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).
Investigating and rectifying steering and fuel starvation issues on car BI-ZX for Mr. Northey.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\2\ 02-page112 | |
| Date | 23th June 1929 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} AJL From G.W.H. YS540 Hôtel de France, Châteauroux, Indre. 23/6/29. [Handwritten in margin: Temp. Effect AJL Try on] Mr. Northey called here to-day with BI-ZX and complained of the unselectiveness of the steering. He asked us to do what we could to make it more selective. Also he complained of the steering being too free. We dismantled the cross steering tube and found at the n/s there was no set up of the springs, consequently there was very little load on the ball end. We packed the springs out to give the necessary set, and also added 1 .010" washer on either side, bringing the steering load up from 8 lbs. on the steering wheel to 10½lbs. The side steering tube was very free, practically no load being on the ball at the pendulum lever end. We packed these springs up approx. .030". On the run from Paris to Châteauroux, he complained of the engine being starved of petrol at high speeds. We examined the whole of the petrol system for him, all filters examined, and measured the flow of petrol to the carburettor, which was 64 pints per hour. As we could not find any obstructions to cause the shortage, we surmised that at high continued speed, the vacuum pump was not efficient and did not keep up the supply. We uncoupled the exhaust pipe of the air pump at the baffle to the carburettor. This would increase the efficiency of the pump. We asked him to try this and if the trouble remained, to run on the reserve all the time, so that for the distance that he could continue to run at high speed there would be sufficient petrol in the autovac for the requirements of the engine, plus the supply by the autovac. During thebtest of the 20-HP they were not able to verify any results. Mr. Northey drove the 20-HP car from Châteauroux to Bourges and is entirely satisfied with the car. He is writing to that effect to Mr. Sidgreaves. He has left instructions that the 20-HP after doing 9.000 miles shall proceed to Grenoble where he is going to stay, for him to carry out various tests etc. there. From there, the car is to return to England. [Signature: GWHancock] | ||