[gtofreek]

On the piston pin offset with 4 valve reliefs, since all the pistons are basically going the same direction the offset doesn't matter as long as the notch is forward. This will set the offset to the correct direction. The cylinders themselves will have thrust on opposite side from bank to bank. With the notchs of all pistons facing forward, 4 rods will be mounted forward and 4 backwards.

As far as your Ross pistons go, most aftermarket forged "race" pistons do not run any offset unless you order them with offset. The reason one would want to offset the pin would be to either cut down on piston slap noise[why the manufacturers do it] or to gain performance for different reasons.

1. If you offset the pin against direction of rotation[if you are looking at the front of the engine offset to the left] the piston will have less dwell time at TDC and the rod will have a bit of angle in it and will yank the piston down off TDC faster[making for a harder suck on the head] and will have a straighter rod angle at BDC when piston starts to come back up.

2. If you offset the pin to the right[in direction of rotation] you will have more dwell time for the piston at TDC and have a straighter rod angle on combustion but more rod angle at BDC when the piston comes back up.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Offsetting the pin can effectively change the rod length in the way the engine reacts.