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).
Summarizing the progress on the 'Spectre' project, detailing issues with vapour lock and erratic slow running.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 91\1\ scan0126 | |
| Date | 25th October 1935 | |
| +300 To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}16/KW.25.10.35. Present SpectreCodename for Phantom III Position. Our last summary of the SpectreCodename for Phantom III position was given in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/MJ.29.7.35. Considering the list of faults enumerated at the end of this memo, which at that date were outstanding, the following progress has been made :- (1) Vapour Lock. A design has been issued and is now running on the car in France with the filter outside the frame. A tap is required on the suction side of the filter to prevent syphoning. We understand that this is being incorporated in the design. (2) Erratic Slow Running. Now that the cars have been demonstrated in London, Sales will have had an opportunity of forming an opinion on the slow running. There is no doubt that the car at present running in France is better than these for slow running, and also does not suffer from the starting difficulty when the car is hot. This is because the latest 15,000 miles car is fitted with the scheme where the float chambers are vented to the air silencer. It will be impossible to tell how effective this modification is until the car has been run at high speeds in hot weather. As far as we can say at present, however, we have definitely made a step forward by this alteration. With regard to the downdraught carburetters, we have had both 2 single Strombergs and also the Duplex carburetter running on the test bed. We have run into definite trouble in that with either induction system there is a tendency to load up. Furthermore, the indications are that with the 6-port head already in existence, the slow running is not a great deal better than with our existing scheme. | ||