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).
The causes of excessive valve wear, including faulty springs and poor petrol quality, and trials of lubrication methods.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 76\4\ scan0242 | |
| Date | 1st June 1922 | |
| Contd. -2- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}4/T1.6.22. the valve over one way when fitted up. Or in other cases the coils have been wound unevenly so that, when compressed, the spring leans over and causes the valve to rub on one side. We consider that faulty springs may be the chief cause of the increase in wear on post-war cars, because the wear is not consistent on all cars. Another reason for the increase in wear may be due to the poorer quality of petrol, the liquid petrol washing all lubricant off the valve stem. Owing to the absence of any lubrication on the valve stems it only requires very little pressure before excessive wear takes place. We feel more than ever dissatisfied with the 40/50 valves after examining the Goshawk, because on the engine which has run 10,000 miles in France the wear on the valves or guides is negligible. We have tried several schemes for lubricating the valve stem. The Duco valve lubricator, which is a felt sleeve slid over the valve and fitted between the valve and the spring, is used on a number of cars. The difficulty we find with these on the 40/50 is that it is very difficult to keep these sleeves lubricated, even with a syringe. It is an awkward and 'messy' operation to squirt oil over the valve springs with the hope that it is soaked up by the felt. We have used Duco valve lubricators Contd. | ||