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).
Engine issues including a camshaft in fearful condition, a noisy oil pump, tappet noise, and incorrect valves.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 11\3\ 03-page087 | |
| Date | 7th May 1930 guessed | |
| -2- We are hoping that we shall again have a spell of really hot weather, so that we can get some definite information to give you. Also, we did omit to remark that the bonnet shutters had been opened on that particular date for the run. I believe we reported it in the following report. Re the camshaft. There is no question at all about the condition of the camshaft, it really is in a fearful condition, and the squawks are very definite. Also, as you are aware, any roughness of the camshaft is conveyed through the engine gears to the oil pump. I do not know whether you are aware that I verified this whilst in Derby, but it is definitely correct in saying that the oil pump is in sympathy with any vibrations which are transmitted through the engine gears. Our oil pump has become very very noisy, and would not be passable on any car. We have also got a tappet noise more pronounced than I have ever heard. We cannot cure it, we tried all the known methods of bedding the face of the tappet to put the load over on the valve stem, and I have had the cylinder head off and turned the valve guide round, but we have not got any improvement. It is purely and simply a question of the valve seating in the cylinder not being true with the valve guide? Unfortunately our cutter here is too large, and we cannot recut the valve seating in the head. We have definitely found out that the valves in the cylinder head are different to what it states in the Specification. The Firth Crown Steel valves are the ones that are giving trouble. the clearance of the valves does not stay more than three or four days, and as you will see by my 5,000 mile Report, all the clearance has been taken up twice on one valve and once on another valve. We may say that during the last two or three days, the same thing | ||