Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

[Brown Sugar]

Hi people,

New member (long time lurker, first time poster) with a question about my reverse rotation (CCR) Chrysler 426 Wedge Head inboard with Velvet Drives that was marinized for use in a 1957 42' Chris Craft Corsair.

On a reverse rotation engine would the oil pump and distributor spin backwards? When viewed from above what direction does a standard distributor run (Clockwise?).

Would this have any effect on my oil pressure relief valve?

Thanks for any help the geniuses can offer!

BS

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

The distributor spins in the same direction as standard rotation so it doesn't affect the oil pump.

 

[Brown Sugar]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

The distributor spins in the same direction as standard rotation so it doesn't affect the oil pump.

Hi Capt K,

The funny thing about my motors is a previous owner went to some trouble to locate the "original" valve cover stickers for the motor and on them they give a firing order : one order for CW and another order for CCW (counter clockwise). CCW is the direction this motor turns.

But the story gets weirder, the stickers would be for marinized Chrysler M426-B from the era of 1957 when the boat was first outfitted. The block serial numbers seem to point to much more recent castings from about the mid 80's and I know the boat had a large refit done in '98.

So the question of oil pump is: Does the oil pump only spin one way regardless of distributor direction (which can be altered by the way the gearing is ground at the bottom of the dist shaft) and crank direction ?

The whole point of this thread I guess is trying to figure out why I have 70PSI oil pressure the second I fire it up, all the distributor info is just gravy!

Any more input people have would be helpful!

Thanks in advance to the forum members.

BS

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

You have high oil pressure due to the springs in the oil pump. They use to make different springs for different pressures. The pump is a gear pump so it can only pump in one direction thus the rotation of the distributor can only spin one way. Ccw engines just line the firing order up in reverse. The gear on the cam for the distributor is cut backward to match the ccw cut on the distributor shaft. Just so you know, you cannot use a standard crank in a CCW Chrysler engine. The oil grooves at the rear seal will actually flow oil out the seal when turned in reverse.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

I know that the small block Chrysler engines are set up the same as the GM . The only thing that turns backwards is the crank. No such thing as a left turn oil pump. I think your getting sidetracked by other info. CCW, left hand turn = standard rotation. CW, right hand turn = revere turn.

I believe your Big blocks are the same.

 

[Brown Sugar]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

Just to clarify: You're saying CCW=Left Hand turn when viewing the front of the engine and the main pulley is standard rotation. And CW=Right hand turning pulley when viewing the front of the engine is reverse rotation. I could have sworn I looked it up on the internet and got the opposite. I would have gone out and cranked my 68 Dart convertible instead of the Google search but it's across town in storage!

On a further note I went down and overhauled the connections on the charging system and stopped to check the oil on the engines and dammit if there isn't water or coolant in the crankcase of my Port engine.:facepalm: My port engine with the freshly re-installed heads with about 3 hrs on them, the engine that purrs like a kitten and has 35PSI oil pressure and no sign of misfire or any typical blown head gasket symptoms. I'm wondering if I should re-torque the head bolts, change the oil and see if the coolant shows up in the crank again?

Has anyone ever heard over of an oil cooler letting go and mixing coolant into the sytem? I can't figure why the motor isn't displaying other signs of failure than milkshake on the dipstick. Its a wet exhaust system so it's hard to check for steam/whitish smoke in the exhaust.

Comment folks?
Thanks
BS

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

you view the boat from the rear. different from a car. port engine s/b CCW, left hand turn. standard rotation

starboard engine is right hand turn, clock wise reverse rotation.

The water problem is harder to find. Yes the oil cooler can go bad but often it will let the oil out not water in. You can by-pass the cooler to test. To check manifolds do a search on here. several neat ways that are not real hard. I have never heard of any luck stopping a leak by re-torquing. spark plugs might show water. It's a project but you might luck out the first time. I have exchanged 2 short bolts with 2 long ones in the manifolds and removed all the others except one. start motor and let it get up to temp.Kill engine and water supply then take the one tight bolt out and slide the manifold out to the end of the long bolts and watch for water.

 

[Brown Sugar]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

Hi Lyle,

Thanks for the input, I might try the manifold slide technique. Sadly my headers have studs into the block so it will be more of a remove the nuts and slide the header out to the last thread situation. Could get sort of hot and hairy, but still better than a tear down to find nothing. Also an issue with flex/play in the exhaust hoses...and an issue with my patience for a misbehaving motor.

BS

 

[jleiii]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

Maybe a little late to chime in, but sometime in the 1960's Chris Craft changed from Flywheel Forward to Flywheel Aft mounting in many, if not all models. This means the 'same engine' would also switch to the other side to keep rotating in the correct direction. All comments sound like newer mounting.
I'm not sure when the bigger CC boats might have changed. So, if you have flywheel fwd the port engine is the reverse rotation, and the stb is standard rotation. All parts on my CC 283's are identical except the cam and timing gear/chain. Not sure about the crank, but IIRC the firing order is not strictly reversed. Could be wrong though...... Chris Craft even went so far as to move the distributor and oil pump on the flywheel fwd models. The tach takeoff replaced the distributor to drive the oil pump (same direction) and the distributor was mounted above and driven off the cam gear.
John

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: Marinized Chrysler 426 reverse rotation question!

Chris Craft did a lot of strange things over the years. For instance, up until the late 70's, all single inboard engines turned CW. Somebody felt that the boats performed better with right hand turning props for some reason.