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).
Engine improvements to reduce running costs and wear, including thermostats and piston design.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 78\1\ scan0025 | |
| Date | 1st September 1919 | |
| Contd. X 3563 R3/G5/9/19. extra cost in the neighbourhood of .015d. per mile, that is, about 60 miles for 1d. In return for this one gets less piston knocks, a sweeter running engine, less wear and tear, and probably less cost due to less frquent overhaul and expensive repairs to piston and piston rings, in addition to less ear of all the engine bearings. In my judgment this would be an economical policy on the part of the user of the engine, and would be one which would be well for us to strongly recommend, should we find it has no detectable disadvantages, which has been the case up to the present. Our next move is to fit to the car a thermostat controller of the water circulation. This appears to be applicable to any existing car and would cost less than changing a set of pistons. It would have very important advantages, as diminishing the time during which the piston would knock, and prevent an engine being run at too low a temperature. I hope within the next few weeks to be in a position to order the material for this fitting. It will certainly render the engine more satisfactory during the colder part of the year, and pay for itself in its saving in the cost of fuel, in a very short time. In addition to this, we have several modifications in the lubrication and design of piston with which to experiment, but there is not the slightest need in the meantime, for alarm that we are making a car which is at all noisy in general use. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||