Turning the engine, which way is “clockwise”?

(Edit: to anyone reading this in the future, the following post is fairly misguided. Try not to retain anything I’m writing as fact... You’ve been warned )

So I’ve been looking at the factory service manual for adjusting the valves.

I notice in the timing belt section it says to only turn the engine/crankshaft clockwise.

In the valves adjustment section it doesn’t specify which way to turn the engine. Based on above it probably wants us to turn the engine clockwise. When adjusting the valves, the clearance must be measured, then cams rotated 240 degrees, measure again, rotate 240 degrees, measure again. The intake camshafts are connected to the crank bolt. When the timing belt turns, the intake camshafts turns the same way.

Reading the instructions in the valve adjustment section, I’ve come to the conclusion that one of the following is true:
1) The pictures in the valve adjustment section are out of order or wrong.
2) the engine rotation of clockwise is based on the driver being seated in the car. That is, the actual crank bolt itself would be turned counterclockwise when facing the headlights from outside the car, in order to turn the engine/crankshaft “clockwise”. This may make sense since the right hand head is on the left side when facing the engine.

So... in order to turn the engine clockwise, which way do I turn the engine, when facing the engine from outside the truck (standing between the headlights)?

Some pics for reference. The only way I can take the measurements in the places the manual specifies in the order it specifies is when I turn the intake camshafts counter clockwise (given the reference I’m standing outside the truck by the grille, not seated in the truck).

 

Looking at the front of the engine from in front of the headlights.

In general terms, when working on an engine, the reference point would be if you're standing in front of it as if it were mounted in a vehicle.

 

crank the engine with the starter to turn in the coreect direction !!!!!

avoid turning the engine backwards .............never a good reason to do so EVER

it will throw off many if not ALL tolerances

if U miss a reference point............turn the engine correctly until U et back to the correct mark

 

You turn it the same way it turns when it is running. All the Toyotas I've owned turned clockwise when facing the crankshaft pulley.

You turn the crankshaft 240°. The camshafts will only turn 120°. They turn at half the rate of the crankshaft.

 

THANK YOU!!! Oh my god.

Add to the numbered list above:
3) pontoon is an idiot.

My timing belt is disconnected so I’m turning the cam shaft directly. I need to turn the cams 120 degrees per measurement. The manual directions only work when turning the crankshaft, which I can’t do right now.

 

Thanks, it’s very confusing, since it seems like the manual says clockwise given the reference in front of the engine, yet for the heads themselves, it’s using the seated position as a reference for right and left. They’re using two different reference points...

 

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but do you have any mechanic experience working on cars and trucks. Clockwise is a pretty well known term, just like it sounds. Same direction a clock hand turns, to the right. If you don't have any experience working on Tacoma's I'd advice you to ask for some help from someone in your area when trying to adjust the valves. Not exactly a job for the inexperienced.

 

Clockwise depends on which direction you are facing. But he already explained why he was confused because he forgot the camshafts turn at half the speed of the crankshaft and he needed to turn the camshafts with the timing belt removed, and the repair manual illustrations didn't match what he thought was turning the cams 240° and he was correct. They match when the cams are only turned 120°.

 

Not to sound like a jerk, but you do sound like a jerk. I know what clockwise itself means. The question is where is the reference point? It’s clear to me now Toyota is inconsistent within their own manual.

I was watching a video on YouTube and the guy is definitely turning the engine in reverse... Not that it makes it right. That’s just part of the reason I got turned around.

I’m using this process TO LEARN. I wasn’t born a master mechanic. So far I’ve successfully done: rear leaf springs, front and rear shocks, used a spring compressor without killing myself, sway bar bushings and end links, differential bushings, fuel filter, fuel injectors, fixed a leaky valve cover gasket, cleaned IAC/throttle body/IAC, spark plugs, PCV, all the vacuum lines, front and rear O2 sensor, AC idler bearing, AC compressor bearing, drive belts, timing belt, water pump, crank seal, cam seals, half moons, spark plug seals, inner and outer tie rods, upper and lower ball joints, upper control arms, all of my fluids, greased the driveline, brake pads and rotors, flushed the brakes, rebuilt the calipers, replaced the brake hoses, checked and adjusted the drums, assembled some quality HIDs, added a hitch, shifter bushing, I’m sure there’s more I’m forgetting. I’ve done just about everything on a motorcycle short of a rebuild. Most of those jobs were the first time I did that specific job. I’ve made a few mistakes, and learned a lot along the way. Eventually I’ll know what I’m doing.

Anyway, Toyota, makes no damn sense: why is clockwise actually clockwise when facing the engine, but the left hand head is on the right and the right hand head is on the left?

I can’t actually check which way the truck runs when I hit the starter because the timing belt is disconnected.

Thank you for the help above, I understand which way it runs now. It’s just confusing since I see guys doing it both ways on YouTube.

In case anyone else ran into the same trouble as me, if your timing belt is disconnected, turn the intake camshaft clockwise (or the exhaust camshaft counterclockwise) 120 degrees between each measurement. This is given the reference point of standing in front of the truck, facing the engine.

 

So just to confirm clockwise is to the right while FACING the 5VZ?

 

my apologies sir, if you've completed these tasks, then your well on your way. No one is born a master mechanic. hell I think the first car I ever worked on was a 1964 plymouth Valiant with a slant 6 motor. You have to start somewhere. And your correct in stating some of the things on these tacoma's don't make sense, but TW will almost always do it's best to help you out. The heads are a prime example of weird shit on these trucks. Carry on, and good luck getting it back together and running again.

 

Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ll need all the luck I can get.

 

I will admit to trying to be the best Jerk I can be. It is a good thing is it not.

The thing to take into account with the whole right and left confusion is sometimes directions are given when the engine is on a stand for work which does get confusing .

What makes it worse is when people don`t follow the standard of using the driver being in the seat as a point of reference .

I am still trying to learn left and right it is very hard for me.

 

yeah, that one took a while to set in. You'd think when looking at the front of the truck the left side would be the passenger, but they reference this from sitting in the drivers seat, which I thought was strange in the beginning.

 

personally, I prefer to work on 1972 and down to 1960 GM and Ford vehicles. Give me a timing chain, hydraulic lifters and a single cam shaft. That's what I worked on for most of my life. At least Ford had the sense to put the distributor in the front of the motor. My 1st car that I could actually call my own was a 1974 honda civic. 55 screaming hp. I bought either a haynes or chiltons manual and learned how to work on it just like you, trial and error, sometimes more errors. Wish I had that car in my driveway in "Pristine" low milage condition today, just to have as a drive around town car.

 

Looking at the front of the engine... Rotation is clockwise.

 

I checked the valves with the heads off, manual is unnecessarily complicated IMO. Main thing is just to be sure the cams lobes are not touching the lifters on the valves you are checking. Also, I started using a straight feeler gauge and I thought all my valves were tight. I got an angled gauge and then they were all spot on. Almost impossible to check with a straight feeler gauge for me.