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).
Clarifying instruction manual warnings regarding the over-use of the starter carburetter to prevent piston seizures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 66\3\ scan0228 | |
| Date | 24th June 1929 | |
| S/W Lto S/W (BY) copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} X4280 H21/LH{Mr Haworth}24.6.29. RE: OVER-USE OF STARTER CARBURETTER AND PISTON SEIZURES. BY/OGH1/G24.6.29. We agree that the use of the starter carburetter is fairly well described in the Instruction Book, but we feel that we have got to put ourselves into the position of a man who reads these instructions and does not know as much as we do, and we think a warning of some kind should be inserted. If you carefully read the instructions in the No.4. Phantom book, page 22, you will see that in two places on that page there is a vagueness which might cause the user to leave the starter carburetter in the 'on' position. The first vagueness occurs in the seventh line where it is stated - "when the engine is running regularly, the main throttle should be opened....". The second vagueness is in the third paragraph, same page, 10th and 11th line - "It is advisable, however, to allow the engine to run for a few minutes before taking the car on the road". These two instructions we think might tend to cause the owner to leave the starter carburetter 'on' after the engine is started. The paragraph on the same page, namely - line 11, 12, and 13, which should check the owner from over-using the starter carburetter merely says "the engine must never be run for longer than is absolutely necessary with the starter carburetter in use" - the term 'absolutely necessary' might mean a number of different things and we think it should be altered in such a way as to state a time such as half a minute or whatever you consider the safe maximum is, the main throttle being opened the instant the engine starts. We agree with you in disliking the policy of hanging labels all over the engine, but we do realise that this warning should get to agents and coachbuilders as well as drivers at the earliest possible moment, and that much may happen before the driver has absorbed the contents of the Instruction Book which is in many cases, sent to him after the car has been delivered and with the Guarantee. | ||