How to determine the right and left side of my engine?

1,550

Asked by Alfonso Dec 12, 2015 at 05:30 PM about the 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7L GLS FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

All the information I have been able to find online refers to the right and left cylinder heads or the passenger side and the driver side heads. This makes no sense to me because the engine is transversed and from the front of the car one is nearer to the radiator and the other near the firewall....they should be called front and rear.  What I need to know is which is right and which is left to be able to order online?

10 Answers

Ok, I didn't read your question through. My Bad. I was thinking a V8 with serpentine belt in front. This is interesting, I will see what i can find

4 people found this helpful.

OK. After looking at several forums, The left side is the front of a transverse powertrain. It has to do with perspective of looking at flywheel, as if in a V8 in drivers seat you are facing flywheel. So if the serpentine belt on the passenger side, the other end is flywheel (or flexplate) so left is front. Right is firewall side. This came from multiple sources and makes sense to me

22 people found this helpful.
1,550

That makes sense, that's the way we do it on the big diesels too. ,Thanks.

4 people found this helpful.
80

This is what I found too after trying to change O2 sensor bank 1 sensor 1. The left side is front of car and right side of the engine is near the dash/firewall of the car. I changed the easily accessible O2 sensor on the front of the car. The check engine light was still on for the same thing. I ended up changing bank 2 sensor 3. So by process of elimination bank 1 (right) is the firewall side. Working on getting the correct O2 sensor replaced now... unfortunately the right side of the engine and O2 sensor is not as easy to get to on the left side of the engine. Conveniently 3 of the 4 O2 sensors my car uses are the same which is why I was able to replace the wrong one without noticing.

8 people found this helpful.
70

For automobiles the rear of the engine is always where the trans is at. If you stand there facing the rear of the engine, you will see the proper perspective. The Front is the opposite side. The Left side is on your left. The Right side is on your right. For the side-mounted engine in the Toyota Camry: The Left side faces the front of the vehicle. The Right side faces the rear of the vehicle. The Front side faces the passenger side of the vehicle. All because the rear of the engine faces the drivers side of the vehicle.

7 people found this helpful.
150

Guys, it's real simple...you imagine the engine pullys facing forward, like turning it like an older v8. Then driver side it still the left...lol...anyhow, with any engine you look from the rear of the engine (bell housing) to the front ( drive belt or belts) and that's how you tell right from left. Hope this helps

15 people found this helpful.
100

Jeff, thx! EXCEPT, with your vast amount of knowledge (and with your 2 to possibly 3 condescending remarks)...one would think you wouldn't refer to the rear of all engines as being the bell housing. Since that would be a part of the transmission (and the front-most part of it). People who respond to these need to be more precise. Because there's nothing cool about confusing someone who's already confused, and is asking for help. Like FordNut, who was diligent and already answered this correctly. Now Jeff, I know you're just going to say that is "what I meant". But there was really no point in responding to a previously correctly answered question. And certainly no point in being condescending. And furthermore confusing. Not to mention, many people asking this question have probably never looked under the hood of a vehicle with an "older V8". And almost EVERY modern car is front-wheel- drive, and quite a few trucks as well. That being said, maybe you could have just stated that the TRANSMISSION is (at) the REAR of the engine! Sooo.... If you were (theoretically) standing at the REAR of the engine, it would reveal: the opposite/opposing/far-side of the engine as being the FRONT, your right side Is The Right Side Of The Engine (also Bank 1), and your left side Is The Left Side Of The Engine (also Bank 2). It's real simple, Jeff. And I do apologize Sir FordNut for rewording your answer. ~Chris ”The only time to be rude is when others already are!"

10 people found this helpful.
20

Plus you assumed ford, chevy has 1 on the other side

2 people found this helpful.
10

On FWD ( front wheel drive ) vehicles, the front of the engine is where all the belts are located (that drive alternator, power steering, and a/c compressor); so if , in your mind, you stand on the opposite end ( rear of the engine ), then the left bank is on your left and the right bank clearly on your right. Thinking front and rear can throw u off simply bc a car manufacturer may turn the position of the engine pointing right or left. I had the same question as posed above. thanks to all its now clear for me. just mentally stand at the rear of the damn engine. thank you all!

1 people found this helpful.

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