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).
Letter to the Vacuum Oil Company Ltd. detailing corrosion issues found with GX and EX.144 oils during dynamometer and engine tests.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 145\2\ scan0253 | |
| Date | 21th February 1939 | |
| Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}2/MH.{M. Huckerby} 21st. February, 1939. O.T.Jones, Esq., Vacuum Oil Company Ltd., Caxton House, Westminster, LONDON, S.W.1. Dear Mr. Jones, When I saw Mr. Russell Sharp to-day I told him of our experiences so far with GX oil. We used some of this on a normal dynamometer test at 90°C and after 20 hours were surprised to find that all the parts were corroded including the hard steel ones. Mr. Sharp has a sample of a roller race to show you. We subsequently, therefore, left immersed in this oil in the Laboratory, some pieces of hard steel, phosphor bronze and aluminium bronze. After 12 hours at 100°C all of these were badly corroded. All this makes us wonder whether GX is the latest hypoid oil in production use in America. The corrosion it has caused and the poor condition of the gears after the test led us to think that it is a very unsuitable oil for back axles. We hope you will let us have your views on this. As regards EX.144 engine oil, we have now run in a brand new engine on this and find that the results are similar to running in an engine on Price's 'C', i.e. an oil containing a small percentage of castor. The condition of the tappets, which give us most worry in running in a new engine, were not good, so that from our point of view the oil does not seem to have sufficient EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} properties for a successful running in oil. You will remember that we found the same thing with regard to the first speed in gear boxes, which we normally have to run in on an hypoid lubricant. Yours sincerely, | ||