I picked up a 86 Honda 350 4x4. Electric start wasn't working, so I looked into the problem. Here is what I found. The wire coming from the solenoid which should go to the starter terminal was grounded to one of the starter mounting bolts. A ground wire was ran to the starter terminal. When I put the positive wire to the starter, it worked but seemed to turn the engine backwards. I unhooked the wires and took a set of jumper cables and hooked the ground to the starter terminal and grounded the positive to the starter. It then turned the engine over the right way and started right up. I had another starter that I put on and hooked up the right way and it spun backwards as well. Could this be starter problems or something else. I wouldn't worry about it, but the kickstarter doesn't work. When kicking, it just clicks abstract doesn't spin the engine over.

 

I don't know about a starter problems but you have the polarity backwards somewhere along the line. That is how you spin a DC motor CW or CCW. You just switch the polarity.

 

If so, I'm guessing it would have to be in the starter somewhere. With the wires, disconnected, I had to hook the jumper cables up backwards to get the engine to turn over and start. I also tried another starter with the same results.

 

I have no idea where the problem is? It could be anywhere from the battery to the starter or anything inbetween.

I have even seen batterys charged backwards. You want to play a joke on your friend; do that to his battery! He will be like this for days!!

This is how 2 stroke golf carts work. This switch the polarity and start the engine backwards.

 

The battery was unhooked and I used I set of jumper cables to another battery. Negative to starter post and positive to starter casing turns engine over fine. Positive to starter terminal turns engine backwards. I tried another starter and the same thing.

 

Here is what I found out. With the starter gears out, I can turn the flywheel freely clockwise. I can not turn it counter clockwise. I have an old 250 big red engine that turns freely counter clockwise. The exact opposite. Which way should the engine actually turn? Like I said in the previous post, I took a set of jumper cables and hooked the starter up backwards and it started up.