Engine turns backward???

[1952henry]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

I had an old 6 cyl landcruiser and I was dribbling atf down the throat of the carb trying to decarbonize it from what could be an old wives tale, but this isn't... After a couple minutes and some hiccups and near stalls, it hiccupped and started running backwards. It started racing up really fast so I went into the cab and switched off the ignition. No change, just mad acceleration. I can only think it was running as a diesel, fueling itself off hot atf sucked in from the oily wet exhaust and probably a pool in the muffler. There was a geyser of black crud exhausting out of the carb and the tailpipe was now the intake. Should have stuck a potato in the exhaust to kill it, but was just too freaked out watching this happen. Before this I had no Idea a normal 4 cycle gas engine can run so well in reverse. I would have thought the cam would have needed to be ground differently like a twin engine boat. But they can run backwards. No I didn't get a video.

John Deere two cylinder diesels would do this if stopped at top dead center. Made a mess when the exhaust would blow the oil from the air cleaner all over the place.