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).
Comparison of car performance issues between English and American models, focusing on carburetion, gasoline quality, and pistons.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\F\February1921\ Scan13 | |
| Date | 10th December 1920 | |
| -3- American cars tested in England do not show up to such a great advantage as they do out here. I consider that in starting up and getting away, the Rolls-Royce car in England compares favourably with any American Car, but out here we have got to admit that we are worse. "We would suggest that the following are the reasons why the carburation complaints appear to be worse on the present cars compared with the pre-war cars:- 1. The American gasoline has gradually been getting worse in quality. It is now much lower grade than before the war. 2. We believe that aluminium pistons, because of their keeping cooler, are a disadvantage for the troubles which are being experienced here. Our tests at Derby showed that an engine with cast iron pistons, when started up cold, got running normally in less time than one with aluminium pistons. *Aluminium pistons appear to be dropped by all makers here, the reason I have been given is that owing to the increased clearance necessary with aluminium pistons, they allowed more gasoline to leak past when the engine was started up cold. We would agree with this. 3. I think the chief reason, however, why carburation troubles appear to be worse, is the fact that on American cars, in the past one or two years, they have made a study of producing an engine which will work on poor petrol and start up readily from cold and be fit for service with the minimum amount of warming up. All the American engineers I have spoken to out here appreciate that carburation troubles is their biggest problem. If they take you out to demonstrate the qualities of their car, the very first thing they will show you is how it will start up and run without misfiring very quickly afterwards. At present we are having troubles with:- 1. Missing fire, due to bad distribution. 2. Over-oiling. 3. Sparking Plugs. 4. Carbonization. 5. Magnetos. Contd. R.R. 238A (100 T) (S H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 798. 10-12-20) G 2947 | ||