Runge_Kutta

Engine block structure
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070056548.pdf

Camshaft drive system and engine assembly
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070056544.pdf

Integrated inboard exhaust manifolds for V-type engines
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070056281.pdf

Acceleration/deceleration induced real-time identification of maximum tire-road friction coefficient
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070061061.pdf

rcs128

Interesting... esp. that top-of-block exhaust thing. Hmmm...

Runge_Kutta

An improved F55 shock absorber??

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070063167.pdf
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070063166.pdf

You may need to bypass their login by accessing

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070063167.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070063166.html

first and then changing the .html to .pdf

Mantis3347

What if you turn the block upside down and reverse the air path through the engine? The exhaust gases collect easily in what was the intake plenum and feed a turbocharger at the rear of the engine. The turbo would be low in the engine bay with exhaust pluming straight out to the rear of the vehicle. Take the charged air over the now inverted oil pan into a plenum (a) mounted on top. There could be a water-to-air intercooler just above this plenum before the air moves to a second plenum (b), it is like a sandwich: plenum (a), heat exchange, plenum (b). After the air is cooled it would flow towards the front of the engine through a throttle body and then immediately divide into two equal paths that flow to what were the exhaust ports. These ports are now intake paths to the cylinders. Valve covers are now oil pans that drain to a sump. With four valves per cylinder the sparkplugs would sit nicely in the center of the hemispherical shaped head.

Granted there are many issues to address with this radical configuration, like the fact that the CM (center of mass) could be located higher in the vehicle, or maybe not, however it offers great possibilities.

Just my .02