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).
The use and effects of various anti-freeze mixtures in car cooling systems, noting deterioration of rubber parts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 151\3\ scan0013 | |
| Date | 19th November 1914 guessed | |
| -2- C. J. {Mr Johnson W.M.} high as 25% glycerine and 25% alcohol with 50% water during the colder part of our Winter without serious inconvenience. I was informed that Mr. J. {Mr Johnson W.M.} C. Eaton, of this city, owner of four Rolls-Royce cars, uses an Anti-Freeze mixture of the following proportion, namely: 3 gallons of water to 1 gallon of alcohol and 1 quart of glycerine. His cars stand outside at times during the Winter, and his man informs me that they have had no trouble. He has however, found it [handwritten]necessary[/handwritten] [strikethrough]necessary[/strikethrough] to put in new rubber pipe connections every season owing to deterioration of these parts, probably due to the action of the glycerine. He also makes a practice of thoroughly washing out the cooling system with soda and water before the mixture is put in and after it is taken out in the Spring. It appears that this solution causes little or no deterioration of consequence on the parts of the cooling system with the exception of the rubber parts referred to. It might be possible to protect the rubber to some extent with a coating of some material such as shellac. I am of the opinion that it would be advisable to have the mixture slightly stronger than would be necessary, to prevent freezing at the lowest temperature in order to provide for loss due to vaporization. Yours faithfully, J A Rogers | ||