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).
Intermittent ignition coil failures on the 20 HP model, referencing specific chassis and a concerning comment from the Managing Director of Bosch Co.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 54\5\ Scan318 | |
| Date | 19th May 1930 | |
| X3485. -> S/W.......EFC. {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} c. to Wor. {Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to EP. {G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} ------- C8/C19.5.30. Weare getting rather concerned regarding the ignition coil on the 20 h.p. We have had a number of stoppages on the road due to the failure of the coil, or some part of it, and the trouble appears to be to some extent intermittent as the car, after a failure and after having been switched over to the magneto, is perfectly all right again when switched back to the battery ignition. For instance, GDP-17, Wentworth. I personally have had a similar experience on chassis No. GYL-61. Some five or six weeks ago the battery ignition failed and it was proved that the coil was faulty. I switched over to the magneto and then two days later switched back again to battery and it was found to be perfectly all right. This continued, but the battery has once again given out and I had to switch over on to magneto. I have sent the car to Cricklewood this morning, and they are going to send the faulty parts to you, for examination. Perhaps you will let me have a report upon the matter as a whole. In this connection Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} mentions that when the Managing Director of the Bosch Co. of America was over here he went through the Works and expressed the greatest admiration for our workmanship, design, etc. but he said that the specification of our coil would not pass Ford. Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} did not place a lot upon his remark, but in view of recent failures it certainly would appear that the whole matter should be carefully investigated. It is true, of course, that it is a simple matter to change over to the magneto ignition, but at the same time it is a very aggravating thing for a Rolls-Royce car to stop suddenly in this way, more particularly in the streets of London. C. | ||