Cylinder head gasket for an internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a crankcase having a plurality of tappets in operable association with a camshaft, wherein the camshaft is disposed within the crankcase, and wherein the crankcase forms a plurality of pushrod passages that mechanically connect each of the plurality of tappets with one of a plurality of corresponding openings that are formed in a flame-deck surface of the crankcase;
• a gasket disposed in contact with the flame-deck surface of the crankcase, wherein the gasket forms a plurality of pushrod openings, wherein each of the plurality of pushrod openings in the gasket is aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of corresponding of the flame deck;
• at least one pushrod disposed in one of the plurality of pushrod passages in the crankcase, wherein the at least one pushrod has a set of spherical joints disposed one each at a distal end of the pushrod, wherein an elongate shaft portion of the pushrod is disposed between the set of spherical ends, and wherein one of the set of spherical ends is engaged with one of the plurality of tappets, and wherein a segment of the elongate shaft passes through one of the plurality of openings in the gasket;
• wherein each of the pushrod openings in the gasket has a pass-through portion that is large enough to allow passage of any one of the set of spherical joints of the at least one pushrod, and wherein each of the openings in the gasket has an alignment portion that is small enough to engage the segment of the elongate shaft of the at least one pushrod with a clearance fit.

A method of assembling a cylinder head onto a crankcase of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

• assembling various engine components, including a plurality of tappets, into the crankcase in preparation of assembly of the cylinder head;
• positioning and aligning a gasket onto a flame deck of a bank of cylinders of the crankcase;
• assembling at least one pushrod onto the engine by inserting the at least one pushrod through a pass-through portion of a corresponding opening in the gasket;
• mating the at least one pushrod with at least one of the plurality of tappets;
• aligning the at least one pushrod with respect to the gasket by engaging a segment of an elongate shaft of the pushrod with an alignment portion of the corresponding opening in the gasket;
• positioning the cylinder head onto the gasket, aligning the cylinder head with respect to the crankcase, and fastening the cylinder head onto the engine.