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).
Question and answer document regarding engine performance, weight, development status, and future project planning.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 113\5\ scan0198 | |
| Date | 1st August 1937 | |
| -4- QUESTION. (8) Is the drive satisfactory ? (9) What is the weight relative to standard ? (10) Is the idling and slow running up to standard ? ANSWER. Being similar to many drives giving satisfaction on cars in production and running at a slower speed, there appears to be no fundamental reason why it should not be reliable. A rig test and also road running are at present proving the point. If the head is in aluminium, there will be a saving on the complete engine of 13 lbs. If in cast iron an increase of 50 lbs. Again the incorrect camshaft has prevented a true figure of merit being obtained for the idling, but it gives promise of being satisfactory. It will be seen that about two-thirds of the questions cannot be answered for want of a camshaft, and about half as much testing again on road and bench as the engine has already received. On the whole, the engine has been somewhat more successful than might have been anticipated when designs were first put on paper, and, therefore, if it was right to start the project it can hardly be reasonable to stop now. We estimate, at a guess, that £3000 has been spent on this job so far, and for another £500 we can finish it off. Most of the work required is testing. It should be appreciated that when a project like this is stopped we do not reduce the staff, they do something else. At the moment we have the Wraith engine, but in another ten weeks this should be settled, except for normal development work. Our next new engine is hardly in the initial design stages as yet. We shall do well if we get it in six to eight months. In the interval we have a good opportunity of completing the O.H. camshaft investigation. Even if it only prevents us making mistakes in the future it may be money well spent. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||