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).
Summary comparing the R.R. distributor with the Delco distributor for the Wraith model, outlining faults and performance issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 168\3\ img141 | |
| Date | 15th April 1939 | |
| By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} C. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} R.R. DISTRIBUTOR FOR WRAITH. The following is a summary of the present position of the R.R. and Delco distributor:- In Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}9/R.28.11.38., we recommended that the R.R. distributor should not be put into production until it had completed the usual standardisation test. Since this date we believe that the major fault experienced in service with Delco ignitions, i.e., worn spindle bearings, has been traced to the R.R. drive. With the correct drive and hardened cams we consider the Delco ignition to be as reliable as anything that we can design and produce. The R.R. ignition, on the other hand, has, we believe, been shown by Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} to be inferior to the Delco in that it causes mis-fires on the pick-up with the plug gap of .030 that was standardised on the Wraiths. This trouble has been reproduced on the car in France, in fact, it occurred when we were driving the car recently, but owing to the necessity of piling up mileage, it has not been investigated. Unless there is some information of which we have no knowledge, therefore, the factors against the R.R. distributor are as follows:- (1) Spark characteristic less efficient than Delco. (2) Not so silent. (3) Adjustment out of date. (4) 25% more costly. We believe that there is not a single member of the Experimental Test Staff who considers that the R.R. distributor is as good as the Delco, irrespective of price. | ||