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 letter to Bentley Motors complaining about a car (B.16.DK) stalling and leaking petrol.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 88\1\ scan0201 | |
| Date | 7th August 1935 | |
| COPY. 50, Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.1. 7.8.35. Messrs. Bentley Motors (1931) Ltd., Dear Sirs, My very excellent car B.16.DK. has an annoying little trick which I should like it cured of, if you knew how to do it. When the petrol tank is quite full or rather empty, but more often in the full position, the engine will at times die away and the car come to a standstill with the carburettors completely empty. Operating the starter causes petrol to pour from under the bonnet on to the ground, the float chambers remaining quite empty. Pumps ticking away normally. If one went on long enough, one would empty the tank. It seems as if the venting is faulty, though opening the tank filler cap makes no difference. Some sort of syphoning takes place and the engine will not start. One feels rather a fool because these misbehaviours arise always at awkward moments. For instance I have so far 1. Held up the Birmingham traffic on a busy Saturday morning. 2. Held up the entire Wimbledon traffic on the final day. 3. Held up the August Bank Holiday traffic in the narrow high street of Dorking. No doubt the car can do better yet and hold up a Royal Procession, but I would rather it didn't, because the advice to buy a decent car, or get a Ford, etc., which one gets from other exasperated people is a bit narrowing in the circumstances. As you fit decent batteries to the car I have been able to get it down a side road on the starter, but I have now found a remedy. When the engine dies out, I move the dashboard tap over to reserve. This seems to fill the carburettors and the car carries on for a bit and when it fails again I go back to main and so on, ringing the changes until the level in the tank goes down, when all is well. | ||