Integrated air/fuel induction system for an internal combustion engine

An integrated air/fuel induction system for a multicylinder internal combustion engine comprising:

• an intake manifold assembly comprising:
• an air inlet for allowing said intake air into said manifold assembly;
• a first cover and a base assembly for providing a source of intake air for consumption by the engine, with said first cover being removably joined to said base on an angularly disposed mating surface thereby providing ease of accessibility into said manifold assembly, with said first cover and said base assembly defining an airbox;
• an air plenum communicating with said airbox;
• a second cover removably attached to said first cover and being formed with said air inlet, with said second cover receiving an air filter for filtering intake air flowing from said inlet into said airbox;
• and,
• a plurality of intake runners integrally formed at least partially within said airbox for directing intake air flowing from said plenum into each cylinder of the engine, with said airbox thereby encapsulating and utilizing the volume of space surrounding said intake runners;
• a throttle valve removably mounted to said manifold assembly and communicating between said airbox and said plenum for metering said intake air supplied to the engine;
• a fuel rail defining a longitudinal axis and being mounted within said manifold assembly for supplying fuel to the engine, with said manifold assembly comprising at least one fuel rail mount for mounting said fuel rail within said manifold assembly;
• with said fuel rail mount comprising:
• a fuel rail base and a fuel rail latch pivotally attached to said fuel rail base, with said fuel rail base receiving said fuel rail and with said fuel rail latch cooperating with said fuel rail base for removably latching said fuel rail to said fuel rail mount;
• and,
• a biasing member for compensating for any slack between said fuel rail and said mount thereby continually providing a locking force to said fuel rail;
• and,
• with said fuel rail comprising:
• a rotational locator cooperating with said mount such that said fuel rail may be rotationally positioned relative to the engine;
• and,
• an axial locator cooperating with said mount such that said fuel rail may be axially positioned relative to the engine.

A fuel rail mounting assembly for mounting a fuel rail to an engine comprising:

• a fuel rail mounting base;
• a fuel rail latch pivotally attached to said fuel rail base, with said base receiving said fuel rail and with said fuel rail latch cooperating with said fuel rail base for removably latching said fuel rail to said fuel rail mount;
• and,
• a biasing member for compensating for any slack between said fuel rail and said mount thereby continually providing a locking force to said fuel rail.