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).
Page 2 of a letter to Messrs. North & Sons, Ltd. regarding engine starting issues and magneto testing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65\3\ scan0436 | |
| Date | 19th January 1930 | |
| Messrs. North & Sons,Ltd. Whippendell Rd. Watford. 19th January, 1930. -2- the engine by the cylinder compression turns it to the next compression more quickly than it is possible to turn it by the hand. It "bounces" back off the next compression sufficiently far to close the magneto points and open them again quickly causing the magneto to fire and turn the engine over backwards. Sometimes the engine will fire three or four times backwards before stopping, very rarely it will fire once or twice backwards and then run forwards. It is very seldom that it can be started at all. If the magneto ignition is advanced it is possible to start up by hand if one cares to take the risk of a damaged wrist due to a back fire. In some cases this happens even with a hot engine, the variation from car to car being due to differences in low speed firing efficiency of the magnetos." In this connection the undersigned has written a report a copy of which we attach for your information as there is little contained in it which, fully to explain the position, we should not otherwise have to repeat to you in this letter. We have investigated the magneto on the bench and we have found that neither the timing nor the distributor quantities agree with those recommended in our notes. As you will further see from the report we are anxious for you carefully to rearrange this magneto as nearly as possible in accordance with our recommendations and afterwards to return it to us so that we may again try the machine on a Phantom II engine on a chassis in similar circumstances to note what improvement is effected thereby. P.S. For certain reasons the return of this magneto will be subject to a delay of a day or two. Yours faithfully, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. | ||