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).
Causes of thermometer failures, identifying both driver error and mechanical issues during maintenance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 162\1\ img009 | |
| Date | 14th July 1939 | |
| File To BY/RD..... from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} c. By c. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}1/N.14.7.39. -------------------- Re: Failure of Thermometers. ---------------------------- The failure of the Wraith thermometer which was reported from N. as having come unsoldered in the cylinder block, was due to the chauffeur having let the engine run short of water. He blamed the filler cap, but as far as one could ascertain the chauffeur had not sufficiently tightened the filler cap up. The breakage of the capillary tube at the bulb end is due to the difficulty in extracting the bulb when removing the cylinder head. The type with the rubber joint becomes vulcanised and it is a job to free it, 90% of the failures are due to this, the fitters breaking them during the removal. The latest type without the rubber joint can be withdrawn easily. The same applies to the Bentley with the exception that further failures occur due to the capillary tube coil being too close to the road jack mounting. It becomes trapped when replacing the jack after use. To sum up the situation, it is chiefly carelessness that is the cause of thermometer failures. GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} | ||