Can i substitute a Neutral wire for a Hot wire?

Yes. The National Electric Code allows you to mark the white wire with tape at each termination point to use it as an ungrounded (hot) wire. You are correct about using the green for ground. The marked white and the black will each be connected to one pole of your 2 pole circuit breaker giving you the 240 (230) volt supply.

There is not enough information in your question to advise you about the required wire size or short circuit protection (your circuit breakers). Article 430 of the code covers motors and motor circuits. This all depends on the size and type of motor, whether it has overload protection, and other variables. The people who told you #10 wire has to be connected to 30 amp breakers are not necessarily correct when it comes to motor circuits. They are looking in the wrong section of the code. 430 is way different than the 310 they are looking at.

Email me if you want more help. I would need all the nameplate information from the motor, what the motor does, and overload protection if any (thermally protected). Or call in a real electrician to help you.

10-2 will carry only 30 amps safely. replace the 60 amp breaker with a double pole 30 amp unit. be sure that the breaker is drawing power from both buss bars in the box, as opposed to a tandem breaker that provides 2 110 volt circuits. mark the ends of the white wires with red or black electrical tape to warn others that it is a 'hot' wire and no longer a neutral. wire one to the terminal on the top half of the breaker, the other to the lower half of the breaker. plug the breaker into its position in the box and switch it on. check your outlet for power and rock on.

Your breaker is to big for that wire size. 10/2 is rated for 30 amps.Yes you can use both wires as a hot but you have to mark the white wire with black tape to show that it is now a hot. And connect the wires to one pole each on the breaker.

Yes you can. However you must tape both ends of the white wire with colored electrical tape (red) to identify it as a hot lead as opposed to a neutral lead. However, if you are connecting to a 60 amp breaker, I believe you are required by code to use #8 wire so you might as well by the wire with the correct colors. The black wire goes to one pole of the breaker and the red to the other. The green of bare wire goes to the ground buss

Be sure the Green wire is not attached to another wire and pushed up into the junction box. If not, simply buy an inexpensive multimeter. Check the wires by putting your meters ground probe (marked ground on the meter) on the bare copper wire and with the power on touch the positive probe (red) to the green wire and then the white wire. Be careful not to touch them with your fingers. This will tell you which one is hot. Sounds like you have a wiring problem there. You are right about bare copper being ground and white being neutral in a properly wired home. The green puzzles me because the hot is usually black or red. Be Careful.

Yes. Tape the white black or red, one to each breaker terminal and green to ground. The breaker is overkill, but can be used if the distance is 70 feet or less to maintain 60 amps. Why not install a small box next to the motor with branch circuits? That will use your breaker and allow for future power requirements.

10/3 should be protected with a 30 amp breaker not 60 amps and 240 picks up 120 volts on each side of the breaker you dont put the wire on one screw.Also always carry a ground to any thing operated electrically.You should call a qualified electrician to check your situation.