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).
Engine wear and repair options for Chassis B.38.EF.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\3\ scan0088 | |
| Date | 23th September 1936 | |
| IMPORTANT To Bentley Motors Ltd. Derby........... Hd{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} Copy to ........ Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Levallois Sr/VAI/ET.23.9.36 Re: CHASSIS B.38.EF - Mr. P. BERNOT As the above car has now covered a total mileage of 37.114 Kms., we persuaded the owner to let us have the car so that we could carry out an R.20 engine clean, which naturally he has agreed to pay for. Upon dismantling the cylinders and connecting rods, we found the bearings of the latter to be in a very poor condition. We then removed the lower halves of the four intermediate bearings and they were also found to be cracked and therefore not in a reliable condition for further service. We confirm having telephoned to you yesterday afternoon that we are in need of a set of connecting rods, drilled up type, with latest Hall's metal bearings. We are also in need of a set of white metal main bearings. As this owner is in need of his car as quickly as possible, we shall unfortunately not have time to wait for the Martell reamer which you are preparing for us and fit one of the two sets of latest type Hall's metal main bearings which we fairly recently received from Works for our stock. We have measured the cylinder bores of this car and we attach 2 sheets, A.{Mr Adams} and B., which show the wear and ovalisation of the cylinder bores. We should mention that Mr. Bernot is one of our customerswho drives his car to capacity. In view of the cylinder bore wear and ovalisation, we shall be glad to have your opinion by return if possible, as to whether you consider that we should rebore the cylinders and fit oversize Aerolite pistons. If we do this and in view of the comparatively short mileage covered by this car, we cannot ask the owner to pay for the whole or part of the cost of supplying and fitting a new set of pistons. As we are going to fit a set of new white metal main bearings and connecting rods with Hall's metal bearings and in view of the fairly large working clearances of the new bearings, do you think that, if you decide that it is not necessary for us to fit oversize pistons, we should run the risk of getting into overoiling troubles? Would an "L" shaped ring be sufficient in this case to keep the oil down? | ||