| Author | Message | |||
     Graham Griffiths New User Username: cineprojectorman Post Number: 3 Registered: 5-2017 |
Hi, I’m somewhat alarmed by the engine oil consumption – about 1¼ litres per 230 miles! No blue smoke from exhaust. I have not found any info on the internet. My specialist informs me Rolls Royce say the oil consumption on this V8 engine is in the range of 8 pints per 1000 miles, can this be right? I’m using GTX 10W/40 Petrol smell in boot soon dissipates if boot lid left open for a while – I’ve had this problem since new. JD Barclay attempted a fix by applying silicone sealant to the fuel sender unit but to no avail. Recently I’ve examined all the hoses from the tank and all seem OK. A foam pad under the tank on the left is a bit guey. Anyone any ideas of what it might be? Thanks I've added a new page to my Website http://www.gbg.talktalk.net/rolls-royce-silver-spirit-repairs-and-fixes.html Members may be interested in some of the problems I've fixed over the years with my Silver Spirit. Regards Graham | |||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 168 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello Graham, sounds OK to me. I have a 1984 Series 1 (SU carbs) that gets through a couple of litres per 1000 miles, and a lot of that is a leak from the cambox cover. I use Total 15W/40 mineral oil. Zero discernible smoke. I don't worry about it. Nor about the whiff of petrol when I open the boot. I've had the car for 8 years and it's always been there. I figure it's the petrol filler hose into the tank, which I think is canvas covered neoprene like the old petrol pumps had - they always smelled of petrol too. Impregnation with age. | |||
| Mark Aldridge Grand Master Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 458 Registered: 10-2008 |
Graham, my 1983 Mulsanne oil consumption is about 400 miles per pint, the same as my Shadow 1. Both have about 150k miles on the clock. My wife's 1988 Bentley 8 is about 700 miles per pint but this has different valve stem oil seals to the earlier cars and the engine has about 50k miles.I use 15w/50 oil. I would have thought anything under 150 miles per pint a bit heavy, but my old Spirit only did 100 miles per pint at best with 20w/50 oil and STP and ran well enough although it would smoke if idling for long periods eg in motorway holdups ( common in the UK !) Mark | |||
| gary webb Experienced User Username: webbgw Post Number: 17 Registered: 6-2014 |
hi all spirit / spur fuel vapour trap near filler hose 2 hoses fall off or split gary | |||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1321 Registered: 4-2009 |
Dear Graham, where is all this oil going? is your breather mesh clean? is the oil level sender unit leaking oil on to the floor? Is your dipstick fully home when measuring? Thanks Omar | |||
| Graham Griffiths New User Username: cineprojectorman Post Number: 4 Registered: 5-2017 |
Gary, I've checked the hoses and clips and they seem fine. Have a look at the photo at the base the fuel tank, not sure what's going on here. As I said I've had this fuel odour since new.  Omar, I have a drip tray in my garage under the engine and gearbox. I do get a little oil over many months, perhaps enough to half fill a jam jar. Yes, the dipstick is pushed home. I don't know were the "breather mesh" is, perhaps the RR SS series 1 did'nt have one? A mate followed me behind on the motor way going slightly uphill, he said a burst of light grey smoke happened when I put my foot to the floor. Turning off the motorway onto a side road going down hill I let the car coast at about 40 MPH then floored it and says he saw light grey smoke from my exhaust. Thanks for your comments, any suggestions welcome | |||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1523 Registered: 9-2004 |
Cylinder leak test first for piston ring/bore blow by. If ok replace inlet valve seals. | |||
| Mark Aldridge Grand Master Username: mark_aldridge Post Number: 459 Registered: 10-2008 |
Graham, are any of the plugs heavily coated in carbon or oily ? Particularly the back plugs on each bank. Mark | |||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 121 Registered: 1-2014 |
Graham, the O ring seal is leaking at the tank outlet to the fuel pump. There is a large circlip that holds the fitting into the bottom of the tank. You need to remove the tank to clean up the fuel under the tank and to replace the O ring. With all that gas laying in there all you need is one spark and your car could literally blow up.  This is what you will find under the tank. Notice the pools of gas in the depressions in the boot floor in the first photo.  This is what it looks like after cleaning off all the gas soaked tar under the tank. Instructions for removal of the tank are in TSD4400. Get some plastic tree falling wedges or cut some hardwood ones. You will need four to get the tank unstuck from the tar covering the floor under the tank. SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | |||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 122 Registered: 1-2014 |
Here is how to get the tank unstuck from the tar it rests on using plastic wedges:  SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | |||
| Graham Griffiths New User Username: cineprojectorman Post Number: 5 Registered: 5-2017 |
Jim, Thanks for your info and photos. Can I assume the flow and return fuel hoses connect directly towards the right hand side of your tank through the hole in the floor? The fuel sender is more to the left of my tank, I wonder if the position of the outlet pipes of the UK tank is different to the north American version?  As my problem appears to be on the left hand side, could there be something else around this area causing the petrol odour in the boot/trunk? I've wiped the staining and guey like sponges, sniffed the rag, no smell of petrol/gas. [see photo] I've no stains towards the right hand side. Regards Graham | |||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 169 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello Jim / Graham - an actual leak as you describe would surely give off a powerful petrol smell obvious throughout the car all the time? In my case it's a whiff that dissipates very quickly when the boot is opened - been like that for 8 years. I still think it's the filler hose that has become impregnated over the years. | |||
| Jim Walters Prolific User Username: jim_walters Post Number: 123 Registered: 1-2014 |
Graham, the flow and return hoses are to the left of centre. This was on a customer's LHD Spur last spring. I have had a couple SZ's in with the same issue, both were the O ring. The filler is also on the left side, is it on the right on yours? There can only be two causes of the insulation on the bottom getting gooey, gas or LHM from careless changing of the gas spring. Even though the area under the tank on this car was flooded, the smell was not overpowering. If it is the fuel feed hose or the O ring on the fitting it attaches to there will be some evidence of gas leaking under the car too. Get it up on a hoist and you will see if there is a leak there. SRH8505 SRC18015 SRE22493 NAC-05370 www.bristolmotors.com | |||
| Graham Griffiths New User Username: cineprojectorman Post Number: 6 Registered: 5-2017 |
Hi Roderick, I've lived with this fuel smell since the car was new, and as you say dissipates very quickly when the boot is opened. I wonder if this is common on early Spirits? J D Barclay in Oxford never fixed it. Not found much info about this on the internet. Meanwhile I've wrapped tissue paper around the filler hose to see if there's a staining or smell. Also replaced the rubber "O" ring in the fuel filler cap as I'm told they deteriorate. Jim, I did indeed have the gas springs replaced a while ago, so it may well be dried up LHM - thanks! My Silver spirit 1981 RHD appears to have a different fuel tank to yours, the fuel filler is on the NS and the fuel connections on the tank are on the right [see photo and TSD4400 pdf showing tank and fuel lines] I'm not aware of any fuel leak under the car at this point. 
My RR specialist says to overcome the cars high oil consumption the valve stem seals need replacing, they are suggesting sticking with the original cotton type as they have had problems with the newer modified part - what would you advise? Thanks for your comments, Graham |
Silver Spirit fuel hoses and tank