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).
Report from Chateauroux, France, on petrol supply failure due to heat, and addressing issues with speed, consumption, crankshaft period, and transmission rattles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\1\ scan0172 | |
| Date | 5th August 1933 | |
| xerr Hotel de France. Chateauroux. Indre. 5.8.33. To Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} From G.W.H. I. B. IV. We have received your letter Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}12/KT 3.8.33. RE PETROL We have used Esso, Standard, Shell, Carburant, Azure, all with the same result. To-day being hotter than ever, we had a complete failure of the Petrol supply. We traced it to the heat of the petrol pump itself. It was too hot and the gass generated defeated its action. We got a can of water and poured it over the pump. It worked immediately. The air temperature was 32°C; Oil 110°C; Water 98°C. Answering your points in order: (1) Maximum speed. The speed given was speedometer reading. We have checked the speedometer at 30, 60 & 80 M.P.H. It is correct at 30 miles; 3 miles slow at 60 & 80. We had anticipated the removal of the air silencer. This was removed during yesterday's mileage with no appreciable results in the consumptions, but was definately weak at maximum speeds. On the other hand our consumption has increased since we made the pump deliver more petrol. We are not in a position to dispute your consumption figures, but honestly do not believe them with a sustained average speed of 55 M.P.H. You are not making the mistake of putting a quantity of petrol in a tank and running until its used up, if so it's possible to obtain 20 M.P.G. I've made this mistake myself. We agree that somewhere the mixture may be too strong and we are trying to divise a scheme of checking it. We measure our petrol very carefully and it comes out to a decimal place each day. Check Temp. (2) HALF CRANKSHAFT PERIOD The half crankshaft period or the working of the low inertia damper is not consistant. We have had no indication of the period for two day's, so we are waiting for events. (3) RATTLES IN TRANSMISSION This came up mysteriously and has disappeared in the same way so we dont know where we are. | ||