Starter motor spins backwards - HALP

Evening everyone!

So I purchased a small engine with a 24 volt starter motor on it (dont ask, I dont know), but as I need this to operate on a 12 volt system, I bought an ebay special starter motor for it.

Then for some reason, I just couldn't get the motor to start! I couldn't understand why - it had fuel - air - etc - but wouldn't "take". So a mechanic friend of mine stopped by, looked at it for 30 seconds, and asked me to hit the starter. I did. Then he pulled the starter rope on the front AND WE BOTH WATCHED THE ENGINE SPIN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!!! lol.

Once we put the 24 volt starter on, one quick jolt and it roared to life.

Well, that was a new one for me, haha.

Anyway, I dont want to send this back. Its going to be a pain to deal with the seller, pay for shipping, etc.

Can I just open this thing up and switch a few wires around or something?

Input is greatly appreciated... Thanks in advance guys...

There might be a way to reverse the motor, maybe...

But the spiral on the shaft will be backward, so will the drive gear.

I had a Lincoln welder that did not have a starter motor, rather the welding winding served as the starter. Some worker hooked up the booster cables backwards and the engine started backwards.Is your engine on a welder or generator? Otherwise I do not se a need for 24 volts

Is this a Delco starter generator? these were made for Koehler, Briggs and other? some applications used one rotation and others the other. I'm speaking of use on Cub Cadet, Allis Chalmers/Simplicity, John Deere as they are not interchangeable do to rotation difference as some were belted to fly wheel side and others to shaft side.

moonlite if he has a military surplus motor it would more than likely be 24 volt.

Lanse If it is a smaller motor the starter more than likely has permanent magnets for the fields (outer) Then the battery voltage goes through the brushes and powers the armature. These type can not be reversed.

If the field magnet is powered (wire going to it) then it could be reversed. The trouble your going to run into is the engagement spline on the armature and starter drive will have the wrong twist/pitch to engage when turned the opposite way. When ran reversed the starter drive will retract not extend out into the ring gear.

So I am afraid you stuck either just eating the cost or sending it back for a refund or replacement that turns the correct way.

Lanse the reason there could be different rotations is how the starter is mounted. The most common way is for the starter motor to be towards the front of the motor with the drive towards the flywheel. An examples would be your Ford pickup. Some starters are mounted with the body of the starter mounted behind the flywheel. Example would be many IH tractors. So with the majority of motors designed to run clockwise when viewed from the front, the different mounting directions require a starter with different rotations.

If the field case is in backwards the starter will turn the opposite direction. This happened to me on my 4 wheeler. Rebuilder turned the field case around, no start. I determined the starter was spinning the wrong direction. Called him and he said field case must be backwards. He said he thought it make no difference. Well it does. I turned it around. Started right up.

Like someone else said, if it has a bendix the spiral would be backwards. On an ordinary starter if you switch the wires going to the brushes it should reverse. I reversed one for a friend once, but it was 44 years ago!

Lanse
Where are you located? I have starter/generators that turn clockwise, other that turns counter-clockwise. I have thinned my herd and these are just sitting on the shelf. If you are close I would be willing to help. (Indiana here)

If the battery only powers the starter, simply reverse the battery cables