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).
Tests to determine the effect of heat on a vehicle's petrol supply.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 91\4\ scan0050 | |
| Date | 30th June 1935 | |
| [Handwritten note top left: Bowering] [Handwritten note top center: E +300a] HOTEL DE FRANCE. CHATEAUROUX. Indre. France. GWH{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}/3/JAB. 30th June 1935. To. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} From. G.W.H. 3. S. I. SPECTRECodename for Phantom III. We carried out the following test yesterday, to determine the effect of the heat on the petrol supply. A test of 25 miles was made with a slow down through a village, approximately half way. A temperature of water 105°c, Oil 110°c, Petrol Pump 68°c, Intake to Carburetter 65°c, was reached during the first three miles, and maintained for the remaining mileage. The Air temperature being 32°c. At the end of this mileage, a stop was made for 5 minutes, temperature of petrol taken in rear tank showed 40°c. Upon starting up, no unusual difficulty was experienced, although the throttle has to be fully opened, to get rid of the gas formed by evaporation in the float chambers. The test was repeated in reverse direction, and with the advantage of the wind, the water temperature was reduced to 97°c. The oil remaining at 110°c, Petrol Pump, Intake to Carb. and Air temperature remained unchanged. There were signs of petrol shortage due to the vapour, the speed of the car dropping to 70 MPH. which continued for the remainder of the test. No definite failure occurred. The reverse direction constituted a slight heavier going, which we think was the cause of the slight failing. [Handwritten in margin: test] A further test was taken on the same route with the bonnet sides held open 1.1/2" by blocks of rubber, giving a gap to release air under the bonnet. With this condition, the water temperature dropped 3°c, being 102°, instead of 105°c. A feature being that under the first condition, the temperature was reached in three miles, whereas with the release of the air under the bonnet, it took 5 miles for the water temperature to reach 102°c. The Petrol, Carb, Air, and Oil temperatures were as before. There was no failure on the outward run. On the reverse, the same symptoms of failing as previous tests. During further running with petrol low in the tank, there was no increase in the failure of the petrol supply. G.W.H. ----------------- [Signature: G.W.H. Hancock] G.W.H. | ||