From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Seized bearings from chassis B.125-JY, concluding the driver is at fault for the damage.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 114\3\ scan0020 | |
| Date | 8th February 1939 | |
| GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} (K). c. W/S. (C). c. RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} c. Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} c. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} CHASSIS NO. B.125-JY. SIR JAMES HERON WALKER. After carefully examining the bearings returned from the above car, I am satisfied that this is not a case of anything peculiar to the bearing metal, which has been used, but to my mind it represents a fault on the part of the driver. To justify the above I would point out that Nos. 2 and 5 show signs of bad seizure, which follows our usual experience when large clearances are obtained in the main bearings and an adequate supply of oil to the big end is the result, but in addition to this every bearing shows signs of having been seriously hot, and it is this heating up which has entirely eliminated the clearance from bearings 1, 3 and 6 as outlined in your table. In addition No.4 bearing, which does not as a rule give us trouble has seized up completely. This bearing should not seize, assuming that there was oil available, before either 2 or 5, as in any case 2 and 5 tend under normal conditions to have a rather less adequate supply of oil than the other big ends since their supply is obtained from short intermediate bearings, whereas all the other bearings have a supply on one side at least from a long bearing, from which oil cannot readily escape. My conclusion is that the owner had run himself to a fine limit on the amount of oil in the sump, whilst there would have been sufficient oil for running up to 50 or 60 miles an hour, it was not sufficient in quantity to supply the rods and drain back again into the case to keep the pump going at the high speeds that he admits he was driving. I therefore consider that the owner is responsible, and should pay for the replacement. To back up this conclusion, I would remind you that we have been using AC.9 alloy for big ends on all cars since last August, and in no single instance have we had any trouble. This, of course, implies that we have had the extra grooves and extra holes to make the lubrication condition 100%. Our previous experience also justifies this view, as where we have had failure from the point of view that there was plenty of oil going round the pump it | ||