Help with crank rotation during head gasket install

[JC5]

I need a little help. I'm in the process of changing my head gasket on an M54. The Bentley manual says to rotate the crank via balancer clockwise the achieve TDC. DO NOT rotate counter clockwise.

Pretty explicit.

Now here's the stupid question (yeah I know there are no stupid questions...)

Is it meant that looking at the engine from the front of the car clockwise should be determined, or as you would be sitting in the car facing the other direction clockwise should be determined?

I ask this due to the left & right nature of the car is set by sitting inside. I'm just not sure. Maybe over thinking it a bit too.

[sandberg84]

I am with you I can never figure out the right left thing! and unfortunately I do not know the answer,

but here is how I would think about the answer. figure out the name attached to the way the engine normal turns when it is running, (for example Clockwise) then look at the timing marks, and hopefully they will have a tdc and something like 5 degrees BTDC (before TDC) then from BTDC to TDC is clockwise


it seems (operative word) that you should be able to turn it the regular direction with no issues. but that is just a seems like right answer


Steve

[JC5]

Thanks for you support. Let's me know I'm not a complete nut job