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).
Continued internal memo discussing engine and fuel system issues for various car models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 130\2\ scan0243 | |
| Date | 28th October 1936 | |
| -2- Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}12/MJ.28.10.36.Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} I will however take the matter up with Hanbury and Cowan and see what they think about it. Bearings. With regard to Mr. Becker's 3½ Litre Bentley, we are sorry but we cannot give you anything for this customer's car as yet. We are beginning to see some daylight on the job but it is the old story that we are tempted to jump into something else and forget the enormous amount of work we did on the present bearings before we standardised them. If we jump now, I am sure we shall increase our troubles rather than improve matters. In a month I hope to have a new Bentley engine ready for you which we will guarantee will run 15,000 miles without packing its bearings up. If it does this we shall award ourselves a medal. Petrol Pumps. It now seems clear from statistics available that the high underbonnet temperature of the Phantom lll and 25/30 is playing havoc with the present Standard diaphragm. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} has taken up the attitude that we cannot have customers walking home. We agree with him. Skinner has now got some C.3 material which he is satisfied is O.K. We are therefore arranging to have a floating supply of pumps and to change every 25/30 and Phantom lll and follow on with 4.1/4 Litre Bentleys. I am reluctant to do this without a proper 15,000 miles test but there seems to be no alternative because even if we run one in the winter it will not tell us much about summer conditions which are the ones which cause failure. When you come to Derby next week I should like to discuss the best way to deal with changeovers at Depots. Flywheel Rings. Thank you for your information re. flywheel rings. We will now get out a balance sheet to see whether the loose flywheel ring is worth while. 35-EX. We note your trouble with the fuel supply. With the recent two or three days cold weather we have run into tappets sticking again, this is a very serious matter. At the next sign of a cold snap you will have to take your car somewhere up to Reigate or Leith Hill and leave it in an exposed position all night to see if you can reproduce the trouble. If you can get the trouble we want you to change over your oil to Mobiloil Arctic and see if this then disappears. | ||