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).
Modifications to the 20 HP engine's latest oiling arrangement to address smoky exhaust issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 77\3\ scan0268 | |
| Date | 30th December 1922 | |
| X4224 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} JAN 1 1923 Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}4/H30.12.22. re. 20 HP. Latest Type Oiling Arrangement. X4224 X4238 4219 With reference to your Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}2/M29.12.22, attaching BJ15/H28.12.22, and previous correspondence on this matter. Although the bevelling of the scraper ring is standardised and this is the modified oiling arrangement referred to, there has been no suggestion or instruction up to the present of carrying out this modification retrospectively. You may rest assured that we should be the first people to claim this point had we thought it of vital importance. As you are aware, we are now receiving engines on test which have this modification (commencing engine No.174) but these engines have not yet come through on chassis on test. Meantime, we are making this modification on engines on test which are inclined to overoil or smoke. Although this scheme has been standardised, we are somewhat sceptical as to whether this new scheme of overcoming the smoky exhaust by sacrificing the free supply of oil to the pistons and cylinders will be entirely satisfactory in the general run of cars while actually in service and run under all possible service conditions. We are therefore particularly anxious to note its general behaviour while the cars are going through their production tests. We do not think it would be advisable for us to change all the cars on test retrospectively unless we are definitely able to give them a very thorough test. It should be realised that the alternative to a somewhat smoky exhaust may be the definite failure of the engine, causing an involuntary stop, and may mean the complete breakdown of the engine. I certainly recommend therefore that we should not be too eager to make this change unless we are quite satisfied by our general experimental production testing, which I am now setting out to do, with the engines and cars now coming on test, with this improved lubrication. It must be realised that we have for a considerable time appreciated the present weakness of the somewhat smoky exhaust, but we have not had very much sympathy from R.{Sir Henry Royce} in overcoming this trouble, by Contd. | ||