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).
Testing oil as an anti-freezing mixture in place of water for engine cooling.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 151\3\ scan0008 | |
| Date | 16th November 1914 | |
| From Exp. Dept. Copies for: J. {Mr Johnson W.M.} R. {Sir Henry Royce} E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Na. {Mr Nadin} EP {G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} Wor {Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} /EH13/L161114. November 16th. 1914. Re Anti-freezing Mixtures. X.1435 Oil used in place of water. - We have tested several samples of thin oils to find which would be the most suitable. The chief fault we found with the various oils was that they became too thick when 2° or 3° below Zero, screwing oil becomes very thick at low temperatures. The best oil we found was the mineral hardening oil. We have run a car with this oil instead of water, one thing that happens is that when a car has been left out all night the oil becomes so thick in the radiator that it will not circulate; it takes a long time before it is thin enough to circulate freely. Another point is that the pump drive has got to be very tight or it will slip when the engine is started up cold. On the road a test taken first with oil and then water under similar conditions showed that on the average the temperature with the oil is 8% hotter, it is not as much as I anticipated, when running with oil the pump does not circulate it properly at low speeds, if the engine is kept pulling slowly the temperature rises very rapidly and gets 25% hotter than with water but if the clutch is put out and | ||