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).
Technical note on the maintenance and alignment of battery ignition contact points.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 35\6\ scan 254 | |
| Date | 2nd March 1927 | |
| EFC. WC.S. BATTERY IGNITION CONTACT POINTS. We cannot emphasize too strongly with regard to the above the necessity for lining the points up correctly. This can be done first by manual fitting, but the final bedding should be ascertained and corrected electrically by running the distributor normally, (i.e. sparking) a few seconds, when marks on the surfaces of the points show the relative bedding. These marks can easily be made to coincide at the centre of the point by judicious adjustment of the relatively flexible lever point. Our experience shows that points wear much more evenly, give more regular H.T. sparking, do not form pips so rapidly, and last longer when they are lined up in this manner. With regard to platinum points, when a fairly large pip does form on the lever point usually after about 3000 miles, it is then only necessary to just file it off to the level of the rest of the surface (no more), leaving the screw point as it is, and practically first class condition is again restored. When another pip forms say after a total of 10,000 miles it may then be necessary to readjust the gap slightly as well as trimming the points. Tungsten points when initially lined up as previously described, should go about 10,000 miles before any trimming or adjustment is necessary. Both platinum and tungsten benefit in service by their occasionally being cleaned with a clean petrolly rag allowing the petrol to evaporate from the surfaces a few seconds before running again. EFC/H.E.West. | ||