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).
Engine starting difficulties in cold weather, potential failures related to the gearbox, and design alterations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 40\6\ Scan025 | |
| Date | 2nd February 1922 | |
| X.3592 To RR. of America Inc. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} For attention of - Mr. Belnap Mr. Olley. Mr. Nadin. R6/M3.2.22. c. to CJ. BJ. c. to FN. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} X.1449 X.35942 RE. STARTING DIFFICULTIES. X.4390 X.4298 (1) Your letter to Mr. Claude Johnson re starting difficulties during cold weather, has come to hand. (2) This is the first suggestion that I have had of a failure due to turning the engine via the gearbox, and I think the matter should have been gone into thoroughly by Mr. Olley, and a report with exact comparative figures sent to me. (3) Possibly during my illness some such letter has escaped my notice. (4) I will get Mr. Hives to investigate how much extra power is needed to turn the engine and the gearbox compared with turning the engine only. I would not anticipate that this is more than 10% and therefore need not be considered serious. (5) It is not clear in your memo. whether the suggested alteration of using a direct flywheel drive and a Bendix pinion refers to cars already made, or to cars that are to be made. (6) It would be a collosal job to alter the cars on the road, and as the number of chassis you have in hand should be getting small it would not be a good policy to make serious changes in the design even if it were thought possible. Considering therefore the number at present on the road, it is imperative to make the present arrangements successful. (7) I am not sure whether it is suggested that the clutch connecting the motor to the engine fails to act because of the contd:- | ||