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).
Letter discussing a potential cause for engine failure due to incorrectly fitted connecting rods and bearings.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\3\ scan0314 | |
| Date | 24th May 1935 | |
| G.W. Hancock, Esq., Hotel de France, Chateauroux, Indre, France. X200a Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/KW. 24.5.35. We hope you have managed to get running again by now. We had a look at the lead bronze bearings you returned. One point which occurred to us was that you might possibly put the rod in the engine the other way round to its original position. This means that the tags on the bearings would be inclined to slide out of their groove and let the bearing turn. We suggest this because the trouble happened so soon after you had stripped the car and the failure has never previously occurred. It is unfortunate that the design is such that this can happen and I did not realise it myself until I saw the pieces. If you are not certain, you might make sure that all the rods are in the right way round. If you can say definitely that the direction of the rods has not been changed, then we shall have to send out a new crankshaft complete with rods to you, or a new set of rods for your existing shaft. How are Paris situated for fitting the crankshaft for you, because this might decide what action we take. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||