The chain guard fitted to the left hand casing commonly gets broken by the chain, if it's doing it's job the push rod is relatively safe but when the guard gets broken then so does the rod as a rule. The chain guard also helps keep the wiring away from that whirling chain. I think IIRC, the wires go through the hole and the cable goes out of the back and under the spacer. Mainly due I think to how bendable the wires are as opposed to the cable, which tends to harden as time goes by.