Rolls Royce were once known for their comfort and unparalleled interior finishes, it is said the only noise the occupants of a Rolls Royce should hear is the sound of the second hand of the dash mounted clock. It was the quiet of this car that the owner liked the most, driving around town was relaxing and despite it being a premium vehicle it had been flawlessly reliable.
That was of course until it wasn't. Unfortunately it was driven for an extended period after a volume of steam was noted from under the bonnet. I was called to investigate a coolant leak and he explained what had happened, immediately it was obvious that the system had ruptured causing total coolant loss. But that was not the end of his trouble, his second complaint was a ticking from the drivers side of the engine.
My inspection narrowed the noise down to the valve train on the drivers side of the engine. I removed the components restricting access and inspected the valve train for issues, it appeared the valve seat for cylinder A2 had dropped down lower than all others. This caused the valve to sit lower and generate noise as lash adjustment was exceedingly large. It was the heat from overheating that allowed the valve seat to move down in the cylinder head.
The repair involved removing both cylinder heads and having them reconditioned with new valve seats fitted. After having special order parts and gaskets arrive from Great Britain, the vehicle was reassembled and the vehicle returned to the customer.
The rumors are true about these vehicles, Rolls Royce offer an unparalleled driving experience but aren't immune to maintenance and repairs.
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