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).
Elusive oil leak at the rear end of a P.2. crankshaft and proposing diagnostic tests and modifications.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\U\2January1930-September1930\ Scan209 | |
| Date | 12th July 1930 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} (Struck through) C. to GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} (at Chateauroux.) (Struck through) Handwritten: Send this to GWH{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} Hk{Col. T. Harker - Sales} re. OIL LEAK AT REAR END OF P.2. CRANKSHAFT. The above trouble is a somewhat elusive one, and owing to the inaccessibility of the parts concerned, it is very difficult to observe results and carry out tests and modifications. We have an incomplete knowledge at the present time of the nature of this leakage. We should like to know if it occurs when the engine stops, or if it is going on all the time the engine is running. To assist in obtaining further data we shew on LeC. 2809. (attached) some temporary alterations to a P. 2. engine for fitting a screwed plug sealing up the clutch chamber, and a breather equalising the clutch chamber with the engine crankcase, which breather can be turned on and off at will. The scheme of using a screwed plug in the bottom of the clutch chamber has 3 advantages: (1) It may stop the oil leak by stopping air being pumped through the oil seal or being forced through by difference of pressure. (2) It would stop the ingress of water when passing through fords or floods. (3) It tells us when the leakage is occurring and how much. Assuming that the clutch chamber is sealed then the air pressure would equalise itself with the crankcase with or without a breather between if the leakage from other sources such as the change gearbox is not great. There would however be a momentary flow of air through the oil seal every time the flywheel changed its speed to any extent due to the pressure effects created by the rotation of the flywheel. This the breather is intended to correct if the intermittent flow is found to be of any importance. When sealing up the clutch pit the effects on the change gearbox should be observed. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Stamped: ORIGINAL Handwritten: x7010. | ||