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).
Corrosion on aluminium engine water circulation fittings and the effectiveness of different protective enamels.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 81\2\ scan0017 | |
| Date | 16th February 1916 guessed | |
| X3152 EF1/DJ1519 By from SP{Mr Spinney} c to For [Strikethrough] c to EH. [Strikethrough] c to Mr. [Strikethrough] re Aluminium fittings for engine water circulation. --------------------- It has been noticed that on Repair engines, especially those which have been used for Seaplanes, that a considerable amount of corrosion takes place on the Aluminium fittings, internally and externally. The internal condition of the Water Pumps on those which were not enamelled internally was found to be very bad, also the aluminium water outlet pieces from the cylinder E12515 are also in a poor condition, in fact in several cases developed Water leak. I think it is very important that instructions should be immediately issued that such parts, not only on new engines, but also when coming in for repairs, should be enamelled as is now being done in the inside of the Water Pump. Please let me know what action you propose to take with reference to this matter, so that I can see that such is carried out and instructions circulated to various Repair Depots,. We have sent on to you a sample of the Water outlet piece refereed to above. I noticed that the enamel now used for Water Pumps is of the "Ripoline" type, which as previously reported, is not entirely satisfactory and does not appear to become hard and is inclined to "flake off". I understood some time ago, that this method was to be replaced by a Copal Varnish, samples in black being submitted to Mr. Royce and which was considered to be more satisfactory than the present "Ripoline". | ||