counterclockwise rotating flywheel

[MC Degner]

Starter on 1984 90hp johnson spins and engages while spinning clockwise, therefore spinning the flywheel counter clockwise. this causes forward gear to spin prop shaft in reverse (counter cw), and reverse gear to spin it clockwise... What happened?? Motor worked fine in the fall. Just finished resealing LU and replacing water pump when I realized the counterclockwise spinning flywheel. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Red to + and Black to -

Nah, that wouldn't do it. The bendix would never spin up to the flywheel if you crossed your battery leads. Hmmmmmmm...

The flywheel should spin clockwise looking down and the prop should spin clockwise looking from behind in forward. It's doing the opposite? What kind of clocks do you have? Are you vacationing in the southern hemisphere where things spin backwards from things in the northern hemisphere?

If your flywheel key sheared and the flywheel is at the right (wrong) spot, it can conceivably backfire and start running backwards. That's my guess. Just for giggles, make sure the upper coils are attached to the upper sparkplugs and vice-versa.

 

[MC Degner]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

No, definiitely a resident of the northern hemisphere. Did get the wires crossed last fall once (blew the rectifier), but they are straight now, I believe. I figure the starter/bendix shouldn't rise and engage if spinning backwards. But when spun clockwise, it rises and engages and when spun counterclockwise(by hand), it just spins without rising. I must be hallucinating. How can this be?

 

[jtexas]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

having crossed the brushes in a starter motor and spent a couple hours figuring out why the bendix wouldn't rise to the occasion, I can confirm that it won't do so if spinning cw. unless......it's reverse threaded.....it won't go on upside down, will it? inside out?

if you spun the bendix cw by hand...it should rise...because its the motor shaft spinning ccw under the gear that makes it rise........right?

 

[MC Degner]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Not sure exactly what you're asking, as I have never opened up the starter. But not only does it rise while spinning cw by hand, but also by turning ignition. In fact, it seems to work perfectly, but its backwards.... I keep thinking I'm mistaken and that it's impossible for it to reverse itself over the winter, but I have checked, double-checked, triple-che....well, you get the idea.

 

[F_R]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Are you turning the bendix GEAR by hand or are you turning the starter SHAFT by hand? Makes a difference, you know. But still doesn't explain why it's backwards when actually cranking with the battery.

 

[MC Degner]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

turning the gear, but using battery yields same result. By shaft do you mean the plastic piece above the gear, or would I need to open it up to turn the shaft? Sorry, not very familiar with starters.

 

[MC Degner]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Bump...for the morning. I know it sounds like I am getting something mixed up. But, as far as I can tell, the starter is just working backwards. Any help, even just brainstorming would be greatly appreciated!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

they did make some counter rotating engines, for dual engine boats, then went with the counter rotating lowers. have you changed any of the controls over the winter. the bendix gear rises on inertial force. there is no way a standard bendix will rise with the starter motor running in reverse.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

None of the counter rotating powerhead parts were for a V4 crossflow nor would they work on one.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

well, that's ruled out.

 

[F_R]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

It's just impossible for the starter to run backwards and the bendix engage if it was working before and you havent changed anything. The "hand" of the spirol on the gear/shaft won't allow that.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

A family friend once accidentally charged a dead battery backwards once and it did reverse polarity, though it greatly reduced capacity. Still, the bendix wouldn't rise.

 

[jtexas]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Sorry, what I meant was, if you turn the bendix cw by hand, and it rises, then you'd have to turn the shaft ccw for it to rise. therefore, the fact that it rises during starter engagement is proof positive that the starter is turning the right direction. The fact that you are observing otherwise (and we aren't there to observe) means that there is some other factor involved, that no one has yet thought of.

If it eventually turns out to be that your perception of the direction of spin was off, don't be embarrassed to tell us, we won't be too hard on ya.......and we're all going to wonder about this until it's resolved.

Is it any chance that the forward & reverse gears in the L/U switched places during your recent maintenance, such that the counter-spinning prop is messing with your head? Just a thought.............

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

MC..... Keeping it short here.

When you're standing over top of the engine, looking directly down at the flywheel while the engine is cranking...... in what direction is the flywheel turning?

 

[clanton]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

If the starter turns backwards, you have the starter housing that contains the field magnets upside down in ref to the starter end plates.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Other than the early model counter rotating V6 engines that would run in a counter clockwise direction, I know of no other engine being designed to do so.

That being said, if the brushes on any other (OMC) engine's starter were set wrong so that the starter would run backwards, the bendix gear would be forced downwards towards the starter assembly..... it would be impossible for that bendix gear to engage the flywheel.

That starter worked fine in the fall? Ever get the feeling that a chain was hanging from your belt..... and someone was yanking on it?

 

[MC Degner]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Yep, I'm an idiot. Sorry for wasting everyone's time. Of course, I realized my mistake immediatley when I woke up this morning. Rotating the bendix gear by hand will yield opposite results because it's not the gear that is spinning, but the shaft under it, which forces it up. Like spinning a nut on a threaded bolt. Same principle. You'd think I should've realized that right away, but for some reason.... I think i'll blame it on fumes that have been building up in my poorly ventiliated basement, where I was working. In fact, that's the only excuse I can give for thinking I saw the flywheel spin CCW while turning the ignition, not once, but twice. I mean it was late, and my basement is poorly lit, but quite frankly, there is no excuse. I just got it wrong. Luckily, since none of you know my real name, I hope, I can salvage some of my manhood.
Anyway, I appreciate all the replies, even with such a ridiculous problem, that turned out to be a problem with my brain, not with my motor.
By the way, while I was trying to figure out where I was going wrong that night, I rotated the flywheel CCW by hand a small amount (probably no more than 1 or 2 full revolutions). Could this have caused any unintended damage? Perhaps have reversed the impeller blades?

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

The vanes should correct as soon as you hit the starter. If you watch the flywheel when you shut off the motor, you'll see it bounce back and forth a bit as it finally comes to rest. So it's natural to a point.

Thanks for firing up our brain neurons. That's why these challenging threads draw so much attention. To wake up the sleeper cells.

SLEEPER CELLS? Oh my!

 

[F_R]

Re: counterclockwise rotating flywheel

Thanks for 'fessing up. Now we can rest. We were wondering if maybe we were the idiots.
As for not knowing your name, we have our spies. Naw, just kidding....I think. Whoever you are, you are appreciated and check back in anytime.