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).
Car boiling and fuel pump issues, comparing electric and mechanical systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 108\1\ scan0122 | |
| Date | 27th August 1937 | |
| ( 3 ) difficulty with the driving belts, and for the latter part of the climb, car boiled continuously. The difficulties previously experienced with electric pumps, apart from mechanical failure which unfortunately occur with any type of pump, have been due to the large suction lift employed and hot position of the pumps. There is no difficulty in mounting a H.P. electric pump in the frame on the Wraith chassis, and it would be accessible by removing the driver's seat. From experience obtained on the Phantom III, no vapour trouble should be experienced and there will be an even greater margin of safety on the Wraith. The main advantage of this pump is that it is not dependent in any way on engine speed and can be placed low down away from the engine heat. To safeguard against mechanical failure, I intend to run the next car with only one unit working, leaving the other standing idle for emergency and hope the cooler position together with the fact that it is always immersed in petrol, will prevent the diaphragms stiffening up. The pump on the dash which has not been used since the car came out here, refused to start when first tried owing to the diaphragms becoming dry and stiff. ---------------- Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/JBD.{John B. Dixon - Fuel Systems} | ||