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).
Excessive tappet roller wear on test engines, attributed to oil shortage, and recommending pre-lubrication procedures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 106\5\ scan0002 | |
| Date | 28th January 1926 | |
| X8060 To BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to WGr. c. to Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/LG28.1.26. PHANTOM AND 20 HP. TAPPET ROLLER CLEARANCE. X8060 X5060 With reference to the excessive wear which takes place after a few hours running on test engines, we can only explain this by the fact that sometime during the run there is a shortage of oil. We have examined both 20 HP. and 40/50 HP. cars which have run 20,000 to 30,000 miles, and they shew nothing like the amount of wear we have seen on test cars after 2 or 3 hrs. running. We recommend that instructions are issued that on both engines, before the tappets are fitted, they should be dipped into a tin of oil. When the first oil is put into the engine, one quart should be poured on to the top of the cylinder head so that it drains into the crankcase via the tappets. During the first runs of the engine, a generous supply of oil should be poured on to the cylinder head so that there is no risk of the tappets not getting sufficient oil. It is quite conceivable that unless special precautions are taken it will be some time before there is sufficient spray in the crankcase to lubricate the tappets. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||