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).
Letter discussing engine warm-up methods, comparing thermostatic control with an exhaust heated hot spot.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 15\6\ Scan164 | |
| Date | 1st March 1932 | |
| 8728. HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Lid.{A. J. Lidsey}4/MA. March 1st, 1932. H.L. Grose Esq., 68 Kingsmead Road London, S.W.2. Dear Sir, We have to thank you for your letter of the 11th. Jan: enclosing Notes on Thermostatic Control of Carburettor During Warming-Up Period. We have read with interest your method of controlling mixture strength by a thermostat operated by engine water temperature and appreciate the general principles of the scheme and the manner in which it is carried out. Our experience is, however, that by using an efficient exhaust heated hot spot which reaches its normal working temperature very quickly after starting up we are enabled to obtain a much quicker get away and with possibly a leaner mixture than if using your water temperature control. The time taken to warm up the engine water to normal running temperature and to automatically adjust the carburation to its normal mixture strength would we are sure be far longer than the time taken to warm up an efficient exhaust heated hot spot to a temperature sufficient to enable the normal running mixture strength to be used. We find it better to provide sufficient extra lubrication to the engine during the warming up period than to prevent the car being driven before the water is fully warm. We have had considerable experience in the past with engines which required a long time of running before they could be driven comfortably and found that they were very unpopular with our customers; | ||