Does the camshaft on a counter-rotating engine run backwards

[pschauss]

I’m thinking of replacing my aftermarket distributors with Delco Voyagers. I need to know if I can use the standard distributor on my starboard engine or do I need the counter-rotating option?

[Tooeez]

On my original 1979 228 Mercruisers, and on the 350 Michigan Motorzs replacements I installed, the starboard engine has a gear train instead of a timing chain, so that the cam and distributor turns the same way as the port engine.

[coolair]

To the best of my knowledge the only one who has a different cam shaft and there for a different cam shaft gear is Ford. and they are impossible to find. ask me how i know!!

[ktm_2000]

I thought most setups the engine was the same in both sides but the transmission and propeller was setup on the counter rotating motor to spin counter clockwise while going forward.

[Carl]

As the gears have gotten pretty good at reversing the rotation of the motor with minimal loss of efficiency, it has become the new standard to achieve counter-rotating props.

In years gone bye it used to be the motors that counter-rotated, gears and wheels spun the same direction as the motors.

[Tooeez]

Here's another thought: take off both distributor caps. Crank the port engine and note which way the rotor turns. Crank the stbd engine and see if it turns the same way.

[Tony Meola]

Peter

I believe you have older engines, and usually they were counter rotating. If I remember right ours were marked which way they turned. As suggest check how the rotor on the distributor turns.

[pschauss]

Tony,

I verified that my engines are counter rotating with both distributors running clockwise last year when I replaced my caps, rotors, and wires. My concern was that the camshaft might have a nonstandard gear on it, requiring the same on the distributor in order to make the distributor run clockwise. Michigan Motorz website made some reference to that possibility.

[Tony Meola]

Peter

I would just pull the distributor end have it checked before replacing anything.