinching it together then you can place it in the retainer/pulley. release

ANSWER : Recoil Spring Rewind
I invert and secure the housing and rewind the spring large coil to small (need eye protection, both hands and no women around work area!). I’m right handed so I tension the spring enough to insert it inside the previous coil while holding what has already been installed with my left about 180° from my right hand. The tension will hold the spring in the housing once completely inserted. Then bend slightly the inner most part to engage the starter spool. It will require about 2 turns of pretension for it to retract properly.If you’re lucky you can pull the cord out enough for a pretension then slightly raise and add the withdrawn cord to the spool. HTHLou

ANSWER : You have to wind the spring as tight as you can before you put the rope on. Then allow the spring to unwind, pulling the rope onto the spool. Be very careful when you take it apart. Good luck…Lee