Finger pluck it like a bass guitar.. haha..
Yes, the camshaft will try to rotate clockwise once you remove the belt. I would think the only thing that's applying that pressure would be the helper spring forcing the rocker arm against the camshaft lobe.
You'd be partially correct. Yes, from the LH side of the motor the normal direction the crankshaft physically rotates is Counter Clockwise. The timing system Layshaft (that the timing pulley is mounted to) is gear driven from the LH side of the crank, so it actually rotates in the opposite direction of the crankshaft or Clockwise. So, on the RH side of the motor, the Timing Layshaft actually appears to rotate Counter Clockwise when viewed from the RH side during normal operation.
If you're ever confused as to which direction any overhead valve motor rotates, look at the timing system and where the Idler Pulleys (non adjusting) and Tensioner Pulleys are located.
Timing belts and chains work by a pulling action, not a pushing action. So you'll ALWAYS have the Idler pulleys on the drive side of the system, and the Tensioner pulleys on the non-drive side of the system to take up the slack. So, with that in mind, the CRUCIAL tooth count that you MUST maintain is on the Idler pulley side of that respective cylinder.
The engineers don't care what the actual tooth count of the belt is, so long as both sides of the belt can't come into contact with each other once they're adjusted properly.
