Systems and methods for combustion engines with interchangeable components are described herein. An engine sub-assembly for a gasoline powered engine can include a crankcase having an opening extending at least through an upper surface thereof, the opening being configured to receive a crank arm therethrough, and a first mounting plate configured to be coupled with the crankcase. The first mounting plate can be selectively removable from the crankcase. The opening of the first mounting plate can generally align with the opening in the crankcase when the first mounting plate is coupled with the crankcase. The first mounting plate can be configured to receive a first cylinder block and to couple the first cylinder block to the crankcase. A second mounting plate can be configured to couple with a second cylinder block that is different than the first cylinder block and to couple the second cylinder block to the crankcase.

A cover for an automobile engine covers a crank pulley and an auxiliary drive belt of an engine arranged in an engine room with the crank pulley and the auxiliary drive belt being in a posture facing a front direction of a vehicle body. The cover includes a reinforcing body that includes a fastening part attaching to the engine and is integrated with a sound-absorbing main body.

A first angle portion where part of a bearing cap side wall portion is cut out and a second angle portion where part of a bearing cap bottom surface portion is cut out are formed in a region (an angle region of a bearing cap) including a part where respective extension portions of the bearing cap side wall portion and the bearing cap bottom surface portion intersect each other, and a gap is provided between the crankcase side wall portion of a journal wall and the first angle portion and between a crankcase bottom surface portion and the second angle portion.

The present application relates to rib structure on cylinder block. A cylinder block having a top surface, an inner bottom surface, a cylinder opening on the top surface, and a head boss positioned on the top surface, centered on a first axis, and configured to engage with a fastener at an initial position, which defines a first depth. The cylinder block includes a first main boss positioned on the inner bottom surface, centered on a second axis, and configured to engage with a first main fastener at a first end position, which defines a second depth. The cylinder block includes a second main boss positioned on the inner bottom surface and configured to engage with a second main fastener at a second end position, which defines a third depth. The cylinder block includes a first rib path extending from the first depth to the second depth and a second rib path extending from the first depth to the third depth.

A conductive ball stud fastener arrangement for providing energy to a removable electrified component having an electrified element when the component is attached to an electrified substrate is disclosed. The ball stud fastener includes an insulating body, an electrified conductor having a conductive tip that is continuous with a conductive, centrally formed conductive stem, and a conductive attachment portion for attachment to the electrified substrate. The electrified component includes grommets having conductive elements. The ball stud fasteners are easily removed from and attached to the grommets. The conductive elements of the grommets are part of a circuit to which the electrified element of the electrified component is attached. According to one embodiment, the conductive ball stud fastener arrangement and its associated circuit includes a photoelectric sensor that opens and closes the circuit. In another embodiment, the ball studs themselves act as switches to open and close the circuit.

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.

An engine variable valve operating apparatus includes a cam switching mechanism having a switching drive shaft. When the switching drive shaft is longitudinally moved, a cam mechanism advances and retracts a switching pin. When the switching pin is advanced to engage in a lead groove formed around a cam carrier and the cam carrier is axially moved while rotating, cam lobes around the cam carrier are switched to act on an engine valve. An actuator for the switching drive shaft includes an actuator drive body which is linearly reciprocally movable and is coupled to a longitudinal end of the switching drive shaft to axially move the same. The above arrangement enables the cam switching mechanism and the actuator mechanism to be simple and compact in structure for preventing the engine from becoming large in size.

A conductive ball stud fastener arrangement for providing energy to a removable electrified component having an electrified element when the component is attached to an electrified substrate is disclosed. The ball stud fastener includes an insulating body, an electrified conductor having a conductive tip that is continuous with a conductive, centrally formed conductive stem, and a conductive attachment portion for attachment to the electrified substrate. The electrified component includes grommets having conductive elements. The ball stud fasteners are easily removed from and attached to the grommets. The conductive elements of the grommets are part of a circuit to which the electrified element of the electrified component is attached. According to one embodiment, the conductive ball stud fastener arrangement and its associated circuit includes a photoelectric sensor that opens and closes the circuit. In another embodiment, the ball studs themselves act as switches to open and close the circuit.

An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block made of a first material having a plurality of cylinders and an insert made of a second material having a greater stiffness and a lower thermal coefficient of expansion than the first material and casted-in-place into the cylinder block. For each cylinder of the cylinder block, the insert includes a bolted anchor having a first threaded bore suitable to be engaged by an head bolt for fixing a cylinder head to the cylinder block, and a second threaded bore suitable to be engaged by a cap bolt for fixing a main bearing cap to the cylinder block, and a lubrication gallery connected to a plurality of the anchors.

A cover for an automobile engine covers a crank pulley and an auxiliary drive belt of an engine arranged in an engine room with the crank pulley and the auxiliary drive belt being in a posture facing a front direction of a vehicle body. The cover includes a reinforcing body that includes a fastening part attaching to the engine and is integrated with a sound-absorbing main body.