I don't have easy access to a horizontal shaft small engine at the moment.
I'm looking at a used snowblower tonight that needs some work. The seller didn't know much about it on the phone. I've heard that some snowblowers have engines that use a drive off the cam which turns at half speed and in the opposite direction of the crank. I need to figure out if an off the shelf Briggs or Honda engine will be viable replacement option.
Can someone tell me which direction (when viewed from the side) the shaft normally rotates?
The 5 HP horizontal shaft Briggs on my kids go-kart spins CCW. I'm pretty sure. That's CCW looking at the shaft end.
In reply to Woody:
Me thinks most (if not all Horizontals) spin clockwise when viewed from the flywheel side
RE: 1988RedT2 - Yes! Chain drive or belt drive the shaft has to turn the same direction as the tires ( unless you gots some funky gearbox BS...)
Clockwise @ flywheel side looking at a Tecumseh 10 horse.
The cam drive was usually used for reverse, since its half speed and opposite rotation. Some old front tine rototillers also use that configuration.
I would either A. Run without reverse if you have to swap engines, as most small snowblowers can be manhandled, reverse isnt needed. Or B. if you need the other output shafts on the engine, take the cam and rear case off the donor engine and swap it onto your good engine.
In reply to 93gsxturbo:
Plan B might not be a viable option, unless it is the same model engine. I have a 85 JD 111 Lawn Tractor whose block literally split at the cylinder. I had an extra engine, same family, 11HP, but the extra was newer and I couldn't use the older base plate as the bolt pattern for the plate to block was slightly different. But the mounting holes lined up fine. Had a fun time making old, better carb air filter housing (Allows more fine tuning for hi and low operation) work with the newer top cover. Plus I had to remount the fuel pump.
The cam belt is for the the wheel drive.
The crankshaft drives the blower and auger.
I think rotor-tillers use horizontal shaft engines. Might be close design to a snow blower. I think my tiller has a horizontal shaft engine. It's in the shed and it's too cold and dark to go out to check. 
