Took my stock 93 to the Mazda dealer to have him calibrate the TPS to try to get rid of a "bucking" at low rpms in 1st gear and he discovered the Throttle Position Sensor was on backwards - that is with the plug end toward the engine and not towards the fender as he showed me in the workshop manual. He tried turning it around the right way but said he couldn't get it to ldle at less than 3000 no matter how much he adjusted it. So he turned it back around the "wrong" way and calibrated it to the correct voltages.
My question is, does it make a difference which way it's on as long as the voltages are correct? The previous owner must have taken it off and replaced it, and I've driven the car for years with it like this.

 

I can't see why it would matter. If its neutral position is still in the same spot as it would be if it was oriented correctly, it will work. It still will turn clockwise (facing the front of the car).

 

I should have it back from the dealer tomorrow so I'll see how it runs.

 

I've seen 1 or 2 on backwards. Didn't matter as long as it was set correctly.