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 an oil leak, engine roughness, and other mechanical issues on car 9 G.III.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 4\9\ 09-page025 | |
| Date | 15th June 1925 | |
| X5840 Hotel de France. Chateauroux. Indre. France. June 15th, 1925. To: "Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}" From: G.W.Hancock. Re oil leak in clutch casing on 9 G.III. We have been able to locate this oil leak. Further to my report, after running the car in the garage, and not getting any oil leak either from engine or gearbox, the car was sent out again with the same results, i.e. the case swimming with oil. We cleaned it out once more, and then fixed a lamp up, so that we could observe any leaks that may occur. We then went on the road again. After half an hour's hard running, I observed the oil coming from behind the flywheel, and in a very short time the inside of the case was covered with oil. I also noticed at the same time that oil was being forced out of the starter motor housing cover. There was no sign of oil coming from the gearbox cover (front), or the first motion shaft. While on this test, I also notice that the servo gear rattle comes on in periods from 19 m.p.h. to 26 m.p.h., 24 m.p.h. being the maximum. At this speed, it is quite noticeable - as much on the S.M.C. used to be. Then again at 46 to 47 m.p.h. the period is on. The engine from 54 m.p.h. gets rough upwards. At this point, may I state, that after having gearbox unit down and refitted, the engine roughness has considerably decreased, it is such that all drivers remarked upon it. It is possible that in fitting up, we have got a less tight, or otherwise, serration to the clutch coupling. Returning to servo periods, we get a rattle on retard, starting at 47 m.p.h. max. 44 m.p.h. - dies out at 32 m.p.h. Generally, this gearbox is a very poor job. There is not a joint on the box, except the front cover we have ourselves, that does not leak oil. We have gone over nuts several times, but we do not seem able to stop these leaks. Our average loss of oil from gearbox for 500 miles is one pint. Re N.S.F. spring hitting buffer. We would like to bring to your notice that over here this becomes O.S. I mentioned this because generally the O.S., or our N.S. wheel, is running in the gutter, and the N.S., or our O.S., is in the centre of the road, where most of the pot-holes are. The conditions are different to those which you have in England. G.W.Hancock. | ||