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 oil sludging issues in Phantom III cars, comparing the performance of Prices and Castrol oils.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\1\ scan0249 | |
| Date | 1st October 1936 | |
| X1225. S/W Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} Copy sent to Mx{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} C9/C1.10.36 Are any Cars still running with Prices? Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Sludging up of the Filter of the Tappet Mechanism - Phantom III...Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}18/KW29.9.36 I note copy of letter you have sent to Prices, and I have no doubt they will get busy on the job. I quite agree that a single case such as I quoted is not sufficient to come to any conclusions on, and I was wondering whether there is any means of proving this. I understand that JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} has now changed all engine oils to Castrol of the cars at the Coachbuilders but there have been a certain number of cars delivered to private customers filled with Prices oil and presumably when renewing these people will put in more Prices oil. I have now got a further report from JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} in regard to 3-AZ-22, a Trials car which has been running all the time on Prices oil. This was cleaned about 10 days ago. It has since done 824 miles and on further examination shows very little sign of sludging. This appears a little more proof. We have only had one or two cases and I am am anxious to avoid panicing with the cars on the road if it can be avoided. C. | ||