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).
Oil leaks from main bearings into the clutch pit on the Wraith model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 115\3\ scan0056 | |
| Date | 28th September 1937 | |
| By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} 1020 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}14/R.28.9.37. OIL LEAKS FROM OUR MAIN BEARINGS INTO CLUTCH PIT. For some altogether not well-defined reason oil leaks from the rear main bearings have bothered us consistently on the Wraith, and were particularly bad on the last 15,000 miles' car. By following American practice we seem to have made progress on the test bed. The scheme which is fitted on the P.III adds a number of pieces, and so we have tried to avoid this. The major problems we have yet to get over on the Wraith power unit are:- Exhaust Valve failure, the development of a satisfactory Induction System giving good economy, endurance running on White Metal Main Bearings, Valve Timing experiments in relation to losses in the Exhaust System, and an investigation into the increased heat to the oil with the Wraith crankshaft. As we did not wish to make more scrap engines than necessary, we have been waiting for the final drawing of the crankcase which has recently been finalised. Owing to this fact we are exceedingly short of test bed Wraith units at the moment. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||