Which way does a Subaru starter motor spin?

DragoTheHun · Post by **DragoTheHun** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:06 pm

Which way does a Subaru starter motor spin?

I own a '99 Subaru Outback and note the starter mounts from the rear through the belhousing onto the ring gear. Conventional engines have the starter motor mounted parallel to the engine block and face back towards the belhousing / ringear.

I figure therefore, that Subaru and VW beetle starters turn the opposite way to other "conventional" starters.

If this is true, I need one as I'm setting up a marine diesel engine which has its flywheel and ring gear on the front instead of at the back. (I got a starter off a Mazda 121 but it turns the wrong direction - its Counterclockwise).

Can anyone verify which way round the starter from a sports wagon (for instance) turns?

Thanks

theclick · Post by **theclick** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:08 pm

Can ya switch the polarity on the 121 One? Dunno if that would work.

Hopefully someone here can help you

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:15 pm

engines turn clockwise on subarus and msot cars (except hondas)
so for the starter to allow the engine to turn clockwise it must turn anitclockwise

Edit - the starter spins anticlockwise when everything is in and ur looking form the front of the engine bay lol confusing the way i put it i no
but yer if u imagine ur looking form behind the g/box then it wuld be turning clockwise

DragoTheHun · Post by **DragoTheHun** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:16 pm

Yes the polarity can be swapped but in the mazda starter motor's case, there is a spiral spline throw-in as well as the solenoid and the reversed direction of turn makes the pinion gear assembly try to retract once the armature shaft starts spinning. Besides that the motor has 4 poles and 3 brush boxes so it gets a little tricky to reverse the polarity of the poles vs the brush gear.

Nice try though ...

DragoTheHun · Post by **DragoTheHun** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:18 pm

OK, clockwise, so is the starter in a sports wagon mounted from behind the belhousing?

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:26 pm

sportswagon beign like an L or MY series then yes not sure if there is other sportswagons or wt but yer as far as i no teh Ls and Mys are the same all mounted thru the box

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:33 pm

Yeah all subarus starter motors will be mounted the same.

DragoTheHun · Post by **DragoTheHun** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 9:19 pm

Thank you fellas for your prompt responses.

Considering your responses and playing with lots of drawings of counter-rotating gears, I'm gonna buy a used Subaru starter motor. I must have just been dead unlucky in buying the Mazda 121 starter which spins clockwise.

Thanks heaps