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Starter rotation question.

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 9:08 am
by DelightGleam
My starter gave up the ghost on my port side engine the other day. These are original starters hooked into original paragon transmissions on relatively new marine power 350 5.7L motors. My port motor is left hand turn, and the starter faces aft, as it connects direct to the transmission. The problem is that I have no idea what the rotation of the starter should be. It sort of makes sense that is should be CW, but I really don't know, and I'm sure someone here likely does! Any help is greatly appreciated.

Re: Starter rotation question.

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 3:05 pm
by jfrprops
Ok, your starter is connected to the flywheel...not really the transmission though that connects to the flywheel and yada dada.....
Rotation is expressed in a boat from the end toward the drive shaft...(except for V drives..which you don't have)..thus if you have a left hand, counter clockwise rotation, when looking at the drive end of the engine...that is a standard rotation engine....like in a car. That is because the drive shaft is of course turning clockwise...to the right...when viewed from the front.

Tidbit: most people are right handed, their strong hand, and Henry Ford and others figured it best to hand crank early cars with clockwise rotation because of that.

On those modern 350's, and all sbc engines, the starter had to turn in the correct direction....but sometimes the bellhousing has access from either side, so you can stick the starter in one way of the other and that will determine rotation....not many of the modern bellhousings had that feature and clearance is always an issue with doing that in cramped engine compartments.

So, yes, you need to have a starter turn in the proper direction and if I understand your posting correctly it would seem you have a normal automotive type rotation on the engine in question.

Good advice on those starters is to have them rebuilt instead of replaced...then you know you are going back in the same way.
No matter what this is an easy fix as that is one of the most common starters in the world.

Hope this convoluted post helps?

John in Va.

Re: Starter rotation question.

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:28 am
by drrot
To translate what John said: Have your old one rebuilt.

Re: Starter rotation question.

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:13 pm
by DelightGleam
I had already sent my starter put to be rebuilt actually. The guy doing it figured it was clockwise based on the set of the teeth. I also figured it was this direction, but neither were sure. That starter was completely fried, and he had to replace more than just the coils, and you can in fact make one turn the opposite direction than it had turned based on what parts are swapped back in...hence the question. Thanks for your responses.

Re: Starter rotation question.

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:32 pm
by DelightGleam
I had already sent my starter put to be rebuilt actually. The guy doing it figured it was clockwise based on the set of the teeth. I also figured it was this direction, but neither were sure. That starter was completely fried, and he had to replace more than just the coils, and you can in fact make one turn the opposite direction than it had turned based on what parts are swapped back in...hence the question. Thanks for your responses.