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).
Performance and issues of various battery ignition systems, specifically Delco, in comparison to magnetos.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 37\1\ scan 112 | |
| Date | 16th May 1921 | |
| Cy3/G16.21. -2- Contd. With the change in commercial conditions, the American Bosch, Bijur and Westinghouse are all out after the quality trade. The American Bosch ignition sent over, however, is not really experimental seeing that it is completely tooled up; that large quantities are being built; and very severe mileage tests aggregating several hundred thousand miles have been made. With regard to Mr. Royce's letter (R9/G11.4.21) re. battery ignition, we are obtaining from the makers a dual set of Delco battery ignition which is arranged to fit in place of the magneto. From what we have been able to learn from various electrical manufacturers and car makers in this country, the use of dual battery ignition with automatic advance and both sparks synchronised is considered very much superior to a mixed battery and magneto ignition as regards absence of chirping, acceleration and power at high speeds. With regard to Mr. Royce's letter R6/G4.5.21 re Delco ignition, we note with interest that the rubbing track of the distributor is showing an unsatisfactory amount of wear on one of the Delco ignition sets sent to England in cars. We think it is important to learn from England what car this is on so that we may take up this defect with the Delco people, who will doubtless be exceedingly interested in this matter, since we know from our experience on cars here that such trouble does not occur in fifteen or twenty-five thousand miles running in the United States. Therefore its occurrence in England is probably due to some effect of the moister climate on the hard rubber track. I think we should ask England to send us further particulars on this matter. Also, we should like a more definite statement of the trouble met with on the automatic advance governor, which Mr. Royce states gives a very floppy and unreliable control at low speeds. We have never met this defect in Delco ignition sets fitted to American cars. With regard to Mr. Royce's last paragraph - the Delco Company started making ignition, lighting and starting sets in about 1911 and is therefore quite an old established business. Since the start of the company they must have made many millions of battery ignition sets, although we are unable to say exactly how many. Cy. | ||