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).
Investigations into timing gear rattles and potential solutions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\1\ scan0294 | |
| Date | 2nd May 1938 | |
| HAC. from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. Rs.{Sir Henry Royce's Secretary} c. Ey. c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} c. LA.{L. A. Archer} 1155- RmS/R.2.5.38. TIMING GEAR RATTLES. Referring to R/C1/WJ.27.4.38., you will see from the attached memo that we carriedout extensive investigations on the crankshaft spring drive with separate pinion damping in 1933. We were unable to establish that it represented any improvement with regard to engine gear rattles over the low inertia type of damper we are at present using. We consider that the engine gear rattles which came up on the 20/25 H.P. on CKF Series onwards were due to the high-lift camshaft. This was introduced simultaneously with the alteration to the spring drive which you mention. As we pointed out in RmS/R.13.4.38., the evidence so far obtained indicates that the cam balancer does not do the slightest good on the Wraith, but rather the reverse. Unless, therefore, the results obtained on production are the opposite to our own it will not be standardised. Provision has been made on the first 100 engines so that it can be tried if trouble arises. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||