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 from Willys-Overland to Katalite Corporation regarding urgent testing of coated cylinder heads to eliminate engine detonation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 74\3\ scan0381 | |
| Date | 12th April 1924 | |
| THE WILLYS-OVERLAND COMPANY AUTOMOBILES TOLEDO, OHIO. John N. Willys, President. April Twelfth 1924 Dr. Edw. Sokal, Katalite Corporation, 235 Broadway, New York City. My dear Dr. Sokal: I have expressed to you today, two sets of special heads for the Knight motor. These heads give us a compression ratio of 20% as against approximately 23% that we are using now. In dynamometer experiments with these high compression heads, we found, as we expected, very distinct detonation. We took from our stock room the old heads that had been coated by you some time ago and not since used, placing these in the cylinder and building up our compression by means of plates on the top of the piston. The detonation disappeared. For that reason I would like you to coat the two sets of heads that have been forwarded marked for your attention, at the earliest possible moment, returning them to us by express immediately upon completion so that we can determine whether the detonation elimination was tracable to the presence of the Katalite or to the change in the shape of the compression chamber. The matter is one of extreme urgency and I am trying to get you on the phone at this moment, in order to urge this along. You will greatly oblige us if you will give this matter your immediate and personal attention, seeing that no time is lost in getting the heads coated and returned to us in the quickest possible manner. With best personal regards, believe me to remain Very truly yours, (signed) A.{Mr Adams} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Baker | ||