Trojan Boat Forum

I traded and got a 1973 trojan F32 last December, it has twin 318's, port motor blew (have no idea what but had the heads off it when I got it) and starboard motor was recently rebuilt and runs great. The deal came with another complete 318 suposodly in running condition. Knowing a few things about boats but not a know it all this boat should have counter rotating engines. Now my question is it the motor or transmission, im 99.9% sure its the motor and that they would have different starters, how do I tell on the new motor before I put it in? What happenes and can I put it in if its the wrong rotation? My friend has a 31ft Corsa cigarete boat with twin outboards, non counter rotating and says its ok as long as he doesnt go too fast for too long as the water gets splashed away from the pickups and one starts to run hot.

on a side note, I pulled the port motor last weekend, its sitting on a pallet untill the snow melts and I can get the forklift over to pluck it off the cockpit

The starboard engine should be RH and the port engine should be LH. The transmission needs to match the engine (RH engine with RH transmission and LH engine with LH transmission). There are some transmissions that will change the rotation, but the Velvet drives don't.

how can I tell when looking at the motor what rotation it is?

The identification plate where the serial number is should state RH or LH for both the engine and the transmission. I'm not sure how to tell just by looking at the engine.

thanks

hi i'm not sure about chryslers but on my gm's the right hand rotation engine has gears under the timing chain cover versus a regular timing chain on the left hand rotation engine. also you could bench test the starter on the running engine to be sure on the one coming out. good luck

Does one engine not have a spacer under the distributor. Not sure which one ?

kallen wrote:Does one engine not have a spacer under the distributor. Not sure which one ?

Correct. The counter rotator should have that. As mentioned before, look for the engine number plate, it will tell you also. Both distributors turn clockwise. Follow the plug wires, the firing orders for both rotations start at number one plug but the next plug in the firing order is different. LH rotation order = 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 and RH rotation = 1-2-7-5-6-3-4-8. Rotation on a marine engine is always referred to by standing behind the engine and looking at the rotation of the flywheel, not the front of the engine as in a car. LH rotation is standard rotation.

Big D wrote:

kallen wrote:Does one engine not have a spacer under the distributor. Not sure which one ?

Correct. The counter rotator should have that. As mentioned before, look for the engine number plate, it will tell you also. Both distributors turn clockwise. Follow the plug wires, the firing orders for both rotations start at number one plug but the next plug in the firing order is different. LH rotation order = 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 and RH rotation = 1-2-7-5-6-3-4-8. If there are no wires, starter etc. Rotation on a marine engine is always referred to by standing behind the engine and looking at the rotation of the flywheel, not the front of the engine as in a car. LH rotation is standard rotation.

Good summary Big D. Someone should copy that and paste it into a FAQ sticky.

Look at the props and see which way they would spin if u were going forward, that will tell u what way they turn

This should help. It addresses some older Chrysler marine engines but throughout, mechanical, timing, firing orders, prop rotations, etc will be the same.

http://www.correctcraftfan.com/Download ... Manual.pdf

I have pics of 318 counter and regular, posted in here somewhere, and spacer is under distributer of counter or RH rotating engine. RH refers to looking as flywheel end. I also posted pics of the gears the gears viewed from top of block down ditributor hole, here you go:

http://www.trojanboats.net/wforum/viewt ... ion#p55944

Here are a couple of good drawings to help with stater selection based on position and engine rotation.
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... docId=1095

i kind of forgot about the spacer thing but i had removed the starter as you need to anyway to pull the motor and the new one (used) is on a pallet with a bell housing and starter, i gave them both power and the starters crank the same way, score the motor is the right one