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).
Burnt Goshawk engine exhaust valve, its probable cause, and a suggested modification to the radiator.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\J\December1922\ Scan56 | |
| Date | 1st December 1922 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c.c. to CJ. c.c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c.c. to Du. c.c. to HY.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} ORIGINAL 7-GOSHAWK-11. EXHAUST VALVE. X4226 XU240 We are sending to you a burnt exhaust valve which has been removed from this engine. You will remember that at W.W. it was found that one cylinder had no compression. This is the second valve we have had recently which has burned away at the seating. We know from past experience that the only way in which an exhaust valve can be burned is either by pre-ignition or by the valve not closing due to adjustment or sticking. Our impression is that these valves have failed due to pre-ignition caused by the sparking plug and that the pre-ignition has been brought about due to running with the shutters closed and the water boiling. We are always on the border-line of pre-ignition with plugs which will stand oil. Our records show that nearly everybody who has driven a Goshawk car with the hand operated shutters as run with them closed and boiled the water. It is very difficult to know when the water is boiling, especially when the car is driven after day-light. R.J. has suggested, and we think would be an improvement, that the steam pipe in the radiator should be formed so that it will make a slight whistle when a considerable amount of steam is being blown out. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||