Whittie
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
User status: Offline
|
... do most conversions run on both petrol and LPG, then when LPG runs out, petrol kicks in?
I remember driving some Lexus 4x4 that had the above, you could feel it petrol kick in, it lagged a little then ran on petrol.
OR are most LPGs only running on LPG? How big are the LPG tanks usually? (L)
Anyone use have / had one? Decent or a load of shite?
|
monkeytwizzel
Member
Registered: 10th Aug 11
Location: Chard, Somerset
User status: Offline
|
As far as i know they are always both and most tanks are where the spare wheel would be.
Petrol on start up and will switch back to petrol when the lpg pressure gets low.
|
ShEp
Member
Registered: 9th Aug 05
Location: Dingwall, Highland
User status: Offline
|
Most of them are switchable, so you can decide to run on petrol or lpg.
Must be petrol for starting though i think.
After that, you can switch between them however you like.
|
Whittie
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
User status: Offline
|
Sounds good
|
Andrew
Member
Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
User status: Offline
|
Did a bit of research into this last year when i took on a job in Manchester. My car cannot be converted sadly!
You can start a car summer time on lpg but when cold you will need to fire up on petrol.
There's a place in Leeds that will do a conversion from £600.
All diesels appear to have done moon miles and buying a petrol to convert may be a good option for myself.
In Sunny Wales, you will be better with a diesel for all those hills i would guess.
|
gazza808
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
|
In warm weather can start on lpg no issues,
Modern systems are a lot better than older ones,
Mate fits lpg systems as a side line,
Most run on petrol till the coolant gets to acertain temp then switches, mostly to stop the regulator freezing, coolant is connected to it and keeps it warm
|
gazza808
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
|
Andrew why can your car not be converted?
|
Andrew
Member
Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
User status: Offline
|
Couple of companies told me the same thing. If you tell me it can i'll be a happy man! 
Peugeot 308 Sport. 1.6 16v Vti BMW engine. Reg: L6 FLX
35MPG doing 700 miles a week is a cunt... Yes £100 a week for the arse lickers on here.
[Edited on 26-07-2014 by Andrew]
|
gazza808
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
|
I have no idea what car you have lol
Just seen it in your post,
No idea that's a bit newer than what we play with lol
Quick Google tells.me it can be converted few about that have been.
[Edited on 26-07-2014 by gazza808]
|
Andrew
Member
Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
User status: Offline
|
Link me up man x
|
gazza808
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
|
Literally just stick peugeot 308 vti lpg into google you'll get loads of hits,
Here's ones that's converted http://ipocars.com/vinfo/peugeot/vti_308_sport_plus_120_with_gas-2007.html
So it can be done
Obviously it's from abroad but shows it can be done
[Edited on 26-07-2014 by gazza808]
|
Andrew
Member
Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
User status: Offline
|
Good stuff! I'll have to start asking a few more questions i think.
|
Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
|
Currently run a Disco V8 with it fitted.
Starts on petrol always, then switches over automatically within a few seconds.
When it runs out, it'll splutter a bit and it will eventually swap back but you're normally better tapping the button yourself to save running it completely out. Loses power first so you can see it coming, and it'll run like that for 10 seconds or so which is too long if you're in traffic.
I've never known of them that run completely on LPG without needing to switch over. Probably do exist but I'd also be wary of supply problems, even with good planning you only need your chosen fuel stop on a route to be closed and you need a plan B.
Tank is 80 litres, takes about 60, costs just on 40 and that'll get me 160 miles. Also retained a 20 litre petrol tank.
Decent way of running a V8 Disco, down a bit on power although you can switch back if you need a bit more poke off the lights with a full trailer.
Downsides are really that its not all that good for the engine and it will ruin it in a shorter time than petrol. You need to plan your routes if they're longer than the range. So far as reliability goes, mine is as reliable as it were pure petrol, the only exception being that I had a misfire due to dicky plugs / leads and while on a petrol that would exhibit itself as a bit of a loss of power and some lumpiness, on the gas it leaves a load of unburnt gas on the chamber which is ignited next time round after you've poured more in. Meaning in less extreme cases you'd get a fairly scary bang from the engine bay, and when you got the mixture just right it would blow the induction pipe off the manifold. I've heard of them blowing air-boxes to bits in the most pronounced cases. So probably worthwhile doing plugs and leads more frequently than you would on a pure petrol motor.
[Edited on 27-07-2014 by Ian]
|
gazza808
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 08
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
|
But I'm assuming your disco is running an older type mixer setup?
Not a direct port injection with a piggy back ecu type setup?
|
Andrew
Member
Registered: 5th May 04
Location: Skoda Octavia Estate, Ford Puma
User status: Offline
|
On that Disco, what will you get to 40 litres of petrol. I'm just trying to compare the two fuels.
You can pick of a 30k 1.2 Corsa C for £1200 and LPG it for £600.
Or
Pick up a 75k Fiesta 1.4 TDCI Cat C repaired for 2k.
I'm after something cheap cheap to run and as well as parts!
|
Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by gazza808
But I'm assuming your disco is running an older type mixer setup?
Not a direct port injection with a piggy back ecu type setup?
Yeah old system hence the pops and bangs. Probably a bit heavier on the fuel as a result as well.
|
Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
|
60 litres = 13.21 gallons = 12mpg
That's lots of urban and lots of towing.
From your example, it would be close but I think to live with I'd favour the Fiesta - a £600 kit probably isn't going to have a massive tank which means you'll be on petrol a lot of the time looking for LPG.
Bit of an irony really, if you're doing the mileage to need it, you lose the benefit of knowing where you're going to fill it up.
|
Whittie
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
User status: Offline
|
I've been looking at 4x4s lately, V8 Cayenne S, V8 X5 and V8 Vogue.
Many for sale already have the conversion and can't help but think it'll save money in the long run. I don't do too many miles, drive about 50 miles round trip to work daily and probably do roughly 100 miles on a weekend. Spending around £80-90 a week on fuel in a 2.0l petrol.
If I can get similar costs in a nice V8 4x4 that has an LPG conversion i'd be happy, is that a realistic ask though?
Between the tanks would £80 manage 400 miles-ish?
|
Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
|
There's a lot of variety in the spec of the kits.
I was quite lucky in that the one on my car has the tanks where I want them - ie. replacing the petrol tank so not compromising off road ability or boot space. The downside being that they're not massive.
You might find one with a massive one in the boot which will improve the range but that's not a compromise I could live with.
I would think you'll be filling up more frequently than every 400 miles. Although if its just to commute and you pass a station - no biggie.
I just find it a bit of a pain in the ass if you're on a 500 mile day out round the country and you need to spend the evening before planning it, then some of the day driving around on petrol at 15mpg looking for it.
Regarding cost, based on those figures I'm getting 12mpg but at half the cost, so effectively 24mpg, which is what the Astra averages. So a V8 auto sofa for the price of a 4 pot. Even if it doesn't save money, it can't be much more expensive and you may be able to justify that as the cost to drive a bigger car.
Its certainly not daft money more - and its the only way you'll sensibly run anything from that list.
I'd be looking for the lowest mileage on the kit, and the most modern kit. Recently converted with good gear is probably worth holding out for.
[Edited on 27-07-2014 by Ian]
|
pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
|
I didn't realise the Disco has the LPG tank in place of the fuel tank - that's cool 
|
Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
|
I converted my last vectra. was the 1.8 petrol version. Took a weekend to fit, then a drive out with the laptop while it auto tunes from the lambda sensors. It ran faultless for 60k and you couldn't tell the difference between petrol or lpg. It was set up to go to lpg once coolant was above 30 deg so that the evaporator doesn't freeze up. I got my kit from autogas-lpg
http://www.autogas-lpg.co.uk/full-cunversion-kit/374-esgi-conversion-kit-lpg-4-cyl-full-kit-tank-included-0157.html
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
|
