The present disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle. The internal combustion engine has a cylinder head, a crankcase and a cylinder head gasket. The cylinder head, the cylinder head gasket and the crankcase form a sealing region for sealing at least one combustion chamber. A first recess is arranged within the sealing region and at a distance from the at least one combustion chamber. A first leakage gas passage extends from the first recess to a first surface exposed to the environment of the internal combustion engine or to a ventilation passage of the internal combustion engine.

A cover member includes a body member made of a composite material and including a mounting flange. A plurality of compression limiters are disposed in the mounting flange, the compression limiters have a predetermined thickness and an internally threaded aperture therein. The dual function compression limiters eliminate the need for separate threaded inserts. With the dual function compression limiter, every bolt location provides a potential location for a jack screw.

A cover member includes a body member made of a composite material and including a mounting flange. A plurality of compression limiters are disposed in the mounting flange, the compression limiters have a predetermined thickness and an internally threaded aperture therein. The dual function compression limiters eliminate the need for separate threaded inserts. With the dual function compression limiter, every bolt location provides a potential location for a jack screw.

The present disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle. The internal combustion engine has a cylinder head, a crankcase and a cylinder head gasket. The cylinder head, the cylinder head gasket and the crankcase form a sealing region for sealing at least one combustion chamber. A first recess is arranged within the sealing region and at a distance from the at least one combustion chamber. A first leakage gas passage extends from the first recess to a first surface exposed to the environment of the internal combustion engine or to a ventilation passage of the internal combustion engine.

According to the present invention a closed cell compressible sponge is used to provide a seal between the cylinder head assembly and the crankcase assembly in variable compression ratio engines. The closed cell sponge is capable of accommodating large travel distances and can be fabricated out of durable rubber. The sponge gasket also does not flap, and is effective at isolating noise inside the crankcase.

An internal combustion engine system includes: an in-cylinder pressure sensor; a crank angle sensor; and a seal portion that seals a space between an outer face of a housing and a wall surface of a cylinder head. A slope that is a ratio of the amount of decrease in a heat release amount relative to the amount of increase in a crank angle is calculated in a period during an expansion stroke from a combustion end point until an opening timing of an exhaust valve. The existence or nonexistence of an abnormality in the sealing function of the seal portion is determined based on whether or not a ratio of the amount of decrease in the slope to the amount of increase in an engine speed is greater than a threshold value.