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).
Test report on the Super Sports Engine No. 55-3, detailing running conditions, failures, and subsequent modifications.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\S\September1928-October1928\ Scan010 | |
| Date | 1st September 1928 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/ACL. SECRET. c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} ORIGINAL HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/ACL1/LG5. 9.28. SUPER SPORTS ENGINE. X7700 X7771 Engine No.55-3. Total running time to date = 12 hrs. Running conditions. Claudel Hobson carburetter (Eagle IX). Open exhaust. Hot spot in action. Water temperature 75° C. The failure of the dynamo drive bush (E.77346) mentioned in the last report has been overcome by cutting oil grooves in the bush as shewn in V.404 and fitting the oil scoop shewn in V.409. This arrangement has now run for 7 1/2 hrs. without signs of failure. The oil draining arrangements from the ignition governor housing proved inadequate, as oil was sprayed out of the air holes in the brass cap E.74948 of the relay cover at speeds above 1500 r.p.m: This defect has been corrected by increasing the size and number of the grooves in the governor housing - see V.405. The compression ratio was found to be 4.5 (No.1 cylinder). No.8 tappet (inlet) stuck open after 4 1/2 hrs. running due to insufficient lubrication. Practically no oil was found to flow down the push rods at the lower engine speeds. This has been improved by modifying the rocker shafts, so as to allow oil under pressure to fill the groove formed between the rocker bushes and thence to the push rods. contd:- | ||