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).
The causes and prevention of fumes and smells entering the car body of a 20-HP car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\5\ Scan006 | |
| Date | 21th May 1925 | |
| y4118 To R. {Sir Henry Royce} from Hm. {Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} To CJ. from Hm. {Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} Wor. {Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} " " HS. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ✓ " " MP. " " F. {Mr Friese} " " Hm {Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} 12/W21.5.25. Re Chassis No.77-A-O. {Mr Oldham} - G. {Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Vaughan Morgan Esq. H4/TB/15.5.25. The above is a 20-HP. car, with a complaint of fumes in the body. Bad carburation due to a bent diaphragm spindle was found to have made the fumes worse than usual. This had been corrected, but still fumes can be smelled in the car, but as we are not allowed to fit a ventilator at the top to the scuttle, we can only say we have done all we can to prevent fumes as far as the chassis is concerned. We do not consider that the floorboards were a tight enough fit. These we have improved. Smells in bodies come from two sources :- 1. The exhaust gases from the engine of the car. 2. Smells from outside, such as, exhaust fumes from a vehicle in front, farmyard smells, tar smells, smoke from wayside fires etc. These are drawn in by the fan through the radiator, and penetrate inside the car via pedal holes in floorboards, slot for brake lever, and crevices in floorboards etc. etc. If the engine is normal No.1. is of very little account, provided the inside of the body is healthily ventilated, and floorboard fittings are good. It is however, important to keep a very slight fresh air pressure inside the body, sufficient to prevent a vacuum being formed, as this will tend to prevent the fumes which overtake the car when stopping from being sucked inside the body. No.2. is a more difficult matter, as if a ventilator is used it will admit these smells as well as those which are drawn in through the radiator, but again with the use of a ventilator the unpleasant smells which have got into the body are quickly dispersed, and so the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Another way of checking No.2. is by opening or closing the radiator shutters. Briefly the position is that with motoring as it is (Cont'd). | ||