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).
Causes of ignition troubles and misfires in the Spectre engine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 93\2\ scan0077 | |
| Date | 3rd September 1935 | |
| x306 To Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. c. to Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Smth.16/KW.3.9.35. SpectreCodename for Phantom III Ignition Troubles. (1) Bad wear on the pad of the breaker arms so that only about .010" gap was possible with the adjustment provided. One lubricating wick had worn until it had left contact with the cam. (2) The bushes of the breaker arm pivots were worn. (3) A lot of side movement had developed in distributor head and cam spindle. (4) Shorts had developed to the horizontal ignition wire tubes due to breaking of the insulation where the wires emerge. The eliptical slots should be much longer to allow a more gradual bend of the wires. (5) The screw connections for the H.T. wires in the suppressors were not secure. (6) The suppressors cut down the spark intensity very considerably. Because of this and the overoiling of the engine, several of the plugs were completely oiled up. Due to these various causes it is doubtful whether more than half of the plugs were firing properly when we investigated the misfires. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Smth. | ||