Vehicle having improved fuel, lubrication and air intake systems

A watercraft, comprising:

• a hull;
• a fuel supply;
• an engine system having an internal combustion engine and an air intake for supplying air to the engine, said engine system being in communication with the fuel supply;
• the engine being constructed and arranged to generate power by combusting a mixture comprising air supplied from the air intake and fuel from the fuel supply;
• a propulsion system connected to the engine, the propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel the watercraft along a surface of a body of water using the power generated by the internal combustion engine;
• an air/water separator in an installed position and comprising a container enclosing an interior space, the container having an inlet and an outlet projecting portion, the inlet enabling ambient air to enter the container, the air/water separator comprising structure constructed and arranged to separate water suspended in the air from the air as the air passes through the container, the outlet projecting portion being in fluid communication with the air intake of the engine system so as to enable ambient air to be drawn into the air intake through the inlet, the interior space and the outlet projecting portion;
• and
• an air intake conduit having a first end connected to the air intake of the engine system and an opposite end securely engaged with the outlet projecting portion of the air/water separator, the opposite end of the conduit being secured in sealed relation with the outlet projecting portion solely by a cooperation engagement which occurs upon movement of said air/water separator into its installed position.

A method for mounting an air/water separator in a watercraft, said watercraft comprising a hull, a fuel supply, an engine system having an internal combustion engine and an air intake for supplying air to the engine being in communication with the fuel supply, the engine being constructed and arranged to generate power by combusting a mixture comprising air supplied from the air intake and fuel from the fuel supply, a propulsion system connected to the engine, the propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel the watercraft along a surface of a body of water using the power generated by the internal combustion engine;

• and a conduit having a first end connected to the air intake of said engine system and an opposite end;
• said method comprising:
• providing an air/water separator comprising a container enclosing an interior space, the container having an inlet and an outlet port, the inlet enabling ambient air to enter the container, the air/water separator comprising structure constructed and arranged to separate water suspended in the air from the air as the air passes through the container, the outlet port being connectable in fluid communication with the air intake of the engine system;
• moving said air/water separator into an installed position adjacent said conduit such that said opposite end of said conduit is received and secured in sealed relation within said outlet port solely by a cooperation between the opposite end of the conduit and the outlet port.

A method for mounting an air/water separator in a watercraft, said watercraft comprising a hull, a fuel supply, an engine system having an internal combustion engine and an air intake for supplying air to the engine being in communication with the fuel supply, the engine being constructed and arranged to generate power by combusting a mixture comprising air supplied from the air intake and fuel from the fuel supply, a propulsion system connected to the engine, the propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel the watercraft along a surface of a body of water using the power generated by the internal combustion engine;

• and a conduit having a first end connected to the air intake of said engine system and an opposite end;
• said method comprising:
• providing an air/water separator comprising a container enclosing an interior space, the container having an inlet and an outlet projecting portion, the inlet enabling ambient air to enter the container, the air/water separator comprising structure constructed and arranged to separate water suspended in the air from the air as the air passes through the container, the outlet projecting portion being connectable in fluid communication with the air intake of the engine system;
• moving said air/water separator into an installed position adjacent said conduit such that said opposite end of said conduit is engaged with and secured in sealed relation within said outlet projecting portion solely by a cooperation between the opposite end of the conduit and the outlet port.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a fuel supply;
• an engine system comprising an internal combustion engine, an air intake for supplying air to the engine, and a fuel intake in communication with the fuel supply for supplying fuel to the engine, the engine being constructed and arranged to generate power by combusting a mixture of air drawn through the air intake and fuel drawn through the fuel intake from the fuel supply;
• a propulsion system connected to the engine, the propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel the vehicle using the power generated by the internal combustion engine;
• a fuel regulator to regulate fuel delivery to the fuel intake;
• a fuel supply line in communication with the fuel rail to supply fuel from the fuel reservoir to the fuel regulator;
• a fuel return line to return excess fuel to the fuel reservoir from the fuel rail via the fuel regulator;
• a bypass communicating between the fuel supply line and the fuel return line and bypassing the fuel regulator;
• and
• a valve, for regulating fuel flow through the bypass, the valve being movable between a closed position, preventing fuel flow through the bypass line and an open position, allowing fuel flow through the bypass line so as to allow fuel pressures in the fuel supply line and the fuel return line to equalize and to allow fuel to drain from the fuel lines into the fuel reservoir.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a fuel supply;
• an engine system comprising an internal combustion engine, an air intake for supplying air to the engine, and a fuel intake in communication with the fuel supply for supplying fuel to the engine, the engine being constructed and arranged to generate power by combusting a mixture of air drawn through the air intake and fuel drawn through the fuel intake from the fuel supply;
• a propulsion system connected to the engine, the propulsion system being constructed and arranged to propel the vehicle using the power generated by the internal combustion engine;
• a fuel regulator to regulate fuel delivery to the fuel intake;
• a fuel supply line in communication with the fuel rail to supply fuel from the fuel supply to the fuel regulator;
• a bypass communicating between the fuel supply line and the fuel supply and bypassing the fuel regulator;
• and
• a valve, for regulating fuel flow through the bypass, the valve being movable between a closed position, preventing fuel flow through the bypass line and an open position, allowing fuel flow through the bypass line so as to allow fuel to drain from the fuel line into the fuel supply.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a fuel supply;
• an engine system having an internal combustion engine, an air intake for supplying air to the engine, said engine system being in communication with the fuel supply, said engine being constructed and arranged to generate power by combusting a mixture comprising air supplied from the air intake and fuel from the fuel supply;
• an oil reservoir, containing a supply of oil to be supplied to the engine system for lubrication thereof;
• an oil supply line communicating the oil reservoir with the engine system to enable oil to flow to said engine system;
• an oil pump, disposed in fluid communication with the oil supply line, constructed and arranged to pump the oil from the oil reservoir to the engine system through the oil supply line;
• an oil/air return line, communicating with the engine system;
• and
• a filler neck having a filling opening in communication with the oil reservoir and comprising an oil/air separator having (a) an inlet port in communication with the oil/air return line, and (b) an oil outlet port communicating with the oil reservoir, the inlet port enabling a mixture of oil and air from the engine system to enter the oil/air separator, the oil/air separator being constructed and arranged such that air in the oil and air mixture is separated from the oil as the oil passes through the oil/air separator to allow the separated oil to be returned to the oil reservoir via said oil outlet port.