Abstract: A motor-vehicle engine system has an internal-combustion four-cycle engine having a fuel-supply manifold, a substantially closed but vented fuel tank holding a supply of gasoline, a fuel pump having an input connected to the tank and an output, and a fuel-feed line connected between the fuel-pump output and the fuel-supply manifold. A controller connected to the engine and to the pump operates the fuel pump at a throughput rate directly related to an engine speed. Insulation at least surrounds and thermally insulates the fuel tank, fuel-feed line, and fuel-supply manifold from their surroundings. A return line connected to the fuel tank is provided with an overpressure valve that is controlled to open briefly only on startup of the engine.

Abstract: A motor vehicle having fluid-using elements is moved as it is being made past a station. An assembly is delivered to the station having a plurality of substantially straight and longitudinally extending tubes having ends, respective fittings on the ends adapted to be secured to the elements of the vehicle, and transverse cleats laterally interconnecting the tubes into the assembly. At least some of the tubes are bent at the assembly station. The assembly with the bent tubes is then fitted to the vehicle at the station and the fittings are secured to the respective elements. Then at least one of the cleats is secured to the vehicle to fasten the assembly in place.

Abstract: The fuel-filter housing for an automotive vehicle is built into an air filter or the fuel tank or the fuel-tank venting filter so that its cover is available on an outer wall of the component into which it is built for removal and replacement of the filter cartridge. Any leakage is collected in the component in which the filter housing is mounted.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle engine system has an internal-combustion four-cycle engine having a fuel-supply manifold and operable at variable speed with a fuel requirement dependent on speed, a substantially closed but vented fuel tank holding a supply of gasoline, a fuel pump having an input connected to the tank and an output, and a fuel-feed line connected between the fuel-pump output and the fuel-supply manifold. A controller connected to the engine and to the pump operates the fuel pump at a throughput rate equal to between 5% and 40%, preferably 10% to 30%, more than the instantaneous fuel requirements of the engine. A return line connected to the fuel tank is provided with an overpressure valve that opens and returns to the tank fuel in the manifold that is in excess of the engine's instantaneous requirements and thereby maintains a predetermined constant pressure in the fuel-supply manifold.

Abstract: A fuel-line tube formed wholly of plastic has ends provided with fittings connecting it to the engine and tank and capable of resisting disconnection from the tube and tank when stressed at less than a predetermined pullout force. This tube has an outside diameter of less than 15 mm and is formed with a corrugated crash-resistant section of a predetermined length which is a maximum of 50% of a precorrugated length and capable of elongation in response to a crash with a tensile force smaller than the pullout force.

Abstract: A layered tubing for use in a motor vehicle has a thick tubular inner layer formed of a synthetic resin having a predetermined hardness and a predetermined thickness and a thin tubular outer relax layer bonded externally to and surrounding the inner layer. This outer layer is formed of a synthetic resin having a hardness equal to at most 0.8 of the hardness of the inner layer and a thickness equal to at most 0.5 of the thickness of the inner layer. The inner layer can be one layer or can be formed of a plurality of coextruded and coaxial sublayers.