"Hi Brad, me again.
I'm a
"Hi Brad, me again.
I'm assuming that you can't run the engine or you would already know. The starter being on one side or the other would not necessarily dictate rotation. Since it's a DC motor, polarity allows it to be run in either direction so it is probably a mounting space consideration.
If it were a larger engine I would say an easy way to tell if your engine's rotation is the same as the other is when you rotate the engine by hand, look at the blower lobes and see if they are turning into (inboard) each other. If they rotate away from each other toward the housing then you are turning the engine backward. However, I've never actually seen a 2-71 or it's blower so I could be all wet. Be very careful no matter which way you turn it as it will start in either direction. Make sure it is in NO FUEL. It should only take a "nudge" to get the info you're looking for.
Almost every Detroit I've ever seen except matched marine engines are set up for right hand rotation although I suppose you could make a whole new world out of the things I haven't seen.
Detroit looks at rotation from the front of the engine but all components ie: right bank, left bank is identified from the rear of the engine. Don't ask me why, it just is. Hopes this helps."