Patent ID: 6910450

Claim:
An internal combustion engine for an outboard motor comprising an engine body, a piston movable relative to the engine body, a crankshaft that extends in a generally vertical direction and is journaled for rotation by the piston, the engine body, the piston and a cylinder head assembly together defining a combustion chamber, a port in communication with the combustion chamber, a valve movable between open and closed positions of the port, a camshaft that extends generally parallel to the crankshaft and is journaled for rotation to actuate the valve in a set angular position, a variable valve timing mechanism arranged to set the camshaft to an angular position between a first angular position and a second angular portion, the first angular position being advanced as compared to the second angular position, the variable valve timing mechanism comprising a setting section-, a supply section and a control section, the control section comprising a control valve that is disposed on along an axis that is generally perpendicular to the camshaft, the supply section comprising a first hydraulic passage and a second hydraulic passage that are in hydraulic communication with the setting section and the control section, the first hydraulic passage and the second hydraulic passage not extending below a generally horizontal plane that lies normal to the axis of the camshaft and that contains a central axis that extends through the control valve, wherein the valve is positioned below the generally horizontal plane and the setting section is positioned above the generally horizontal plane.