engine rotation?

[turtlem1969]

I have a single 351 in my f25, and I need to replace the starter in it, unfortunately all the data plates on the boat, motor and start are unreadable when it comes to any part numbers, how do I tell if it is a cw or ccw rotating engine?

[Big D]

If you look at or face the front of the engine and the balancer/crank is turning clockwise, it is a standard rotating engine. If it turns counterclockwise, it is a counter rotator.

Having said that, in marine applications, direction is always taken from looking at the flywheel from behind the engine but you can't always see it and simply looking at the shaft won't tell you either since direction may be changed at the tranny. It also depends on the vintage of the vessel. Later production always uses standard rotation and the tranny to change shaft rotation. Earlier stuff had the counter rotator engines.

So let me confuse you some more. Though when looking at the back of the engine standard ENGINE rotation would be CCW, standard PROP rotation is clockwise! So in an older vintage twin engine application, the counter rotater would be on the starboard side. On an older vintage single engine application with standard PROP rotation, it would also have a counter rotater in it. Got it??

[rooferdave]

here is my 2 cents worth, ford distributors have a rotation that is counterclockwise, pop your cap and turn over the engine if the rotor turns clockwise you have a counter rotation engine. now if your starter will not turn at all look at your firing order it should be 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 if your plug wires are in this order COUNTER CLOCKWISE you have a standard rotating engine, if you check your cap the cylinder #'s might be written next to each wire, also if you are really lucky it will have also the counter rotation #'s on it, cylinder #'s should be on the intake manifold. If not the cylinder order should be as in a car (do not know if you have a vdrive or not)from front of car passenger side 1234, and front of drivers side 5678

hope this helps

[rooferdave]

oh one more thing my mercruiser serial # ends in LH or RH, perhaps yours does too (I know yours is ford)

[Big D]

Just an FYI in case Ford did the same with thier counter rotators. Chrysler distributors rotate in the same direction regardless of engine rotation.

[turtlem1969]

thanks everyone, maybe, with y'alls advice i can get er sorted out and get er back in the water.

[sehord]

Well, now you should be good and confused......! But, since you are replacing the starter, go ahead and pull it. It comes off easily, and you will know exactly what you have as the bendix only spins out one way. Go ahead and pick up a replacement and drop it in. I replaced my Stbd starter a few months back and was thinking of having it rebuilt, but the local starter/altenater shop said I could get new for the same price or cheaper. I went with a geared reduction drive starter and can truly hear it spin much faster than the older one on my Port engine (no promises as to if my port one is worn some too or not.....) Also, since your a single screw if your old starter is still working some and f you have the storage I think I would lube it up with WD-40 and seal it away onboard somewhere for a bad rainy day. You never know what may happen down the river.

[turtlem1969]

ok, really confused now, let me give you all some more info as to my predicament, the reason why my starter is not working is because I flooded it with salt water when my tranny cooler drain cock sprung a leak and flooded the engine compartment and half the cabin on my f25, after sitting for a week it has seized up completely, can't turn the bendex, even after soaking with liquid wrench, thats the situation. After digging around and searching I found the data plate thats next to the fuse panel hidden behind wires and the plumbing for the shower, it has two places for the engine serial numbers, one says lh and one says rh then the serial number, Am i safe to say since I only have a single engine and the serial number is stamped after the rh that I have a right hand rotating engine, if so that is as you look at it from the rear so I would in essence have a ccw rotating engine as looked at from the front, so a ccw starter is what i need, or have I got that backwards? Sorry so long, thought it would be best to try to bring us all up to speed on my unique situation.

[Big D]

It's pretty much standard...oh, let's not use that word here! Usually a single engine application will have a counter rotator in it if the vintage dictates, this will provide the prefferable right hand prop rotation, otherwise it is a standard rotation engine and the direction is switched at the tranny.

When I send anything in for overhaul that is specific to my counter rotator, I always ask for the same unit to be rebuilt and not replaced by another off the shelf. This way I'm assured I get the correct unit back. In any case you can always take the unit with you to a reputable supplier and have them tell you the direction it's designed to turn by looking at the bendix.

[sehord]

Sorry to hear about your flood..... can you put it in a vice and pop the teeth with a hammer? I would think it would bust free (not to operate but to tell rotation) but, I am not looking at it as you are. If you have a local alternator / starter repair shop run it by them and they should be able to tell you which it is, and then you can buy from them or online... what ever fits your poison..... but then, go straight to your boat supply store and pick up a bigle float switch and high water alarm to keep this from happening again. That little simple switch could have prevented this and may save you from sinking her all together (don't you love the clearity of hindsight....!)

[turtlem1969]

sehord- have 3 bilge pumps and auto switches on the boat, dont do any good if you dont flip the switch, ooops.

got the bendix end of the starter soaking in some heavy duty parts cleaner hopefully that will free it up some, going to let it soak all day and see what happens.

[ready123]

For me I have my bilge pumps (with floats) wired so they are always powered and the switch is manual on only.... safer than having an auto switch position too. Also no power switches can turn off my bilges.... they need to be disconnected to remove power

What happened to you can only happen on my boat with dead batteries.

[turtlem1969]

ready123- I've been looking into doing that on mine also, sorta takes out the human error.

[Big D]

I'm with you Michael, there should never be an "OFF" option for the aouto function. If you want to service the unit and shut it off, disconnect the battery. Turtlem, if you have an "auto, off, Man" switch for the pump, you can bypass the "off" at the back of the switch. If you do it right, you'll have auto and manual while eliminating the "off" function. Even when the switch is in the "off" position., you'll still have "auto".

[sehord]

My trojan was wired that way... even with all electrical switched off you cannot disable the bildge switches..... maybe I was thinking all Trojans were that way... regardless, a high water alarm that goes to a horn at least should be installed so that someone could call or alert you to the racket.... as some places are scared about pumping oily bidge water out of a boat (if you have it...) I keep my boat on a lift so it is little priority, but if I left her in the water I would be worried to death at night if the switches were off.... to many wierd things can occur...

But, as much of a pain in the butt this is for you at least you didnt loose a tranny or an engine to water intrusion... very fortunate....