Starter motor direction of rotation ?

[TvrJohn]

Weird one this, got the starter out of my 4.5

replaced the solenoid, but when testing on the bench all works ok but its
spinning anti clockwise (looking to the back of the car)

the gear isn't spinning outwards on the bendix to engage with the flywheel !
because its going in the wrong direction

swopped the polarity, no change

whats gone wrong ?

[V40Vinnie]

if you put two gears together with the teeth meshed and rotate one anti-clockwise it will rotate the other one clockwise assuming both are on a fixed axis

[gruffalo]

TvrJohn said:

whats gone wrong ?

I believe you will find that anti clockwise is the correct direction.

[TvrJohn]

Think I may have refitted the solenoid with the return spring on the wrong side
of the lever arm, which pushes out the pinion to engage with the flywheel.