Engine rotation

Probably been kicked about (and answered) by far more knowledgable blokes than me, but reading on a few different forums about what is "normal" engine rotation.
I have always taken it as a given, that standing in front of a 'normal' engine layout, be it petrol, diesel, or LPG, looking into the engine bay (not transverse) that the engine turns and runs in a clockwise direction.
Depending on who you listen to, maybe not so. Some Seppo's are adamant that engine rotation is taken from the drivers seat, regardless of LHD or RHD, which would make 'normal' rotation would then be anti or counter clockwise.
There will always be a few exceptions to the rule, apparently the flat six Chevy Corvair was designed from scratch, along with transmission and transverse axle, to run in a counter-clockwise direction, along with a few Honda engines, both bike and car. Also some boat engines.
Disregarding the ubiquitous GM 'modular' engines.
What made me think of it was had my head stuck in a 4 speed transmission which was designed from scratch to splash feed the input shaft bearings by the cut of the input gears to 'throw' the oil forward to let the oil run down a gallery to keep the input bearing lubricated.
Just whilst I'm on that, old time engineer/mechanic was telling me that an old trick was to put an elbow pipe in the filler plug thereby raising the level of the transmission by an inch or so. When I asked him why wouldn't the designers simply cast the upper level/filler that bit higher, he really had no answer. Said the other part of the trick was to add ATF (Dexron) to the transmission level which stopped it 'foaming'. Maybe OK for transmissions running lighter oil as standard, SAE 30 or SAE50 or similar.
What sez you blokes?
Dave

Just my two bob's worth.

Engine rotation is almost certainly to do with hand cranking (as all engines were for nearly 20 years). Almost impossible for a right hander to crank an engine in the opposite direction with any force.

Here is one diagram

www.ebasicpower.com/faq/rotate.htm

A number of current four wheel drives (Nissan Patrol etc) use 100% ATF in their mechanical transfer cases and in some cases mechanical gearboxes.

Lang

Following on, the old NP208's in the full - size Jeeps also use ATF.

Jarrod.

SAE STANDARD J824-199506

"SAE Standard engine crankshaft rotation is counter-clockwise as seen from the flywheel end of the engine."

why did they run the chev corvair flat six the other way..... apart from making it a great changeover for a VW Kombi...???
EMNDK :huh: :huh: :huh:

Good question! Think it had something to do with being a rear-engine configuration matched to a transaxle, maybe for chassis / torque reasons?? But what about Porsche? Perhaps Zuffen may be able to explain it better than I.

Just having a bit of a look on Google, had to reverse the direction to match the specially designed transmission/ transaxle. Was originally designed by GM to compete against Porsche/ VW but also had a lot in common with the flat six all alloy Lycoming aircraft engine, funnily enough the Corvair engine was at the time also a popular re-power for both the above car/plane engine but had to be reconfigured to work correctly. Just why, not sure except at the time the Seppo's were doing all sorts of weird and wonderful things! Like cutting V8's in half ( as in both Inter and Chevy). Interesting story on how the Corvair engine raced in NASCAR , with engine reversed direction, special transmission fitted, quite successfully. So Mr Google says, anyway.

Then there are 2 stroke engines which will run in either direction.

Then there are aircraft engines. The Poms ran them one way and the Americans the other.

There was a brand of truck I have read on the forum some years ago were if you changed the drive axle with like a eaton it had to put in up side down other wise it ran backwards

MAN rings a bell in the grey matter but I really couldnt say it may have even been some pommy brand like Guy or some such thing

I wonder if the motor ran ass about or maybe a extra gear in the box ??

Maybe this will get someone elses grey matter working

Paul