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).
Engine problems with Ethyl fuel in 3½ and 4¼ litre Bentley cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90\2\ scan0119 | |
| Date | 1st July 1936 | |
| To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Use of Ethyl on Bentley's. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}3/E7.7.36 Sorry to have to write again on the subject but I thought you ought to see the following extract from a letter I have received from Professor Dodds:- 'There seems to be considerable confusion over the question of the use of Ethyl in the 4¼ litre Bentley. The service station in the past has always advised against it, whilst Mr.Archer strongly recommends it. My own experience in the case of the 3½ litre Bentley has been very unfortunate. In some way it flows to the plugs so that after a short distance, say five hundred miles, the car begins to miss at about 2,500 revs. Precisely the same thing happened to the 4¼ which, by the way, knocks very badly on ordinary petrol. Mr. Archer dealt with mine ten days ago and I gather removed the head and cleaned it and put in a new set of plugs. The car went beautifully for some five hundred miles and then began to miss. I was fortunate in being able to get on to Mr. Archer so that he could really confirm my statements. He fitted another series of plugs and I am trying again. I have heard from a number of people who have got the 4¼ litre that they have had a good deal of trouble with either missing or knocking. 'Do not bother to reply to this letter as we can talk about it when we meet.'....... I am not so much concerned about the confusion at the Depots as I understand better now how this has arisen but I am concerned about what he says in regard to his car. I am meeting Dodds next Monday and should be glad if you would get/hold of Archer personally before then so as to get first-hand information and let me know what to say to him. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||