Abstract: An engine assembly may include an engine block defining a cylinder bore, a piston disposed within the bore, and a spark ignited direct injection fuel system. The piston may be disposed within the bore at a position corresponding to at least 50 percent of an intake stroke of the piston. The piston and the cylinder bore may partially define a combustion chamber. The spark ignited direct injection fuel system may include a fuel injector that provides a fuel flow to the combustion chamber during the intake stroke. The fuel flow may include a plume having an angular span. The plume may have a fuel volume associated therewith and may maintain at least 30 percent of the fuel volume within the angular span. The plume may extend into the cylinder bore a distance corresponding to the piston position.

Abstract: An engine assembly may include an engine block defining a cylinder bore, a piston disposed within the cylinder bore, and a spark ignited direct injection fuel system. The piston may be disposed within the cylinder bore and may be reciprocally displaceable from a first position to a second position during an intake stroke. The cylinder bore and the piston may partially define a combustion chamber. The spark ignited direct injection fuel system may include a fuel injector that provides a fuel flow to the combustion chamber during the intake stroke. The fuel flow may be directed toward an upper surface of the piston when the piston is in the first and the second positions.

Abstract: An engine assembly may include an engine block defining a cylinder bore, a piston disposed within the bore, and a spark ignited direct injection fuel system. The piston may be disposed within the bore at a position corresponding to at least 50 percent of an intake stroke of the piston. The piston and the cylinder bore may partially define a combustion chamber. The spark ignited direct injection fuel system may include a fuel injector that provides a fuel flow to the combustion chamber during the intake stroke. The fuel flow may include a plume having an angular span. The plume may have a fuel volume associated therewith and may maintain at least 30 percent of the fuel volume within the angular span. The plume may extend into the cylinder bore a distance corresponding to the piston position.

Abstract: An in-cylinder imaging apparatus is provided for an internal combustion engine defining a combustion chamber. The in-cylinder imaging apparatus includes a high-speed imaging device such as a high-speed digital camera. A borescope is provided in communication with the combustion chamber and is operable to communicate images of the combustion chamber to the high-speed imaging device. A high intensity light source, for example, a xenon light source, is operable to substantially illuminate the combustion chamber. The high-speed imaging device and borescope are in axial alignment with respect to each other and are mounted with respect to the internal combustion engine. A method of imaging the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine during engine operation employing the disclosed in-cylinder imaging apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A differential pressure regulator includes a housing having a first and second chamber, a fuel pump inlet, a passage, and a return orifice. The fuel pump inlet is in fluid communication with the passage and the first chamber while the return orifice is in fluid communication with the passage and the second chamber. A movable diaphragm separates the first chamber from the second chamber with a first and a second needle valve connected to opposing sides of the diaphragm. The first needle valve is reciprocally disposed in the fuel pump inlet while the second needle valve is reciprocally disposed in the return orifice. The differential pressure regulator also includes a fuel injection supply opening that is located in the first chamber and the return opening that is located in the second chamber.

Abstract: A coolant jacket for an engine cylinder bank having longitudinally aligned cylinders includes upper, lower and side walls defining two inlet flow galleries extending along the intake and exhaust sides of the cylinder bank and communicating with the upper ends of the cylinders. Two outlet flow galleries extend along the intake and exhaust sides of the cylinders and communicate with the lower ends of the cylinders and pairs of side flow slots extend between the upper and lower galleries and around the intake and exhaust sides of each of the cylinders. The side flow slots are separated along longitudinal edges from the slots of adjacent cylinders. Preferably, cooling fins extend into the flow galleries, forming pockets at the ends of the flow slots, the fins being impacted by coolant flow directed into the pockets to improve cooling of siamesed portions of the cylinders. Additional features are disclosed.

Abstract: A fuel filler pipe having a dimpled filler neck, wherein the dimples serve to concentrically locate a nozzle end portion of a pump nozzle of a service station fuel pump so as to avoid premature fuel flow shut-off during fueling of the fuel tank of a motor vehicle. The dimpled filler neck is provided with three or more nozzle location dimples in the form of bosses radially protruding relative to an adjacent inner surface of the dimpled filler neck. Preferably, the dimpled filler neck has three or four mutually uniformly spaced nozzle location dimples. The nozzle location dimples are positioned at the engagement zone of the nozzle end portion with respect to the filler neck such as to loosely abut the pump nozzle and thereby ensure concentric alignment of the nozzle end portion with respect to the inner surface of the filler neck.

Abstract: A fuel supply system for an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, comprises a fluid inlet line configured to receive fuel from a vehicle refueling station. A manifolded Y-connector includes an inlet port at an upper end of the Y-connector and in fluid communication with the fluid inlet line, an elliptical lower wall, a manifolded section extending from the inlet port to the elliptical lower wall, and a first and a second outlet port having substantially equal circular cross sections and each having a straight portion extending perpendicularly from the lower wall. A height of the manifolded section from the upper end to the lower wall is approximately four to five times a diameter of one of the outlet ports. The supply system further includes first and second fuel tanks fluidly connected to the first and second outlet ports of the manifolded Y-connector.

Abstract: A fuel fill pipe assembly for promoting less turbulent flow in a fuel pipe is disclosed. The assembly includes a pipe extending between a first end and a second end and at least one vane positioned on the pipe for urging the formation of at least a partial vortex within fuel that traverses through the pipe.

Abstract: A brake rotor for an automotive vehicle braking system is disclosed. The rotor includes a brake rotor hat portion attached to a brake rotor disk portion. The disk includes a plurality of radially extending passageways separated by a plurality of webs. The passageways have substantially constant area cross-sections for cooling the rotor and may be dimensionally symmetrical as well.