Patent ID: 7234428

Claim:
An internal combustion engine, comprising: an engine housing including a cam chamber and an aperture providing access to the cam chamber; a crankshaft coupled to the engine housing for rotation about a crank axis; an insert at least partially made from plastic disposed adjacent the aperture; a cam shaft at least partially made from plastic defining a cam shaft axis rotatably driven by the crankshaft, the cam shaft having first and second ends and at least one cam lobe positioned between the ends, the first end rotatably supported by the engine housing, the second end rotatably supported by the plastic insert; and a metal portion coupled to one of the plastic insert and the plastic cam shaft, the metal portion defining a flange having a face in contact with an adjacent surface of the other of the plastic insert and the plastic cam shaft, and wherein the metal portion is a flanged sleeve disposed on the cam shaft.