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).
Responding to a customer complaint about heavy oil consumption for chassis B.II8.BL.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\3\ scan0039 | |
| Date | 21th February 1936 | |
| To Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} Derby [Handwritten: VA] Levallois VA4/ET.21.2.36 Sr.is absent Re: CHASSIS B.II8.BL - Mr. SPENGLER Complaint of heavy oil consumption -------------------------------------- We have advised you as per our memo VA3/ET.21.2.36 that we have fitted a set of connecting rods with lead bronze bearings to this car. The chauffeur took delivery of the car yesterday and drove it from Paris to Mulhouse, a distance of 455 Kms. Mr. Spengler telephoned to us this morning to say that when the car arrived at his address in Mulhouse, they discovered upon draining the oil from the engine that there was only about 1 1/2 litres of oil left in the sump, and he has asked us to write to him and explain why there should be this shortage of oil. He unfortunately thinks that we omitted to fill the engine with oil prior to handing the car to his chauffeur. We informed him that we were sure that the crankcase was filled to its correct level, as 9 litres of fresh oil were put into the engine. At the time we fitted the L.B.B.s, the car had covered 33.000 Kms. On the 29.II.35, we carried out an R.IO engine clean, the car having then covered 29.703 Kms. Previously to our fitting the L.B.B.s, the owner had not complained about oil consumption. We measured up the cylinder bores and found them to be as follows: Cylinder N°I N°2 N°3 N°4 N°5 N°6 Top .0055" .0055" .006" .005" .005" .005" Centre .0025 .0025 .0025 .0025 .0025 .0025 Bottom .0015 .0015 .0015 .0015 .0015 .0015 In order to keep expenses down and also owing to the fact that the engine had never overoiled, we decided that the cylinder bores were fit for further service without re-boring. We fitted a set of new piston rings, but did not fit the EB.5I4 type of scraper ring, as mentioned in your memo HA/SBI7/HR.I2.I2.35. We note from your memo that you have not had very encouraging results from the EB.5I4 scraper rings. After carrying out the above work, the engine was quite O.K. on test. The plugs were perfectly dry and the exhaust quite clear. There were 9 litres of oil in the sump when we handed the car to the driver and we are at a loss to account for the shortage of oil, unless of course an external leakage has occurred since we delivered the car. | ||