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Trial results and characteristics of 8-cylinder V-type engines.


Identifier  ExFiles\Box 43\4\  Scan324
Date  6th October 1929
  
To R. {Sir Henry Royce} From Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer}
c. Sd.
c. WOT. RS. {Sir Henry Royce's Secretary}
c. E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}
X4024
Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /RmS/ADL 6.10.29.

X.4449 X.4048
X.4024
X.3531
X.1729
X.3929

8-CYLINDER VEE ENGINES.

We have now tried four cars with 8-cylinder vee engines, La {L. A. Archer} Salle, Cadillac, Lincoln and Lancia. On the whole they have not been impressive. They have not been any better on the pick up than a good six, and compare even less favourably with a good straight eight which has similar cylinder size. The differences are not great but when changing over to a different type of car engine, one would naturally look for improvement over the six in every respect.

The 8 cylinder vee engine does not appear to be free from crankshaft torsional vibration. The Lincoln have been forced to fit a crankshaft damper, in the Lancia the torsional vibration is definitely present.

The main advantage the vee eight possess, apart from its compactness, appears to be absence of inertia torque giving a smooth over-run.

We suggest that the V eight engine crankshaft will have to be relatively stiff to avoid the master period if used with a supercharger.

Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer}
  
  
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).


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