5000-mile report on engine unit PH.II. NO.28, detailing performance issues and component failures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 11\5\ 05-page050 | |
| Date | 10th April 1934 | |
| from G.W.H. Hotel de France, Chateauroux(French test region), Indre, FRANCE. REPORT ON RG {Mr Rowledge} -HX. AT 5000 MILES. ENGINE UNIT PH.II. NO.28. Vulture(Experimental 6 CYL OHV LONG STROKE / Aero Engine) Type Cylinder Head E.84804. Giving a compression ratio of 6.879 to 1. The engine at the beginning of the mileage was rough and torque reaction pronounced. With running it has become much smoother. The torque reaction period is still noticeable to a lesser degree. At speeds above 60 MPH, it is still on the rough side. The engine is not quiet and appears to be fussy - i.e. over revving. This was very noticeable when using third gear. The oil consumption has rapidly increased and after 5000 miles the consumption is 489 M.P.G. There is very little sign of exhaust smoke whilst idling. We therefore assume the consumption is through oil passing the piston rings. The engine cold - i.e. 18°C is on the heavy side to turn and no compression. By listening at the oil filler aperture the compression is blowing past the piston rings. We therefore dismantled the engine to ascertain the cause and found the following:- Connecting Rods. Oil pipes broken on No's 3, 6 & 4. one just coming adrift. Pistons. Ring stops broken:- 1 .. No.1 1 .. No.2 2 .. No.3 1 .. No.4 2 .. No.5 1 .. No.6 One piston ring broken. The pieces of the stops broken off had buried their way under the dividing ring into the next groove. VALVES & FITTINGS TO LOP.E.84820. LCG.3726. E.84881 Inner Valve Springs. E.84882 Outer Valve Springs. E.84426 Inlet Valves. Ex.13737 Exhaust Valves S/SLV. Ex.13736 Exhaust Valve Guide. Auto Adjusting Tappets LCG.3726. | ||
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).