The effects of increasing engine temperature by partially blocking the radiator during a cold weather test drive.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 78\1\ scan0260 | |
| Date | 13th March 1919 | |
| X.3653. Extract from R1/G13.3.19. X.682 (Crossed out) X.3056 (Crossed out) X.3456 (Crossed out) RE CAR 7-CA. I had occasion to use the big car the other day when the temperature was about 40°F. {Mr Friese} We blocked off about .6 of the radiator leaving only .4 and this included stopping off the greater part of the fan. The water was brought just ot boiling after running 7 miles with the wind. The running of the engine towards the latter part of the journey was remarkably better than I have noticed any engine for a very long time, in fact it did the traffic work most beautifully, continuing to run when I thought it was stopped, in fact it was much more like the cars used to be in the old days of better petrol and perhaps summer time. With this rise in temperature it shews that the carburetter are really those of condensation and bad distribution in the induction pipe, and although the low speed jet was rather richer than I usually run it, owing to it being altered when Mr. Platford was here, the consumption was quite passably good at 14 to 15 miles to the gallon on a soft road. Had the water been as hot at the beginning as at the end, I believe the consumption would have been better. The engine appeared to run remarkably freely, probably owing to the lubricating oil on the cylinder walls being warmer and thinner. The conclusions arrived at are that we must press for immediate stopping off part of the radiator Contd. | ||
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).