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).
Type test report on the Sleeve Valve Kestrel engine, detailing endurance tests and modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 179\2\ img104 | |
| Date | 31th December 1931 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Yng. c. to Rg.{Mr Rowledge} Yor. c. to Rg.{Mr Rowledge} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} TYPE TEST ON THE SLEEVE VALVE KESTREL ENGINE. It was decided to submit this engine for a 50 hours Civil Type Test to the provisions of A.P.1208, leaflet C.L.-3, in order to establish the engine and prove its value under endurance conditions. The essential differences from the standard M.S. Kestrel engine, apart from the sleeve valve mechanism, were the use of dual 12 mm. plugs, and of independent magneto and throttle controls, the latter since it was desired to find for each speed, the magneto setting giving maximum power and tolerance possible on the magneto setting before power was lost. Modifications. A modification DES.1579 to the oil priming of the sleeve driving gears was incorporated when the engine was built up for test. An oil priming elbow was fitted to the existing gear casing covers and the drain holes in the crankcase were raised, the existing drain holes being plugged. This allowed the driving gear teeth to be primed on initially starting up for the tests. Afterwards they were self-priming due to the well formed in the gear casing. Brief Survey of Tests. An endurance test of 2 hrs. duration was completed in two stages due to trouble experienced with the breaking of header auxiliary studs R.37758. On stripping down at the conclusion of the test, the reduction gear was found to have picked up very badly on the teeth, and was scrapped. It was replaced by another gear ex. A.M. Bond. On rebuilding after the endurance test much trouble was experienced with water leakage from the header auxiliary studs and the ring nuts holding down the header covers. After several attempts to start on the preliminary power curve the engine began to lose power steadily and was returned to the shop for examination. It was found that a piston failure had occurred in A.6. bore. A more detailed account of the tests is given later. General Conditions of Tests. The general conditions governing the tests were as follows [Handwritten top right] XG.540 v-9/65 | ||