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A sleeve valve assembly. The assembly includes a valve seat, a sleeve valve and an oil path-defining piece. The sleeve valve includes a distal end with a cavity. The distal end contacts the valve seat when the sleeve valve is located in a closed position. The oil path-defining piece includes an inle

A sleeve valve assembly. The assembly includes a valve seat, a sleeve valve and an oil path-defining piece. The sleeve valve includes a distal end with a cavity. The distal end contacts the valve seat when the sleeve valve is located in a closed position. The oil path-defining piece includes an inlet port, an outlet port and a plurality of cooling passages. The flange of the sleeve valve is slidably in contact with the oil path-defining piece such that cooling fluid travelling into the inlet port and through the cooling passages enters into the cavity before exiting out the exit port.

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1. A sleeve valve assembly, comprising: a valve seat;a sleeve valve having a distal end with a cavity, wherein the distal end contacts the valve seat when the sleeve valve is located in a closed position; anda fluid path-defining piece having an inlet port, an outlet port and a plurality of cooling

1. A sleeve valve assembly, comprising: a valve seat;a sleeve valve having a distal end with a cavity, wherein the distal end contacts the valve seat when the sleeve valve is located in a closed position; anda fluid path-defining piece having an inlet port, an outlet port and a plurality of cooling passages;wherein the sleeve valve is slidably in contact with the fluid path-defining piece and cooling fluid traveling through the fluid path-defining piece travels into the inlet port and through the cooling passages before entering into the cavity and exiting out the outlet port. 2. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising an insert at least partially covering the distal end of the sleeve valve. 3. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a coating at least partially covering the distal end of the sleeve valve. 4. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid path-defining piece includes a guide ring including grooves, the plurality of cooling passages including passages defined by grooves in the guide ring and the sleeve valve. 5. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the grooves are oriented along an axis over which the sleeve valve moves. 6. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein fluid is forced through the grooves and onto the distal end of the sleeve valve upon exiting the grooves. 7. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the sleeve valve includes a flange spaced radially outward from and surrounding other portions of the sleeve valve, the flange and portions of the sleeve valve the flange surrounds defining the cavity in the distal end of the sleeve valve. 8. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the guide ring comprises a first guide ring, the fluid path-defining piece further comprising a second guide ring, a portion of the flange sliding adjacent the second guide ring, and a portion of the sleeve valve surrounded by the flange sliding adjacent the first guide ring. 9. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 8, further comprising a seal between the flange and the second guide ring, the seal preventing fluid from the fluid path-defining piece from escaping from between the fluid path-defining piece and the sleeve valve. 10. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the sleeve valve comprises an exterior surface and an inner surface, and wherein the plurality of cooling passages are formed at least partially into the exterior surface, thereby reducing the distance between the exterior surface and the inner surface. 11. A sleeve valve assembly for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a cylindrical sleeve valve at least in part defining a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, the cylindrical sleeve valve comprising a distal end that contacts a valve seat when the cylindrical sleeve valve is in a closed position; anda fluid path-defining piece at least partially surrounding the cylindrical sleeve valve and including an inner surface facing the cylindrical sleeve valve, the fluid path-defining piece including:an inlet port,an outlet port, anda plurality of passages defined between the inner surface of the fluid path-defining piece and the sleeve valve for fluid to pass between the inlet port and outlet port, the inlet port, the outlet port, and the plurality of passages being arranged such that cooling fluid traveling through the plurality of passages moves toward the distal end of the cylindrical sleeve valve. 12. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, the plurality of passages formed by a plurality of grooves formed circumferentially around the inner surface of the fluid path-defining piece. 13. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, the sleeve valve further including a distal tip including a thickness defined by a first surface capable of sealing an air/fuel inlet to the combustion chamber and a second surface opposite the first surface, the fluid path-defining piece transmitting fluid to the second surface to draw heat from the distal tip. 14. The sleeve valve assembly of claim 13, the valve assembly including a central axis, the distal tip of the sleeve valve including a first section and a second section, the first section located radially inward of the second section, the first section forming a seal against a seat, the seating of the first section against the seat allowing a reduction in a force with which the sleeve valve is biased against the seat in comparison to a seal between the second section and the seat for a given combustion chamber gas pressure. 15. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, the sleeve valve further including a flange spaced radially outward from and surrounding an end portion of the sleeve valve, the flange connected to the end portion of the sleeve valve by a distal tip of the sleeve valve, the distal tip capable of sealing an air/fuel inlet to the combustion chamber. 16. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 15, the flange, distal tip and end portion of the sleeve valve defining a cavity adjacent the distal tip, the fluid path defining piece capable of delivering fluid to the distal tip via the cavity to cool the distal tip. 17. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, the sleeve valve including a distal tip for sealing an air/fuel inlet, the distal tip including one of a seal and a coating for resisting wear of the distal tip. 18. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, further comprising a fluid seal fixedly mounted in the fluid path-defining piece and lying on contact with the sleeve valve, the fluid seal preventing fluid from escaping from between the fluid path-defining piece and the sleeve valve. 19. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, further comprising a fluid seal fixedly mounted in the sleeve valve and lying on contact with the fluid path-defining piece, the fluid seal preventing fluid from escaping from between the fluid path-defining piece and the sleeve valve. 20. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, the fluid path-defining piece including a fluid flow path between the inlet port and outlet port to draw heat away from a distal tip of the sleeve valve. 21. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, the fluid path-defining piece including a fluid flow path between the inlet port and outlet port to draw heat away from a distal tip of the sleeve valve. 22. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 11, the sleeve valve including an inner wall at least in part defining the combustion chamber, and an exterior wall spaced radially outward from the inner wall, the inner wall and exterior wall defining a cavity in the sleeve valve, the cavity including a heat transfer material for transferring heat from the inner wall of the sleeve valve to the exterior wall of the sleeve valve, and the fluid path-defining piece transferring heat from the exterior wall of the sleeve valve to a fluid in the fluid path-defining piece. 23. The sleeve valve assembly recited in claim 22, wherein the heat transfer material is sodium. 24. The sleeve valve assembly as recited in claim 11, further comprising a plurality of raised surfaces formed between the plurality of passages. 25. A method comprising: defining a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine at least in part by a sleeve valve, the sleeve valve being slidably in contact with a fluid path-defining piece of the internal combustion engine, the fluid path-defining piece at least partially surrounding the sleeve valve and comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, an inner surface facing the sleeve valve, and a plurality of passages defined between the inner surface and the sleeve valve; andpassing fluid through the plurality of passages between the inlet port and outlet port.