[Stroker467TransAm]

So Pontiac engines rotate counterclockwise. So is that viewed from the front seat looking thru the windshield, or from standing in front of the car looking towards engine bay. Sorry for the dumb question. Case of CRS. SUCKS getting old.

[steve25]

As sitting in the car yes, also the Pontiac distributor rotates counterclockwise when viewed from above .

[b-man]

Pontiac engines rotate clockwise, as viewed from the front of the crankshaft.

They’re never referred to as a counterclockwise rotation engine.

Yes the distributor rotates counterclockwise, so should we say it rotates clockwise if you’re laying under the car looking upwards?

[Kenth]

Originally Posted by b-man

Pontiac engines rotate clockwise, as viewed from the front of the crankshaft.

They’re never referred to as a counterclockwise rotation engine.

Yes the distributor rotates counterclockwise, so should we say it rotates clockwise if you’re laying under the car looking upwards?

Yes, that is what DelcoRemy says in their Distributor Specification Manual for Pontiac Ignition distributors.

FWIW

[chiefbigb]

Rotation is figured from the front of the engine. Banks from the rear I believe

[J.C.you]

As the firing order sequence goes, so does the rotation, clockwise from the front. It does seem the logical number 1 cylinder would be no2 though, haha��
Our brains are wired to read from left to right.

[b-man]

Look at the timing marks on the harmonic balancer, clearly marked for clockwise rotation while you’re setting the ignition timing.

[Gach]

Its really simple while your turning the Hamonic balancer clock wise, watch the distributor Rotor its turning counter clockwise. Important to know when you’re setting up the firing order.

[Sirrotica]

Twin side by side, boat engines will turn one engine counterclockwise to keep the boat going in a straight line. It's known as reverse rotation, and is common on boats with dual props, with each engine powering it's own prop.

I knew someone that rebuilt twin 327 AMC engines that ran into the one being reverse rotation. The parts are a bit more expensive for the one engine that turns counterclockwise, that threw the quote off, and of course neither party came away happy. One engine also leaked oil after being installed, and had to come back out, and the labor was also a point on contention.

Video with explanation of SBC marine reverse rotation engines, and telling which parts are specially designed to accomodate the reverse rotation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFQW...27sLifeonaBoat

In my experience marine is the only application I know of, that reverses the rotation of a conventional engine, there may be others that I've not heard about, possibly aeronautical engines.........

After a little more digging the Corvair pancake 6 cylinder also rotates counterclockwise, I remembered that the VW transaxle had to be flipped when adapting a Corvair engine into a VW bug because of reverse rotation of one of the engines, it was the Corvair that is reverse rotation.

[Schurkey]

Virtually all engines in North America rotate the same direction. Counter-clockwise viewed from the driver's seat, clockwise viewed from the front bumper.

There are exceptions, particularly on cars where the engine placement is wrong--rear engine, or FWD. I won't make promises on V-W or Corvair engines at the wrong end of the car, with the hood opening to the rear.

Citroen ran some of their engines backwards...but...let's face it...who cares about Citroen? They sold maybe thirty cars in America.

Kinda thinking my ancient '80 Honda Civic ran counter-clockwise as viewed from the "front" of the engine, which would be from the left front fender area. Transmission was to the right side of the engine compartment.

I am not aware of any front-engine, rear-drive vehicle sold in America that turned counter-clockwise as seen from the front bumper. Not saying it couldn't have happened...but I don't know about it.

[59safaricat]

A good portion of Honda engines rotate counter clockwise that supposedly allows for better weight distribution within the vehicle, which can contribute to improved handling and stability.

As a side benefit on those engines running a timing belt, the engine advances timing as the belt wears and stretches rather than retarding timing like clockwise engines. I noticed this on my '99 Accord with the F23A1 engine that I lost a hint of power and fuel mileage after replacing the timing belt at the specified interval.

[Stroker467TransAm]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate your response,s. Makes sense to me now. 😁
I also need to figure out the flex fan airflow. Curvature of the blades angles I assume are different between a counter clockwise and clockwise fan?? Good idea marking the balancer direction w/ an arrow too.

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by 59safaricat

... As a side benefit on those engines running a timing belt, the engine advances timing as the belt wears and stretches rather than retarding timing like clockwise engines...

No.

[Dragncar]

Before WWII Lockheed had troubles with the P-38 Lightning. Its twin Allison V12s both turned the same direction.
That gave them a lot of troubles with takeoffs and landings because of the extreme torque.
Kelly Johnson (greatest aircraft engineer) got together with the engineers at Allison and had them modify one of the engines to turn the other direction.
So with 2 engines both turning the props inward it became a fantastic fighter.
The Germans knicknamed the big fighter "Fork-tail Devil".

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

Before WWII Lockheed had troubles with the P-38 Lightning. Its twin Allison V12s both turned the same direction.
That gave them a lot of troubles with takeoffs and landings because of the extreme torque.
Kelly Johnson (greatest aircraft engineer) got together with the engineers at Allison and had them modify one of the engines to turn the other direction.
So with 2 engines both turning the props inward it became a fantastic fighter.
The Germans knicknamed the big fighter "Fork-tail Devil".

I heard that story a little differently.

The engines were counter-rotating to begin with. But they switched them side-to-side, so that the turbulent air (one air stream clockwise, the other counter-clockwise depending on engine--and therefore propeller--rotation) coming off the props would hit the tail control surfaces spinning the other direction, which solved the control problem.

[rolling money pits]

And I thought it was the Japanese who called them fork tailed devils?

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

I heard that story a little differently.

The engines were counter-rotating to begin with. But they switched them side-to-side, so that the turbulent air (one air stream clockwise, the other counter-clockwise depending on engine--and therefore propeller--rotation) coming off the props would hit the tail control surfaces spinning the other direction, which solved the control problem.

Might be something to that. I know they had issues with the air going over that long tail fin in steep dives. Sometimes they did not come out of the dive.
One site says they started out with inward rotating props, but those crashed and later models had outward rotating props.
I seen one forum say left was counter clockwise and right was clockwise.
I be HH64 would know, maybe he will chime in.
Our top Ace Richard Bong flew one. Made it to 40 kills. The US rotated their top pilots back home to train others. While Germany and Japan left them out there until they died or the war was over. Some of them had hundreds of kills.
I read Sauburo Sakai,s book as a kid. Bad dude.

[Bill Hanlon]

... and I'm so glad no one mentioned the infamous (and incorrectly named) "reverse rotation" 4 bolt water pump used on the earlier Pontiac V8 engines.

[242177P]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

There are exceptions, particularly on cars where the engine placement is wrong--rear engine, or FWD.

TH425 is interesting in that it uses some reverse
rotation pieces. Everything forward of the chain
adheres to standard rotation. Kinda fun thinking
about all the logistics involved.

[Stroker467TransAm]

Question, Is there such a thing as a Right or Left rotation flex fan? Curvature or the blades angles being different? Sorry if it's dumb ?