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).
Starting difficulties in cold weather and the feasibility of design alterations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 31\3\ Scan073 | |
| Date | 3rd February 1922 | |
| X1449 To RR, of America Inc. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} For attention of - Mr. Belnap Mr. Olley. Mr. Nadin. R6/M3.2.22. c. to CJ. BJ. c. to EN. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} X.1449 X.3594 RE. STARTING DIFFICULTIES. X.4390 X.4298 (1) Your letter to Mr. Claude Johnson re starting difficul-ties during cold weather, has come to hand. (2) This is the first suggestion that I have had of a failure due to turning the engine via the gearbox, and I think the matter should have been gone into thoroughly by Mr. Olley, and a report with exact comparative figures sent to me. (3) Possibly during my illness some such letter has escaped my notice. (4) I will get Mr. Hives to investigate how much extra power is needed to turn the engine and the gearbox compared with turning the engine only. I would not anticipate that this is more than 10% and therefore need not be considered serious. (5) It is not clear in your memo. whether the suggested alter-ation of using a direct flywheel drive and a Bendix pinion refers to cars already made, or to cars that are to be made. (6) It would be a collosal job to alter the cars on the road, and as the number of chassis you have in hand should be getting small it would not be a good policy to make serious changes in the design even if it were thought possible. Considering there-fore the number at present on the road, it is imperative to make the present arrangements successful. (7) I am not sure whether it is suggested that the clutch connecting the motor to the engine fails to act because of the contd:- | ||