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).
Problems with a petrol level indicator on the 4.EX Car, including inaccurate readings and petrol leaks.
| Identifier | Morton\M22\ img139 | |
| Date | 10th February 1921 | |
| [Routing list, crossed out] To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from S c. to CJ c. to EH c. to L. c. to Du. c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} [Stamps] ORIGINAL E.F.E. 11 FEB RECEIVED [Handwritten notes] to EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} (circled) 4EX with next msg to USA 2 H86/LG10.2.21. X.3858 PETROL LEVEL INDICATOR. We had trouble with the petrol level indicator fitted to 4.EX Car whilst I was in the U.S.A. What appeared to happen was that over a very bumpy road, the needle would jump round 180°. This would mean that sometimes when the tank was empty it would be registering full and another time when the tank was nearly full it was registering empty. We took it to pieces and found everything O.K. but thought that the trouble might be overcome if we magnetized the bar connected to the pointer. At present this bar is instructed in soft iron. We made another bar at Springfield of hardened steel and magnetized it. This did not overcome the trouble. The gauge still jumped 180°. We took it apart and found that the bar had become demagnetized. We are rigging up another tank at Derby to carry out further experiments to see what is necessary to keep the indicator reading correctly. We also had trouble with the petrol leaking through into the front of the dial of the indicator. We had several goes at this joint but we were not successful in making it absolutely petrol-tight. We suggest that the indicator should be arranged so that it is impossible for any leakage of petrol to get on to the dial. All the standard American gauges are arranged this way. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} [Upside down footer text: F.R. 286A 100 (T) (S. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 798. 10-12-20) G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 2947] | ||