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).
Letter to F.R. Banks of The Ethyl Export Corporation regarding engine seat erosion issues and fuel mixtures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 150\1\ scan0116 | |
| Date | 12th June 1936 | |
| X 1282 Exptl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/KW. 12th June, 1936. F.R. Banks, Esq., The Ethyl Export Corporation, Thames House, Millbank, LONDON, S.W.1. Dear Banks, Running endurance tests for Le Mans and the T.T., we have bumped hard into seat erosion. Stellited valves, which are essential to dope with lead, seem to make this worse. At the moment it looks as if we shall have to fit inserted exhaust valve seats to get over the trouble. I wonder whether you have the latest information from America upon what is being done there in cast-iron cylinder heads. If so, I should be very glad of the information. Incidentally, the more we use Benzol the better we like it. As an example, we would say that on our particular engine, a 50% Benzol and No.1 petrol mixture is greatly superior to Cleveland Discol. Pure Benzol seems to have an incredibly good octane rating. Yours sincerely, | ||