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).
Customer complaints caused by faulty ignition cables and a recommendation to use a previously developed improved cable.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 168\1\ img264 | |
| Date | 29th July 1936 | |
| X6117 To By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c.to Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}14/KW.29.7.36. Faulty Ignition Cables. As you know, Hancock's investigation at Cricklewood and Kingsbury has disclosed that a large number of complaints at the Depots are being experienced which can be traced to faulty ignition wires. The most recent case was that of Professor Dodds' car. Three or four sets of new sparking plugs were fitted to this chassis, and the owner still experienced bad misfiring on the pick-up after a few hundreds of miles' running. A 90% cure was effected on the last occasion by doing nothing but change the H.T. cables. The history of the present high tension cables is that some time ago we decided that the quality of the cables was not good enough, and we actually experienced some trouble. In consequence we ran improved cable through a 10,000 miles test on 5-B-IV. The standardisation sheets for the 20/25 and Bentley were completed on 16.11.35 and 6.2.36 respectively. At the same time larger conduits, to LeC.4851, to accommodate the new cable were standardised, and these are now fitted on production. The new cable, however, was never fitted because in By/Cgh.{W Clough}/G.19.11.35, we were told it was not necessary. In view of recent events we do not think the evidence which nullified the standardisation sheets can have been very conclusive. We recommend that before something for which a standardisation sheet has been completed is shelved, it should be agreed to by yourself, E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} This might avoid a similar occurrence in future, though probably had we been a bit more emphatic we could have got the new cable on previously. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||