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).
Faults in the high tension leads of a Bentley chassis, speculating on the cause.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 168\1\ img170 | |
| Date | 2nd October 1934 | |
| WST Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} C. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 86117. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}/G.2.10.34. BENTLEY CHASSIS - HIGH TENSION LEADS. From an examination of the chassis I should not have anticipated trouble occurring as outlined in Pk/DPB.26.9.34. attached to your Hd{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy}/SB.{Mr Bull/Mr Bannister}6/HR.29.9.34. If the facts are as pointed out, then it would mean the Design Department modifying the scheme and bringing in the leads either in different positions along the cylinders away from the connections between the induction pipe and the cylinder head or mounting the ignition wire tube in a different position and bringing the leads outside the induction pipe. Before referring this matter to the Design Dept. I think it is most desirable that we should have a numberof leads returned illustrating the faults, as without these it will be difficult to persuade the Design Department that a change is required. It appears to me that the main difficulty lies in the high tension wires touching metal earths at isolated spots, which tends to concentrate a brush discharge at such points, and the brush discharge would in time oxidise the wire, hardening it and causing it to break down in the form of a crack. Oil would have an entirely different effect, and apparently from the description it may be the oil which is the fault. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||