Patent ID: 8372280

Claim:
A fuel filter of an internal combustion engine, said fuel filter comprising: a filter housing comprising a housing base body of cast metal, a plurality of cast unmachined screw receptacles formed into said housing base body, and at least one lid having a plurality of screw openings therethrough, screws received through said screw openings and mountably engaged in said screw receptacles securing said at least one lid to said housing base body, a lid seal that seals said at least one lid relative to said housing base body; wherein said housing base body has a seal seat for said lid seal; wherein said screws are self-tapping screws; wherein said screw receptacles and said seal seat are formed by casting technology without after machining; wherein said housing base body has a respective seal seat for said lid seal of said at least one lid, said seal seat extending conically in an axial insertion direction of a respective one of said at least one lid, said seal seat configured to closeably seal against said lid seal in a radial sealing direction; wherein said lid seal is received into a circumferential radial groove disposed onto a respective one of said at least one lid; wherein said conical tapering of said seal seat in combination with insertion of said at least one lid onto said housing base body in said insertion direction increases radial pressure between said seal seat and said lid seal, said increased seal pressure compensating for courser manufacturing tolerances of the unmachined seal seat to still achieve sealing; wherein said screw receptacles and said seal seat are formed by casting technology without after machining.