Intercooler for internal combustion engine

Claim 1

An internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder comprising, a cylinder head defining a side mounting surface for an intake manifold and an air delivery chamber, an intake manifold defining a plenum chamber for receiving incoming air, an integral intercooler forming a spacer mounted on the side of said cylinder head and providing a cantilever mounting of said intake manifold including, passage walls forming a cross passage between said intake manifold and said cylinder head, peripheral reinforcing structure enclosing said passage walls on said intercooler for rigidly supporting said manifold on said engine head, said peripheral reinforcing structure defining bolt holes extending continuously through said reinforcing structure and aligned with bolt holes in said head and intake manifold for receiving common fastening means, coolant conduits extending the length of said cross passage of said intercooler for circulating coolant fluid through said conduits, a plurality of cooling fins interleaved along the cooling conduits for cooling air passing through the said cross passage, means defining cooling fluid chambers at the ends of said intercooler for circulating coolant fluid through said intercooler, complementary mounting surfaces including said side mounting surface on said cylinder head and a surface on said intake manifold adapted for selectively mounting said intake manifold directly on said cylinder head to operate the engine as a naturally aspirated engine, said intercooler defining complementary mounting surfaces for selectively mounting said intercooler between said cylinder head and said intake manifold for supporting said intake manifold connected to a supercharger when operating the engine as a supercharged engine.