Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

Did they ever make a positive ground starter?

I recently bought a used flywheel, transfer port cover, and starter to convert a 1974 9.9 to electric start. This is using the starter through a switch hooked to the main engine battery on a Starcraft Holiday. Weird thing is that to get the starter to rotate and extend the gear to engage the flywheel, I had to hook it up using a positive ground and the negative to the starter stud.

Because it was on an isolated mount, this was no problem until I added a safety chain to the main hull and hooked up a steering rod to the outdrive. Now If I push the start switch I get a short.

I bought a manual and it shows the starter as a negative ground to the case, and positive to the stud.

I am wondering if they made starters different for motors sold overseas, or if possibly the starter was rebuilt and wound incorrectly. I pulled it apart and I can not just reverse the cylinder to reverse the magnets. They are off center to surround the armature.

Re: Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

Just a thought.

Can the end plate and/or the brushes be incorrectlty fitted?

I'd have thought not ... but??

Can you fit it 180degrees out ?/


I take it when you reverse the polarity it then spins the motor the correct way.

Re: Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

Vic.S said:

Just a thought.

Can the end plate and/or the brushes be incorrectlty fitted?

I'd have thought not ... but??

Can you fit it 180degrees out ?/


I take it when you reverse the polarity it then spins the motor the correct way.

Click to expand...

Reverse polarity ran fine and started fine when isolated from main motor and hull.

Please explain how to set up 180 degrees out? Brush plate is not adjustable.

It has one isolated brush that goes to the insulated stud and one brush that is grounded to the case. I tried reversing the cylinder to revers the magnets but since they are off center, it binds the armature.

Re: Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

There never was a positive ground one. It's a mystery how somebody got it to work backwards.

Re: Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

Please explain how to set up 180 degrees out? Brush plate is not adjustable.

Click to expand...

If the plate carrying the brushes cannot be fitted 180 deg out then thats not the trouble or solution
Just studying the diagram and wondering how on earth it could be made to run backwards.

Re: Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

File this one for future WHAT THE HE!!

I found the cause but do not know the why.

I took the starter apart again. This time I noticed the ring on the armature that the brushes ride on had all the grooves plugged with carbon from the brushes. I used an Xacto knife to clean out all the cut grooves.

Flushed it with contact cleaner. Now it runs fine. Positive to the stud and negative to the case.

Go Fiqure.

Re: Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

The commutator ?

Will try to remember that for next time the problem crops up.

Thanks for letting us know.

Re: Positive ground starter for 9.9 evinrude

Vic.S said:

The commutator ?

Will try to remember that for next time the problem crops up.

Thanks for letting us know.

Click to expand...

Correct. That would be the commutator that was bridged with carbon. I could not remember the term for it.