I had a guy bring a older 35hp GTR by for me to look at because it wouldn't run. Wasn't firing and traced it down to a bad rev limiter. I disconnected it and it ran fine. Now is where things get strange. The trim was working backwards and I got to checking and he had the wires reversed on the battery. I am pretty sure this is what killed the rev limiter. He has been running it like this for a good while. My question is how was it starting and running with the wires reversed? I understand the trim but I would have thought the starter would have tried to turn backwards with the wires reversed. I also don't know how it wasn't discharging the battery with the wires reversed. As far as I can tell with the wires on the battery backwards the only thing it changed was the trim was backwards. Can someone please explain this?

Did you know that when dc passes thru a wire that the electrons actually go from - to +, leaving a "hole" as they travel, we actually view the "hole" flow as + to - . I wanna know why the charging system didn't fry or is it still working? As far as the starter goes the magnets attached inside the housing never changed, so when voltage was applied to the stator(armature) creating the magnetic field, it still had the "potential" to travel in the correct direction. Had the magnets not been used but another set of field coils then yes the starter would have traveled backwards. This is the PFM of electronics! (Pure F--King Magic ) Hope that helps.

My most repair for computers when I worked as an Electronic tech/IT was a "PEBKAC". Problem Exist Between Keyboard and Chair.

Thanks for the reply. As far as I know the charging system is still working. I didn't check it, but the battery was charged when he brought it and I'm pretty sure he has been running like that for a couple of months. He has zero mechanical knowledge, never checks anything, and as long as it cranks when he turns the key everything is perfect to him. It could be knocking like hell, have parts missing or hanging off, and no oil and he wouldn't have a clue as long as it runs. The is no such thing as preventative maintenance for him. Stick the key in and go.