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).
Advantages of using high-quality, castor oil-based lubricating oils.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 32\3\ Scan040 | |
| Date | 10th October 1920 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to CJ. c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to PN.{Mr Northey} c. to SP.{Mr Spinney} c. to C. c. to R.R. of America Inc. (for the attention of Oy). X.1583 X.1434. X.1583. RE LUBRICATING OILS. I am quite in agreement with you that it is advantageous to use a better quality of lubricating oil than the usual all-mineral type, and we have always recommended a compound oil. You will remember that we agreed some time ago to go further and find out if it would not pay the users of our cars to use a still better oil, as we have found that the best class of castrol, which we understand to be the special "R" quality, is composed of roughly 80% to 90% castor oil, the rest being mineral, and I quite agree that America should endeavour to use this on their cars, especially so as they complain of cylinder wear largely due, I believe, to the petrol in cold weather washing the oil off the cylinder walls. I am sending a copy of this to Oy, for him to distribute to the Service Station and to others. I think we should definitely warn the Americans, and our customers in England, that all brands of Castrol may not have the advantages that we are aiming for. For instance, that made for Ford cars is of a very thin character, and at the best can only be a sperm oil with some mineral. Contd. | ||