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).
Dispute over the diagnostic procedure for an engine popping issue on chassis 3-DL-36.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 131\2\ scan0201 | |
| Date | 15th June 1938 | |
| 1113 SWDC lede To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}. from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} o.{Mr Oldham} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} o.{Mr Oldham} Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} c. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}20/N.15.6.38. Re: Chassis 3-DL-36 - Mrs Luck. Mileage 454. A discussion has arisen at Cricklewood in which I am blamed for holding up the above car. Keeping in mind your views of the wholesale dismantling to cure uncertain complaints, I endeavoured in this case to obtain evidence and if possible a cure before dismantling. The result being that Le Evans and Burkett state that they knew better than I, and that I should not have suggested a test being made first. The facts of the case are; the Owner's chauffeur complained to Le Evans on the 10th.inst. of popping in the carburetter during a run on Thursday the 9th, Le Evans promised the car back for Saturday morning. On Friday afternoon when I went to Cricklewood Messervy was just coming in with the car from test. He asked me whether I would go out with him to try and verify the cause of the trouble, as there was still popping in the carburetter, although a new carburetter had just been fitted. The carburetter man at that moment came to say he could not find anything wrong with the one taken off. The test on the road proved that popping was still prevalent, but only at approximately 30 m.p.h. When we returned to the Depot the suspicions of the cause being due to valve sticking or ignition trouble was discussed. Burkett meanwhile had apparently issued instructions that they had to dismantle the cylinder heads (without knowing the real cause) and work all night to get the car right. I suggested that before the cylinder heads were dismantled, that a tester should take the car and do a fifty mile run, using the gears so that the sticking of the valves, if any, would become worse, or possibly free themselves. This in my opinion was the only sensible way of trying out the job before going to the expense of dismantling the cylinder heads. However, when Messervy who did the test returned later in the evening he reported to Cliburn that the popping had disappeared, and decided that the run had cured the job. They did not take the trouble to cool the engine down and left the car for the night. On Saturday morning when they tried the car again, the popping was noticeable, but of less degree, so they dismantled the cylinder heads, and found all the exhaust valves shewing signs of sticking and the seatings of inlet and exhaust were in a poor condition. | ||