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).
Investigation into faulty crankshaft bearings on a 20-HP engine due to blocked oil ways from a deposit.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 74\3\ scan0285 | |
| Date | 6th November 1923 | |
| X4221 BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} [crossed out] c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Wer. c. SEH. EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}1/H6.11.23. re. 20-HP Faulty Crankshaft Bearings. It has been brought to our attention by one of our Depots ( Cricklewood) that 20-HP car 60-S-O, after running some distance gave trouble with pistons seizing, and when investigated for this trouble, they found when testing the crankshaft under oil pressure, that in one case no oil was coming from the crank pin and from other very little, if any. In dismantling the oil plugs from the end of the crank pins etc. they found that the oil ways in the bad case referred to above were completely blocked up with a deposit, a quantity of which we have requested them to send on to us for investigation. They also point out that one of the connecting rod oil pipes was choked up with this deposit. In order to obtain some information on this matter, we have inspected the condition of the crankshaft of the 10,000 miles test production car, and the inside of this crankshaft appears to be in a similar condition. We have removed some of the deposit and sent it to Mr. Hall for his analysis report. I bring this matter forward, as possibly it may be considered as the cause of the present faulty condition of the connecting rods of this engine. It has been our standard practice as part of the routine of unit test of the 20-HP engines for the engine to be completely dismantled after running in and engine gear quietening, and for the oil plugs to be removed from the crankshaft and the crankshaft thoroughly cleaned out. We can, therefore vouch for the fact that when the chassis was new on test the condition of the crankshaft was quite O.K. in this respect. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} | ||