Abstract: An automobile powertrain has at least an engine placed in an engine room and oriented so that its crankshaft is directed transversely, and a transmission placed in the engine room behind the engine. The transmission has input and output shafts arranged coaxially with each other and directed parallel to the crankshaft of the engine. An engine clutch is directly connected to the crankshaft, and a power transfer arrangement is disposed oppositely to the engine with respect to the engine clutch and operationally couples the engine clutch to the input shaft so as to transmit engine output to the transmission. The transmission, engine clutch and power transfer arrangement are independently accommodated in separate chambers of a single unit powertrain case. The transmission chamber and the power transfer chamber are connected to each other by an oil passage through which the input shaft extends from the transmission to the power transfer.

Abstract: In a construction of a vehicle power train in which a crankshaft of an engine and a shaft of a transmission are arranged in a car-width direction and a differential is disposed near the transmission, a power transmission element composing a part of a power transmission passage from the engine to a drive wheel is reinforced. An extension part extending to the cylinder block side of the engine is provided with respect to a bearing part of a back idle gear of the transmission provided at a cylinder block upper of the engine, and an extreme end of the extension part is connected to a rear side part of the cylinder block upper. The bearing part of a front-wheel differential is arranged so as to contact to a side of the bearing part of the back idle gear. Accordingly, rigidity of the power train is enhanced and an open/close mode movement caused between the engine and the transmission is prevented.

Abstract: An automobile powertrain has at least an engine placed in an engine room and oriented so that its crankshaft is directed transversely, and a transmission placed in the engine room behind the engine. The transmission has input and output shafts arranged coaxially with each other and directed parallel to the crankshaft of the engine. An engine clutch is directly connected to the crankshaft, and a power transfer arrangement is disposed oppositely to the engine with respect to the engine clutch and operationally couples the engine clutch to the input shaft so as to transmit engine output to the transmission. The transmission, engine clutch and power transfer arrangement are independently accommodated in separate chambers of a single unit powertrain case. The transmission chamber and the power transfer chamber are connected to each other by an oil passage through which the input shaft extends from the transmission to the power transfer.

Abstract: An automotive powertrain has an engine placed within an engine compartment and oriented so that its crankshaft is directed transversely. The powertrain also has an automatic transmission placed in the engine compartment behind the engine, and a torque converter operationally coupled to the crankshaft and input shaft of the transmission. Input and are output shafts of the transmission are arranged coaxially with each other and are directed parallel to the crankshaft of the engine. A hydraulic control valve body, through which controlled hydraulic pressure is applied to the transmission so as to shift the transmission, is placed in a space defined below a horizontal plane including a top end of the transmission and behind a vertical plane including an axis of rotation of the crankshaft.

Abstract: A powertrain includes an engine and a transmission and has a center inertial axis extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle body. The powertrain is mounted on the vehicle body for inertial movement about the center inertial axis by a pair of elastic mountings, disposed on opposite sides of the powertrain and not below the inertial axis. Another elastic mounting is disposed behind the powertrain. An exhaust pipe assembly, extending rearwardly and down behind the powertrain from the engine, is flexibly supported by a retainer connected, either directly or through the other elastic mounting, to the powertrain.

Abstract: An engine unit includes an engine and a power train having a transmission and the engine unit is mounted sideways on a vehicle body with the power train positioned rearward of the engine. The engine and the power train are housed in a single engine housing and an oil pan common to the engine and the power train is mounted on the lower side of the engine housing below the engine and the power train. The length of the oil pan in the transverse direction of the vehicle body is smaller than the engine housing and auxiliary mechanisms are disposed in the space on one side of the oil pan and below the engine housing.

Abstract: A power train includes a transmission having transmission shafts, with axes of rotation parallel to a crankshaft of an engine. The transmission shafts extend in a transverse direction of a vehicle. A drive axle is connected to drive wheels of the vehicle , and a drive axle differential differentially drives the drive wheels through the drive axle. A center differential is provided to differentially drive the front and rear drive wheels. The drive axle has an axis of rotation placed below and parallel to the axis of rotation of the transmission shafts. The drive axle differential and center differential are disposed side by side in the transverse direction of the vehicle body on, and in alignment with, the axis of rotation of the drive axle. The drive axle differential is located closely adjacent to the transmission in the transverse direction.

Abstract: An automobile powertrain has an engine disposed in an engine room and oriented so that its a crankshaft is directed transversely. A transmission is placed in the engine room behind the engine and has an output shaft directed parallel to the crankshaft. A propeller shaft extends in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle body, and a power coupling gear train operationally couples the output shaft of the transmission to the propeller shaft. The axis of rotation of the crankshaft is positioned in front of the center axes of the front axles, and the power coupling gear train is positioned above a steering rack and/or a cross member by which the steering rack is supported.

Abstract: A drive shaft for driving supplemental apparatuses is disposed in or penetrates an oil pan disposed under an engine in order to provide a compact supplemental apparatus layout or arrangement. In the oil pan, a supplemental apparatus drive unit, including the drive shaft, an idle gear meshing with an output gear fixed on an engine crankshaft, and a chain for transmitting drive power from the idle gear to the drive shaft, is supported, and is simultaneously assembled so as to be linked with the idle gear and the output gear when the oil pan is assembled to the engine. The output gear is preferably fixed on the inner side of an endmost journal of the crankshaft to reduce vibrations from the crankshaft. Moreover, providing a damper associated with the output gear fixed to the crankshaft reduces the vibrations from the crankshaft.

Abstract: An engine unit includes an engine and a power train which are disposed in parallel to each other. The power train includes a transmission and a differential. The engine and the power train are housed in one engine housing formed of upper and lower parts which are mated with each other along respective mated surfaces. Upper halves of bearings for the crankshaft and upper halves of bearings for a rotational shaft of the power train are formed in the mating surface of the upper part of the engine housing and lower halves of bearings for the crankshaft and lower halves of bearings for said rotational shaft of the power train are formed in the mating surface of the lower part of the engine housing. The upper part of the engine housing is formed integrally with the cylinder block of the engine.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus for a V-type internal combustion engine has a water pump disposed at a central portion of a front end surface of an engine cylinder block. A cooling water inlet passage, provided between the radiator and water pump for introducing cooling water into the water pump, includes an external pipe extending along the front end of the engine cylinder block and turning into a V-shaped space defined by and between elongated first and second cylinder banks set at an angle relative to each other and an internal passageway formed in the cylinder block. The internal passageway has one end communicated with the water pump and its other end opening to the bottom of the V-shaped space and connected to the external pipe.

Abstract: A cooling system for a V-type engine includes a radiator, having inlet and outlet conduits extending between the radiator and the engine, which cools coolant introduced therein through the inlet conduit, and a water pump with an inlet port, disposed between the engine body and the radiator, which circulates the coolant, leaving the radiator through the outlet conduit, through the engine body. Between the radiator and water pump, the cooling system is provided with a bypass passage, which communicates a passage, connecting both of the outlet ports to the inlet conduit, with a downstream part of the outlet conduit where a thermostat is installed, and a suction passage which communicates the inlet port of the water pump with the downstream part of the outlet conduit by a suction passage.

Abstract: A crankshaft supporting device for a multi-cylinder engine including a plurality of bulkheads provided in a cylinder block of the engine to be arranged along an axis of the crankshaft, disposed in a lower part of the cylinder block. A bearing cap member has a plurality of bearing cap portions each coupled with a lower end of one of the bulkheads so as to constitute a bearing portion for supporting the crankshaft in conjunction with the bulkhead, and a pair of beam portions extending along the axis of the crankshaft to interconnect therethrough two adjacent bearing cap portions. A reinforcement member has a side wall portion which is coupled with a skirt portion of the cylinder block, and a plurality of bolt seats are located underneath the beam portion of the bearing cap member. A plurality of ribs interconnect at least one of the bolt seats and at least one of the side wall portions. A plurality of bolts fasten the beam portions with the bolt seats.

Abstract: A valve driving mechanism includes a pair of cam shafts for driving either an intake valve or an exhaust valve, and a power transmitting device provided on said first cam shaft for driving the cam shafts. A phase varying device of annular configuration is provided between the cam shaft and the power transmitting device for varying a relative rotation phase between the cam shaft and the power transmitting device so that a compact valve timing control can be provided.