Patent ID: 7044088

Claim:
A multi-cylinder engine comprising a cylinder block ( 1 ), when taking a longitudinal direction of the cylinder block ( 1 ) as a front and rear direction, the cylinder block ( 1 ) being provided with a consecutive side water passage ( 3 ) oriented in the front and rear direction and passing by each of cylinder walls ( 12 ), cooling water from a radiator being introduced into a cylinder jacket 4 laterally through the side water passage ( 3 ), wherein the side water passage ( 3 ) has front and rear end portions provided with front and rear openings ( 3 a ) and ( 3 b ) which communicate the side water passage ( 3 ) with a water pump ( 10 ), even if the water pump ( 10 ) is arranged at either of the front and rear end portions of the cylinder block ( 1 ), the opening of the side water passage ( 3 ) near the end portion where the water pump ( 10 ) is arranged, being able to communicate the side water passage ( 3 ) with the water pump ( 10 ) the cylinder block ( 1 ) is provided with a consecutive side oil passage ( 2 ) oriented in the front and rear direction, and lubricating oil is introduced into a bearing portion of a crank shaft through the side oil passage ( 2 ), the side oil passage ( 2 ) having front and rear end portions provided with front and rear openings ( 2 c ), ( 2 d ) which communicate the side oil passage ( 2 ) with an oil filter ( 2 b ) through a filter attaching seat ( 46 ), even if the filter attaching seat ( 46 ) is arranged at either of the front and rear end portions of the cylinder block ( 1 ), the opening of the side oil passage ( 2 ) near the end portion where the filter attaching seat ( 46 ) is arranged, being able to communicate the side oil passage ( 2 ) with the oil filter ( 2 b ) through the filter attaching seat ( 46 ), and the filter attaching seat ( 46 ) being disposed at one of the front and rear end portions of the cylinder block ( 1 ) where the water pump ( 10 ) is arranged, the opening of the side oil passage ( 2 ) near the end portion where the filter attaching seat ( 46 ) is disposed, communicating the side oil passage ( 2 ) with the oil filter ( 2 b ) through the filter attaching seat ( 46 ), the other opening of the side oil passage ( 2 ) being sealed.