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).
Ignition system faults and investigations on Phantom III, car 32-EX.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 91\2\ scan0310 | |
| Date | 2nd September 1937 | |
| To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c.c. to Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} 3009 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/IMW.{Ivan M. Waller - Head of Chateauroux}3/JH.2.9.37. 32-EX - Phantom III. Ignition System. Misfires on both ignitions occured after the car came out of the shop. These were cured temporarily by fitting direct cables from the distributors to certain of the plugs, indicating failure of the insulation inside the conduits. The failure of the insulation on the cables of 35-EX in France also occured after the conduits had been disturbed to remove the cylinder heads. It will follow out that a car that had done a fair mileage, would go to the Depot free from misfires to be discarbonized and be suffering badly afterwards. The Helsby cable is bad on B.4 and 5 exhaust heads and poor on several of the B block inlet heads. The Johnson & Phillips has given no trouble on the "A" block exhaust heads but is under suspicion on the A block inlet heads in the Vee. We have arranged for a complete new set of cables and conduits to be fitted so that the existing cables and conduits can be examined and tested by the electrical department. We would also like to call your attention to the upright conduits with welded on brackets which are a special feature on this car and have covered the requisite mileage. We found that both contact breaker arms in A side distributor were loose on their bushes, these being tight on the pins. This distributor was very dry. The B side distributor was oily and the bushes were not loose in the arms. Replacement arms have been fitted to A side and those removed handed to the electrical department for examination. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/IMW.{Ivan M. Waller - Head of Chateauroux} Frank. Wallu. | ||