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).
List of criticisms and faults found during testing of the 8.B.V. model in France.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 161a\3\ scan0007 | |
| Date | 6th January 1939 | |
| -6- CRITICISMS OF 8.B.V. IN FRANCE INCORPORATING MX{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}'s. (1) VALVE SPRING FAILURES. Weather conditions have prevented high speed testing in France, and we have not experienced faults of this nature on the test bed. The conditions of manufacture and the material used are such as to preclude the idea that a few springs are badly produced, either in regard to heat treatment or manufacture. I have only seen one spring made in Swedish heat treated wire with a seam in it. (2) SYNCHROMESH. The synchromesh as at present incorporated is not functioning satisfactorily, the fault being it permits gear crashing on the direct and overdrive gears only, the reason for this being that an attempt was made to avoid the necessity for an additional spring, but whilst it will operate without the spring if carefully used it is clear that for normal running spring control of the final movement is necessary. (3) DAMAGE TO HAND BRAKE RATCHET BY FLYING STONES. This trouble has been overcome by increasing the gauge of the material of the guard. (4) SIDE SHAKE. Comparison with other cars in England shows that B.V. is better under ordinary conditions than our previous cars in this respect. (5) UNSATISFACTORY STARTING. This is a known fault on all cars with this type of starting carburetter. The effect is one gets an immediate start, which quickly peters out. If idling is set to prevent this it upsets the general slow running, in addition when an attempt is made to open up after the car is warm, normal carburation is too weak. By the use of the cold chamber we hope to palliate most of these faults, but we do not anticipate arriving at the stage of automatic starting which will compare with the certainty of the present manual control. | ||