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).
Faults with bought-in S.U. petrol pumps and carburetters, including subsequent modifications for Bentley cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\5\ scan0070 | |
| Date | 4th June 1935 | |
| Copy. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} from SFT.{Mr Swift} SFT{Mr Swift}2/BH4.6.35. Confirming our conversation re troubles with bought-out components or parts which have not given entire satisfaction, either by not living up to their alleged efficiency, or because of inferior quality herewith particulars of a few of such cases:- S.U. Petrol Pumps. These were unsatisfactory, due to faulty functioning, and all the pumps had to be returned to the S.U. Co. and were replaced by new ones embodying new features. Even after this, and in spite of the fact that we were told inspection charges would not be necessary at this end, it was deemed advisable, owing to faulty detail work, for every pump to be examined at this end; faulty soldering, contacts not square, bad threading, and unsquare nuts being some of the detailed complaints reported, and even at the present moment, we are still having small complaints about detail work on their current deliveries. S.U. Carburetters. In this case also, the early deliveries were faulty, and suffered terribly from very indifferent detail work. Portions of loose threads were dropping into the float chamber and preventing the needle from seating properly. The centre stud holding on the cover was often faulty, complaints being, stripped threads, out of square, and at one time even the Brinell figure of the Stud was not good enough for the work it had to do, and it was very common to have this stud rusty. The nickel plated fittings below the carburetter were also rusty. You will remember that, as a result of two or three Bentleys catching fire, due to these carburetters flooding, possibly owing to the needle not seating, as reported above, it was found necessary to incorporate serious changes in design, especially a new float chamber cover, and it was necessary to chase the whole of the Bentley cars, of which there were roughly 270 on the road, and to change over all the float chamber covers and fit a new drain pipe complete with banjo with special cap nut, in fact the procedure was as follows:- Op.1 Disconnect the Petrol Pipes from the float chambers. op.2. Take nuts off front petrol pipe bracket. Op.3. Remove unions from float chamber cover. contd: | ||