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).
Experimental use of thin oils on re-bored Bentley cars to assess cylinder bore wear.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 131\2\ scan0171 | |
| Date | 10th May 1938 | |
| W/K.{Mr Kilner} Pk. from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} 1113 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/R.10.5.38. USE OF THIN OILS ON BENTLEY CARS. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}10/R.6.5.38. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} has agreed to trying out thin oils on re-bored customers' cars. Referring to PK/9.5.38., we do not expect thin oils to revolutionize cylinder bore wear. We particularly asked you to pick owners' cars who, by their cylinder bore wear indicate that they drive in a manner which promotes this trouble. We note from your charts of cylinder bore wear that a number of cases have occurred where a re-bore has been necessary under 25,000 miles. We cannot, therefore, see why the Experimental Dept. should be expected to meet the cost of the re-boring, if wear is no worse than standard. We suggest that if a car does not do as well on the thin oil as it did previously on standard oils, then we will contribute to the cost of re-boring experimentally. As a matter of fact we have standardised thin oils for Winter use on Bentleys, so that the procedure we are suggesting can hardly be considered as a dangerous experiment. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||