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).
Multiple mechanical issues found during a test drive of an Open Bentley, including overheating, engine clatter, and a loose flywheel.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\4\ 04-page373 | |
| Date | 3rd July 1933 | |
| X/XS2 S/W. Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} re- Open Bentley. I took this car out on Saturday morning but had not gone far before I discovered the water temperature was approaching boiling and discovered that the near side half of the radiator shutters were shut tight and would not open. I returned to Lillie Hall and they were eventually opened but I believe through the shearing of a pin in the control rod at the back. After this I set off again and the water temperature then remained normal throughout the rest of the day. I at one time thought she might be short of water and tried to open the radiator cap but this requires a spanner which is very inconvenient because the edge of the cap which one grips to open is perfectly smooth and of course highly polished and it is impossible to get grip on sufficient to undo it. I suggest this edge should be milled. At first I noticed that on the overrun when the revs were more than 2,000 there was a good deal of clatter coming from the engine which I attributed to the noise which was demonstrated to us at Brooklands on Friday in connection with the timing gear. I was puzzled because I had not heard this noise before even when driving at Brooklands under similar conditions. The noise developed during the course of a 40 mile run outward from London until I began to realise that something must be wrong. With the engine idling and the car stationary there was some heavy thumping below the floorboards and I concluded the flywheel had become loose again as happened when the car previously visited Brooklands. I therefore returned leisurely to Lillie Hall and the car has not been out since. I shall be interested to hear what you find is wrong and whether my diagnosis was correct. Until this happened I thought the car was very attractive. I may be wrong, but it occurred to me there was the slightest amount of hesitation when picking up quickly. My suspicions were partly confirmed by the fact that there was some spitting in the exhaust on the overrun later in the journey which might indicate some temporary weakness in the carburation, but as soon as the engine started to pull the acceleration then was good. Of course I realise that this chassis is not carrying very much weight, and I was alone in the car naturally conditions were very much in favour of very fine acceleration. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} Lash | ||