"Well, I never contribute to a
"Well, I never contribute to a topic unless I have absolute knowledge and experience regarding the subject so not to give bad or misleading information.
This topic is no exception. That's why I have been quiet until now. I have a fair amount of experience with BB RH motors, but very little with SB. I don't want to cloud the water any further, but here's what I know.
I know that a new BB longblock is converted from LH to RH by Crusader by replacing the chain driven clockwise rotating camshaft with a gear driven counter clockwise rotating camshaft. No turning of pistons, no changing of seals, that's it. Obviously some of the bolt-on components also need to change. This would include the starter motor and distributor drive gear.
I also know that the SB motor has been produced in several versions. The Crusader parts manuals show both gear driven and chain driven camshafts in RH motors, depending on the model year. They also show like and different PN crankshafts and seals for RH motors, again, depending on the year. All information I have found tells you to install the pistons with the identifying mark to the front of the engine, and the rods ... well, here read it for yoursself right out of the factory manual: "Important: The mark on the top of the piston must face the front of the engine block. When assembled, the flanges on the connecting rod and connecting rod cap should face to the front of the engine block on the left bank, and to the rear of the engine block on the right bank.
So both the pistons and rods do go in facing a set direction, regardless of whether it is RH or LH.
If it were my engine, in my boat, I would install the new cam and gear, change the distributor gear and run the thing.
By the time you do everything suggested here to "correct" your engine, you might as well buy a new motor.
That's what I know.
Here's what I don't know.
I don't know if a 4.2L Cadillac engine works the same way.
Rick
P.S. Anybody looking for a new 330 hp Gen V 454 RH cam and gear?"