Internal combustion engine and oil treatment apparatus for use with the same

An oil treatment system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a lower seal punctured by an inlet flow protuberance and a retainer flow protuberance and upper seal punctured by the retainer flow protuberance;
• an elongated dipstick tube comprising a tubular body defining a first section of an oil return passageway fluidly coupled to an oil sump of the engine, and a diametrically enlarged cylindrical filter housing defining a first internal cavity;
• an oil filter disposed in the first internal cavity, the oil filter having an annular body defining a central oil return chamber;
• and
• a tubular retainer coupled to the housing and defining a second internal cavity, the retainer comprising a hollow body including a cantilevered tubular oil return protuberance defining a second section of the oil return passageway;
• the oil return protuberance extending through the oil filter to the dipstick tube such that the second section of the oil return passageway is directly fluidly coupled to the first section of the oil return passageway of the dipstick tube.

A method for assembling an oil treatment system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• providing a dipstick tube including a first flow passageway fluidly coupled to an oil sump of the engine and an enlarged oil filter housing defining an upwardly open first cavity, and a tubular retainer defining a second internal cavity and including a cantilevered tubular flow protuberance defining a second flow passageway;
• inserting an annular oil filter in the first cavity of the oil filter housing, the oil filter comprising a central chamber sealed at top and bottom ends by an upper seal and a lower seal respectively;
• coupling the retainer to the oil filter housing;
• inserting the flow protuberance of the retainer through the central chamber and the upper and lower seals;
• and
• coupling the flow protuberance to the dipstick tube to establish fluid communication between the second internal cavity of the retainer and the first flow passageway of the dipstick tube.