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).
Oiling procedures for clutches and whether they should be 'blocked out of a night'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 20\1\ Scan008 | |
| Date | 20th April 1912 guessed | |
| COPY. Re Clutch. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}12/W3214. X872 With reference to your memo CJ16/IW2214, I note Mr Royce's instructions that our present clutches should not be "blocked out of a night", and that same are all right if oiled. There is no definite information as regards when and how often the clutch should be oiled; there is, however, a special note in our Instruction Book on the "Care of Clutch", describing what should be done in case clutch is too fierce or in case same is inclined to slip and at the same time pointing out the disadvantages caused in gear changing by an over-oiled clutch. It is also pointed out that engine oil should be used for this lubrication. We have not, nor do we, recommend that cars should be "blocked out of a night" but at the same time I have done so while cars have been on test as I found that unless I did this I was not able to turn out cars to customers with the clutch in the condition as referred to by Mr Royce. fabric? — It is only when the clutches are new that the footbrakes require a good soaking with oil. They do not however appear to require so much attention when the clutch has got into a nicely oiled condition and I do not think we should make any definite statements as regards specified time the clutch should be oiled, but we should leave it to the driver's discretion to oil as described in the Instruction Book. It certainly appearsas though the fabric in the clutches vary, - when new, this requires plenty of oil, but when this oil has been well "worked in" it does not require the same attention hence it is necessary that each case receives special attention while the car is on test. If you think that we should make some specific time when the clutch should have attention I think the best people to obtain this information | ||