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).
Visit to Cricklewood to resolve misunderstandings regarding the diagnosis of faulty electrical ignition components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 37\1\ scan 198 | |
| Date | 23th May 1931 | |
| Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/HLW. c. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} c. Brt/Mr.Brock. c. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} X3199. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/HEW6/AD23.5.31. X3199 X8782. VISIT TO CRICKLEWOOD. We visited Cricklewood on the 20th and 21st inst. and were enabled to clear up several difficult points and arrive at a more or less mutual understanding as to the methods of dealing with customer's complaints on the electrical system, particularly battery ignition. The reason so many units have been sent back as faulty and then found to be O.K. by the Works is not entirely N's fault. Although they have been guilty of sending O.K. units back Er. stated that the majority are units which have been handed over the counter by customers who have removed them from their own cars as faulty. One case we were able to intercept was an ignition coil which N. were going to return to Derby as burnt out owing to the ballast fusing. We demonstrated to Er's man that the coil could not burn out owing to the protection of the ballast and this was proved by examination and subsequent test on another chassis. To obviate the return of coils and condensers to Derby which are O.K. we have arranged with Er. that his man shall be provided with a small test rig on which he can check units before sending them back as faulty. As they have no material available we are arranging to send them an old distributor and set of test gaps which we have by us and they will mount these on a small drive. They have both A.C. and D.C. mains at hand. Several customers cars came in with ignition complaints while we were there, two of which were faulty coils, one a broken ballast wire and another a reported intermittent missing which was cured by readjusting and cleaning sparking plugs and contact breaker points. We have also arranged with Er. that when possible a more detailed report will be sent with faulty units off up-to-date chassis which will be extremely helpful in diagnosing the cause of failure. We found one tester setting plug gaps on a 20/25 to .030" when these should be only .020". He had apparently received no instructions to the contrary! | ||