Poulan model p 3314 33cc chainsaw recoil jams up, I have taken it apart, and the pulley seems to be side loaded the screw that holds the pulley is crooked.

Stating the obvious you need to remove the starter and check that it is within the starter and not the engine seized, it would be quite unusual for the starter to seize, but if it is remove the centre screw and see if you can turn the pulley and remove it, be careful as there is a large recoil spring behind the pulley, if the starter is ok then the engine has seized and will need to be taken apart to assess the damage.

Not sure what model this is so a general guide will be, remove the screws securing the starter cover, this will give you access to the starter pulley, turn the pulley manually in the direction of of the engine rotation, can you feel the spring winding up and trying to turn back against you this will tell you if the spring has not broken, if not the spring has broken and will need to be replaced, remove the centre screw holding the pulley and remove it, pull the spring our with a suitable pair of pliers, be careful as it will be a long coiled spring, a new spring should come in a keeper to assist fitting, refit the pulley making sure it engages into the spring, hook the rope into the slot on the outside of the pulley, now turn the pulley several times to wind the spring, allow the rope to come out of the slot in the pulley and allow the pulley to turn and pull the rope in, re do this if the rope has not pulled fully into the case.

It's possible that a few things are happening. Some recoil set us have the dog ears, the little plastic piece that flaps out and catches the flywheel bell. Have you taken that cover off the unit yet? If not, take it off, pull the cord and see if either the dog ear is broke or something else is...this is an easy fix, recoil assys are not expensive at all... it all starts with that pull cord assy. Should be 4 screws that hold on the side panel to the saw, just don't take the recoil pulley out or you may find the spring will pop free from where it sits..

Sounds like the starter return spring may have broken, remove the starter, remove the centre fixing screw for the pulley, be aware when removing the pulley there is a coil spring behind, alaways wear safety glasses, once removed you can check the condition of the return spring, new springs come in a keeper, so they are fairly easy to fit

I will give you instructions for fixing the recoil unit on a trimmer. The blower instructions are the same, just the configuration is different. The key is to maybe have someone help you.
OK...with the starter/recoil unit OFF the machine, with no rope in it, and no tension on it.....grasp the little nylon hub and turn it (clockwise is I recall) round and round 6-7 times until you feel the recoil spring get nice and tight...DO NOT LET GO OF IT!...hold it in place and then JAM the starter/recoil unit in place (still tight) inside it's housing by either clamping it with a tool like vise grips or by sticking a screwdriver thru it and thru the vents in the cover. If you have ANOTHER person to help you...one of you hold it in place....and make sure it is lined up to where you can NOW insert the new lenth of pull rope thru the housing hole and into the hole in the pulley.. Always use new rope....Feed the end thru the hole in the recoil unit and tie it off, by wrapping it around itself outside the nylon hub and then screw the little self-tapping set screw back in holding the rope down. OK...then feed the opposite end into the hole in the front engine cover and attatch the T pull handle....Now mind you, you are still jammming or holding the recoil in place against the spring!...Now, unclamp it or unjam it and slowly let the recoil pull the NEW rope you just installed back onto the pulley. Make sure it is fastened well on top of the pulley around the nylon hub and also fastened well onto the T pull handle. That is it. Then reconnect your wires, put your throttle cable back thru the engine cover and reinstall the Torx screws in the cover...and you are done

top screw als on the sides, then pul;l apart

Easy suggestion would be to get new spring coil. Is it older saw? Have had to change mine on poulan saws before.

i have the same probelm

I would go to Poulanpro.com and look at a breakdown and get your part numbers there. If not give me the model number and I will go to a couple other sites I know and try and help that way.

Hi fwadden

Remove the housing-fan. Remove the screw and detach the pulley- starter and the spring -starter.Put the new spring-starter(it usualy comes with a support).The spring-starter"spires are counterclockwise oriented.Put the puley starter back and the screw.Wrap up the rope clockwise on the pulley-starter until the starter works propperly.Hope this helps you.
best regards savumihai71