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).
Findings from a visit to Cadillac and Chevrolet in America regarding engine and chassis components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\4\ img050 | |
| Date | 28th November 1935 | |
| USA To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} The following is a copy of a memo, received from Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} from America, dated 16.11.35. - "We went to Cadillac's to-day and saw there in addition to Gy., Burton, Fraser (chassis engineer to Chevrolet) and also at lunch one of their engine experts. We discovered - (1) Through ventilation of the crankcase is important to keep down acid fumes. They all said the breather on the V-16 must have been blocked and that the sulphuric acid would account for the valve condition, little end failures and (off their own bat) the abnormal timing chain wear. (2) Tests done at Chevrolet have shown that even at very high oil temperatures up to 300°C, that SAE 30 or even 20 oils are better lubricants than the thick oils we use. They ran endurance tests to prove this point and say that the viscosity of the oil does not help lubrication. Although the consumption is increased with this oil they recommend its use. SAE 10 or thinner for winter. They think the V-16 oil temperatures in France probably exceeded 125°C. (3) I cabled that rubber shackles were essential for tyre noise although you had discovered this before I left. The point about the spring eye (not clear in my last letter) is that the effective centre is 1 1/2 times the eye offset, away from the spring. An easy way to lower the rear spring front and to cure the wandering is to reverse the eye :- | ||