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).
Engine faults and recommending the standardisation of pistons with extra rings to resolve them.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 77\3\ scan0181 | |
| Date | 20th April 1920 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} [crossed out] c. to Mr. [crossed out] c. to Ry. [crossed out] c. to EFU. X3757a [handwritten] A.T. [stamped] EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}4/P20.4.20. X3757a RE. FIXING OF EXTRA RINGS AT TOP OF PISTONS. X.858 I should be glad if you could push through the standardisation of these pistons as quickly as ever possible, which action you are recommending, and which I approve of if you are satisfied that the alteration will have no vices in other respects. Are you quite sure that we shall not have the trouble of "clapping" due to the top rings sticking or being gripped in the top grooves? Apart from the trouble of piston rattles taking place with the present pistons, we have other weaknesses with the engine which we feel should be improved and possibly overcome by the alteration you are recommending. It is of great importance, therefore, that we should make some quick decision and action on this matter, as I feel it may be necessary to make this alteration retrospectively, as I anticipate we shall have complaints such as the following, which we shall conclude can only be satisfactorily overcome by alteration to the pistons. The faults I am concerned about are as follows :- 1. Unsatisfactory and unreliable cyl. and pistons lubrication owing to the gases blowing past the pistons. 2. Overheating of the engine due to the same thing. Excessive heating we think also takes place in the crankchamber due to this weakness, and besides causing general overheating of the crankshaft bearings, etc. also causes the crankchamber to get so hot as to take up the end play of the crankshaft bearings, causing seizure and failure of the bearings. To overcome this trouble, the side play of the bearings has been increased, which we do not like doing, as it reduces the bearing surface, which is already on the small side. 3. Fumes from the engine get into the body, etc. As previously pointed out, this is due to the excess of leakage past the pistons. 4. The pressure in the crankchamber also appears to aggravate oil leaks which take place from the various openings of the crankchamber, which we have previously complained | ||