Mostly to Tim, I guess. I have a Kodiak 5.7l MPI engine in my boat.
Bottom mount, gear drive, starter, 11 tooth pinion gear. The bell housing
is also set up to have a 2 bolt top mount starter. I know he top mount has
to counter rotate, but is there a measurement from the mounting face plate
to the ring gear to get the correct starter? Should it also be an 11
tooth? I see lots of 9 tooth advertised.

Bill, the drive gear matters not what tooth as long as the bolt pattern is the same. The difference between starters is the geometry of the housing. I don’t know why that stuff isn’t standardized like it used to be