Did you rewind the spool before you installed the rope??? This must be done in order for the starter to rewind the rope. Lay the starter upside down in your lap. Then rewind the spool, turning it to your left. Clamp it in place, then install the rope and tie the knot in the end. Then holding the rope, undo the clamp, and let the spool pull the rope back in. Slowly! A fun job!

Thanks, rusty. I'll give it a shot.

Any other tips? I tried spooling the ring thing and I can't make any headway. It snaps back.

Also, the ring is behind a plastic cage. I can't remove the cage b/c it would entail taking off a circular thing that looks like a spinning plate with a tip on it.

The ring does have 2 notches that can theoretically be held in place, but I don't know what tool to use.