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).
Battery ignition, aircraft designs, diesel engines, and engine starting procedures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\2\ img193 | |
| Date | 7th March 1934 | |
| -2- (4) Battery Ignition Not much is being done with this at present. The official attitude is that to couple so vital a thing as ignition with all the wiring which is used in a machine is undesirable. However, I should have thought they could have protected it with fuses. We saw the latest twin-engined Wright Bomber there with retractable under-carriage, a new Douglas single engined ground straffing low wing 2-seater monoplane, with fixed under-carriage of small dimensions, well streamlined, and the Boeing pursuit single seater. I discussed Diesel engines with Capt. Lyon, who is now acting Chief Engineer. He cannot work up any enthusiasm for them nor for sleeve valves. They talk about lead not Ethyl fluid here. 3 c.c's. lead is equivalent to 4 c.c's fluid I understand approximately. Their 87 octane is a 4 c.c's of fluid fuel apparently. DELCO REMY. (1) STARTING. I gave them particulars of our starter motor output which they considered good, better than their own, but this because they say you can do slightly better with 12 volts than 6. That being so, I tried to find out how they managed to start their cars while we could not, i.e. was all the difference in the oil. Without thin oil they admit they are absolutely out of the picture. Their standard is for the motor to turn the engine at 30 R.P.M. at zero temperature with S.A.E. 2.H. oil in it. The carburetter man is then called upon to produce a choke and manifold that will supply a starting mixture at zero at 30 R.P.M. The engine man has to keep his overlap down to ensure the start is not prejudiced. The Buick fulfills all these conditions, and starts as well as any car so that the timing may be considered O.K., also the choking and manifold. | ||