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).
Letter concerning gummy deposits in a carburetter possibly caused by the storage of Ethyl petrol.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 150\1\ scan0004 | |
| Date | 1st April 1935 | |
| CABLEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT, LONDON. TELEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT, CHURTON. ETHYL EXPORT CORPORATION Incorporated in the State of Delaware, U. S. A.{Mr Adams} with limited liability. ABFORD HOUSE, VICTORIA LONDON, S.W.1 Telephone: VICTORIA 5520 Head Office: 135 EAST 42ND STREET NEW YORK, U.S.A Your Ref Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}8/Kw. 1st April, 1935. W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham Esq., Experimental Dept., Rolls-Royce Ltd., Nightingale Road, DERBY. Dear Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}, Many thanks for your letter of the 30th March. With regard to the trouble you have had with some Ethyl spirit which has been lying in a tank for about twelve months, I am rather disturbed at the information you give, although, to be perfectly frank, we have little or no trouble in the storage of Ethyl petrols against the storage of normal spirits over the same period, and the fact that you mention gummy deposits points to the possible cause which may be the use of a "cracked" basic spirit which has deteriorated somewhat after a year's storage. Could you tell me which brand of Ethyl petrol this was, i.e. Pratts or B.P. and if you have a sample of it and also the gummy matter which was found in the carburetter. If so, I would propose collecting it and having it examined. I am hoping to visit you next week, and have only delayed doing so, earlier, because we were waiting for our 'plane to be delivered and we thought that we would fly to Hucknall and show you what it looked like! If this is O.K. with you I would, therefore propose flying up next week, because we are busy taking delivery of the machine this week and seeing to a number of odds and ends that pertain to such a procedure. However, if you would like to see me before this, please do not hesitate to let me know and I could probably come up this week sometime. By the way, have you any further information regarding the road tests of the racing fuels you were trying out when I last saw you? Kindest regards, Yours sincerely, [Signature] FRB/WNT | ||