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).
Cold weather starting issues with two different cars, a battery fault, and ignition efficiency.
| Identifier | Morton\M1.3\ img024 | |
| Date | 15th November 1921 | |
| To H.S. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to C.T. E.F.C. R.R. of America Inc. (For attention of C.X.) RECEIVED THE WW LIGHTING DYNAMO SET R DETESTS 'THE CHOKER' as used in the ESSEX ORIGINAL. X.4217. RE STARTING. X. 3199 X 3619 X 430 Regarding starting, Mr. Elliott tells me that he had great trouble with starting the Essex engine on his return from the Show during the cold weather. Whether this was actually engine fault or the fault of the fuel in the auto tank becoming heavy through standing a day or so after a run, we are investigating, but the fact remains that this American specimen with its choker was, on this occasion, a failure in starting. As regards the starting of the 40/50 H.P. on a very similar occasion to the above, but an even colder night, this started quite well. I found it necessary to shut the throttle by hand, and took the precaution to adjust the small carburettor to its richest setting, after which it started without hesitation with Shell No.1. This car has only five cells working, one being cut out because it has an internal short-circuit. Will you please arrange to send or bring a fresh battery for this car of the same size Exide, but it must have independent supports for the positive and negative plates, and effective separators (You will remember it is a small sized battery carried inside the frame). With regard to the efficiency of ignition while starting, the small pump engine here has its ignition plug in a position which gets coated with the ingoing petrol, and when cold this seems to insulate it sufficiently to prevent the magnet spark jumping across the points at slow speeds. Whenever the engine is changed over to battery ignition it starts immediately shewing that for ease of starting a battery ignition is much to be preferred to the magneto. ?? not always! R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||