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).
Translated letter from a customer detailing issues with pump rattles and potential vapour lock when driving in the Pyrenees.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\1\ scan0009 | |
| Date | 6th September 1937 | |
| TRANSLATION Letter received from Mr.Jacques Hauvette Clermont Fd.{Frank Dodd - Bodies} 6th September 1937; Mr.Jacques HAUVETTE 13 Avenue du Puy de Dôme CLERMONT-FERRAND (Puy de Dôme) to FRANCO BRITANNIC AUTOS Ltd 26 Rue Gide LEVALLOIS-PERRET Dear Sir, During my stay at Hossegor, I ran the car very little, the weather was warm but not excessively, I found no undue pump rattles. I have just returned taking in all the French passes in the Pyrenees: Aubisque, Tourmalet & pic du Midi, Aspin, Peyresourde, Portet d'Aspet, Port Puymorens, arriving at Carcassonne and from there to Clermont. In nearly every pass, if the water circulation temperature was over 85, the pumps started rattling (the passes in the Pyrenees are long but not steep, and I was not going fast, either because I wished to enjoy the scenery or because their were autocars and other cars, or because the road was bad). I was not inconvenienced by the rattle. Yesterday, from Carcassonne to Clermont, it was very warm, there were irregular rattles at times, especially in the warmest parts. Briefly, to previous observations, one must add that vapour lock happens when during a long climb, the circulation temperature increases to 85-90 during a certain time. The phenomenon was more intense during the climbing of the Tourmalet, continued to the pic du Midi. Actually the roads starts at Luz at an altitude of 700 m, to end 25 Kms further at an altitude of 2.835 ms. i.e. an increase of 2.000 ms. in altitude approximately, climbing all the while. At the top, the water circulation was over 90°, without vapourisation. On the last part, the road soil was very bad, and I had an autocar in front which impeded my engine running at a comfortable regime. In all the other passes, the pumps rattled more or less but ceased rattling soon after coming downhill. The car gave no other cause for remarks, she went splendidly. Next time I come to Paris, I will call on you and will return the extra pump for which you sent me a temporary bill. Yours sincerely signed J.Hauvette | ||