I would just put it side by side with your old one. Your eye can tell if the 2 are the same. The other sizes are different enough to notice if paying attention.
Take recoil off. Remove spool. Take pictures of plastic cylinder where spool spins. Post said pics. If it's gouged, smooth it with 220 sandpaper after pics are taken. Reassemble, and retry. If no joy, try your other spool and rope on the new recoil. That rope could also be too big. Stihl has lots of sizes.
This is not funny to me, I need the saw working; I need to be cutting wood. Besides, most of the comments have nothing to do with the saw issue. The old recoil jammed like crazy and the pawl was chewed up when I took it off; I spent money on the old recoil trying to fix it and now I have spent money on a used OEM recoil that is hanging up. The guy I brought it from said it was off of a used saw that saw little use. For now I have an expensive paperweight instead of a saw. I don't care if the page count goes to a thousand as long as I can get the saw working. MasterMech offered to look at the saw for me but it would cost a small fortune for shipping.
I work with some people that are doing good to be able to see 4" difference... Hey Kim, hows that recoil work off the saw? Operate it a few times when it is off so you can watch its operation, see it anything looks hinky...
To drink all day, one must begin in the morning....... J/K Brennerstein..... I know the eye can detect a 1/32" of deflection in a 4' shelf at some set distance, say 8' away.....
Should cost $25 to ship it? I shipped a 35 pound golf cart battery charger FedEx to Houma Louisiana (south LA for those who don't know) from upstate SC for like $19. Your saw doesn't weigh 25 without the bar. But if you think there is an issue...which it looks like ask a refund.....BUT if it works off the saw it should on the saw?
Yes, I did this several times pulling the rope out as far as it will go. All seems good off the saw; no hangs at all.
Like the guys said I think you need to start posting pics? Of the recoil, spool out of it. And of your saw, flywheel side without recoil on? Maybe we will see something you dont?
Now there is an idea; I think HF has some deals on drop cords; I could string them through the woods.
My BIL has one he likes it but then of course he is not using it to process firewood. I don't have the money to go out and buy saws and if I did I would get a new gasoline one.