Can a VW Engine Run Backwards? I have a friend with a buggy and he claims his engine in running backwards is this possible? I haven't seen this for myself yet but I reckon he is off his tree I will be checking this out this week.
what would the oil pump be doing?
is the starter motor reversed?
what about valve timing ?
It surely not possible............. :o

Not possible, unless he means its running on after its switched off, then it will run backwards, but only for a bit.

If he's driving it around with 4 reverse gears and 1 1st gear, the ring and pinion has been flipped in the gearbox??

I believe it could run backwards if there was a cam remade in reverse and the starter was modified but otherwise it would intake thru the exhaust and exhaust thru the carby and there would be no fuel etc to make it run.
I have heard of rover v8s being made run the otherway by making a backwards spec cam.

Only if the engine was pulled apart and a re designed camshaft installed.

They do this with the Corvair engines to make them rotate clockwise when fitted to a VW gearbox.

But a special cam has been made to do this.,

you'd need a special oil pump too design to swap the suction and discharge ports around. Cam would also thrust the wrong way, bit of a prob since they is no thrust bearings one way. Need a custom cam as mention. Backwards starter would be tricky.

Wes

I was thinking they could Clutch start the engine.... no need for a starter.

Anyway why would they want to go backwards.

Advance mechanisms would have to be modified too.