Rolls-Royce FB60 engine question

[ClassicTraffic]

I have a Vanden Plas Princess R with the FB60 engine. Due to overheating problems, I removed the water pump to check its function and found it OK. However, lots of calcified debris at the front of the engine and when I removed the two inspection covers on the off-side of the block, I found Brighton beach in there! Cleared all that, but a question remains: what I think is called the volute housing has a bore (hole) of about 1/8" running through it and this continues into the engine block. Both were completely filled with calcification. I cleared this but does anyone know where the bore in the engine block goes to? When flushing through, I expected water to come out of this at the front of the engine, but nothing. As far as I can feel with a piece of wire, the hole just terminates in the block, but surely this can't be. Any help would be rather welcome!

 

[obi_waynne]

Welcome to the site. Sorry I haven't got a clue? Never really got to play around with a rolls Royce engine myself. OK so I'm just a bit jealous!

 

[HDi fun]

Is that the straight six thing with the 'shared' ports?

 

[ClassicTraffic]

Yes, it's the straight six thing, but I don't know about the shared ports. I guess that's something that I haven't needed to worry about ...

 

[HDi fun]

I'm no expert either, but I think the term is siamesed - where adjacent cylinders share inlet / exhaust ports. Obviously separate valves.

 

[HDi fun]

Try this link:

http://www.redlemon.co.za/vandenplasprincess/rolls.html

 

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi classictraffic,

You know that your FB60 engine is a leftover Military unit, so I would expect various ports and waterways to be redundant on a civil car installation.

Your overheating can be one of several things developing on such an elderly car.

Do you know the basics of how an engine works and how much D.I.Y. are you able to do?

If you have sorted your problem, great news, tell us what it was.

Cheers for now,
GHOSTHUNTER.

 

[SLEEPER]

I have a Vanden Plas Princess R with the FB60 engine. Due to overheating problems, I removed the water pump to check its function and found it OK. However, lots of calcified debris at the front of the engine and when I removed the two inspection covers on the off-side of the block, I found Brighton beach in there! Cleared all that, but a question remains: what I think is called the volute housing has a bore (hole) of about 1/8" running through it and this continues into the engine block. Both were completely filled with calcification. I cleared this but does anyone know where the bore in the engine block goes to? When flushing through, I expected water to come out of this at the front of the engine, but nothing. As far as I can feel with a piece of wire, the hole just terminates in the block, but surely this can't be. Any help would be rather welcome!

As there was so much clogged up I would say that it is a good bet that the problem is that part(s) of the block are still blocked .
It may be you have not get to the blockage or have not found it yet.
For example your bore hole may go off at a 90degree angle ,if so you won't clear it with a wire.

 

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi again,

Re: blocked waterways, is this the result of poor quality water/coolant over the years?

My guess is that it will be none to easy to un-block for the home D.I.Y.'er.

You could try one of those flexible drive attachments in your drill, the sort that are a couple of feet long with a slightly larger version of a 'Pin vice' at the end, so you can put in anything from small twist drills to grinding wheels etc. If you Google flexible drill drives, (other search engines are available !!!), you will see what I am getting at.

If you have to resort to going to a professional, I would think they would use something similar.

Keep us informed,
Cheers for now,
GHOSTHUNTER.

 

[Country Bumpkin]

If you have access to a videoscope you could try looking into the block with that. It's what I'd be doing as a basic search inside the block.
I have one of these for such purposes; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORPbhf21i6k

Also, unless you can find a layout of the block on the net, in a book/manual etc, contact RR and ask them if they still have a drawing or print you could use to find your way round it all.