Discussion
I'm glad this has come up again. I have a impulse blue 04 CV8 ( on a 06 plate) like the one above that I have owned since 2007. It has only covered 22k miles as I have had other cars, bikes and company vehicles in that time. On Monday I start a new job and will need to cover my commute of about 50 miles per day. I've suffered the depreciation, it's now time to stick some miles on it.
I have been in touch with two company's with regards fitting LPG. The land rover garage in Hertford that I believe did SMJ's conversion and a V8 specialist in Norwich. I'm roughly mid way between the two of them. My concerns are in regards to the LS1 top end. Is it safe to run LPG . There are a lot of LPG cars on eBay spares or repair with rattling engines. We also have a Jeep grand Cherokee that only has 60k miles that would get a lot more use if the fuel was cheaper. We can afford the conversions if we are budgeting to keep them for a few more years but not if it wrecks the cars.
I have been in touch with two company's with regards fitting LPG. The land rover garage in Hertford that I believe did SMJ's conversion and a V8 specialist in Norwich. I'm roughly mid way between the two of them. My concerns are in regards to the LS1 top end. Is it safe to run LPG . There are a lot of LPG cars on eBay spares or repair with rattling engines. We also have a Jeep grand Cherokee that only has 60k miles that would get a lot more use if the fuel was cheaper. We can afford the conversions if we are budgeting to keep them for a few more years but not if it wrecks the cars.
bbg1400 said:
I'm glad this has come up again. I have a impulse blue 04 CV8 ( on a 06 plate) like the one above that I have owned since 2007. It has only covered 22k miles as I have had other cars, bikes and company vehicles in that time. On Monday I start a new job and will need to cover my commute of about 50 miles per day. I've suffered the depreciation, it's now time to stick some miles on it.
I have been in touch with two company's with regards fitting LPG. The land rover garage in Hertford that I believe did SMJ's conversion and a V8 specialist in Norwich. I'm roughly mid way between the two of them. My concerns are in regards to the LS1 top end. Is it safe to run LPG . There are a lot of LPG cars on eBay spares or repair with rattling engines. We also have a Jeep grand Cherokee that only has 60k miles that would get a lot more use if the fuel was cheaper. We can afford the conversions if we are budgeting to keep them for a few more years but not if it wrecks the cars.
I believe you can buy, a unit that lubricates the valves automatically and integrates with the conversion. You would need to research it as my knowledge is just based on seeing it mentioned in an article a while back. I do know my friend has had his Saab 900 turbo and BMW 540 converted years ago and has had no issues.I have been in touch with two company's with regards fitting LPG. The land rover garage in Hertford that I believe did SMJ's conversion and a V8 specialist in Norwich. I'm roughly mid way between the two of them. My concerns are in regards to the LS1 top end. Is it safe to run LPG . There are a lot of LPG cars on eBay spares or repair with rattling engines. We also have a Jeep grand Cherokee that only has 60k miles that would get a lot more use if the fuel was cheaper. We can afford the conversions if we are budgeting to keep them for a few more years but not if it wrecks the cars.
In the other thread it is mentioned gas is colder and runs cooler. Not if it is ignited. It burns hotter @ 700C unlike petrol @ 500C.
OP, feel free to PM me for info. I'm on my second vxr8 running LPG and had had lpg cars all my life before.
Answering your initial question, Monaro will ok for valve seats etc.
Also, a return is to be seen at £100 / 1000 miles.
OP, feel free to PM me for info. I'm on my second vxr8 running LPG and had had lpg cars all my life before.
Answering your initial question, Monaro will ok for valve seats etc.
Also, a return is to be seen at £100 / 1000 miles.
Just touching on the classifieds littered with knackered LPG converted cars, you'll probably see most of them are Fords, Jags, Jeeps, Volvos and a lot of Jap stuff. Yes, Ford and Volvo did factory LPG cars, but these had different valves in the engine to cater for the LPG, post converted cars did not, these manufacturers typically have softer valves, and really, these cars should not have been converted, or the LPG installer didn't know what they were doing, didn't have valve lube etc. As Jag and Volvo used Ford engines and vice versa there are all afflicted.
However, there are many manufacturers that use harder valve seats, and GM V8's, most German stuff etc have no ill effects running on LPG and will happily run up 200K miles on a wave of clean burning super low emissions and less wear and tear on the engine.
Ultimately, if the right engine is converted, and the job is done properly, the life of the engine will be extended due to it's cleaners running.
But, try and convert an engine that isn't suitable, or it's not done well, an it'll be a never ending saga of issues, such as knackered valve seats, loss of compression etc etc.
As always, it pays to do your research and plenty of it, find an installer that has at least a good understanding of the engine they're working on, not necessarily the car (after all our cars are pretty rare!).
Recommendations from other people who have been converted etc etc.
Avoid 24 hour installations, it's a false economy. It will be a rush install, and a standard tune chucked in. This after all is a totally new secondary fuelling system that has differing burning characteristics to petrol and needs to be set up properly. Anyone who says they can install in 24 hours may be telling the truth, but you'll be spending many more hours back at the garage getting 'issues' sorted out.
However, there are many manufacturers that use harder valve seats, and GM V8's, most German stuff etc have no ill effects running on LPG and will happily run up 200K miles on a wave of clean burning super low emissions and less wear and tear on the engine.
Ultimately, if the right engine is converted, and the job is done properly, the life of the engine will be extended due to it's cleaners running.
But, try and convert an engine that isn't suitable, or it's not done well, an it'll be a never ending saga of issues, such as knackered valve seats, loss of compression etc etc.
As always, it pays to do your research and plenty of it, find an installer that has at least a good understanding of the engine they're working on, not necessarily the car (after all our cars are pretty rare!).
Recommendations from other people who have been converted etc etc.
Avoid 24 hour installations, it's a false economy. It will be a rush install, and a standard tune chucked in. This after all is a totally new secondary fuelling system that has differing burning characteristics to petrol and needs to be set up properly. Anyone who says they can install in 24 hours may be telling the truth, but you'll be spending many more hours back at the garage getting 'issues' sorted out.
stigmundfreud said:
can you go on the channel tunnel with it?
blue666uk said:
No, due to the lack of regulation on the continent, there's a blanket ban. Daft really, as if you can provide the certification etc, shouldn't be an issue. How many motor homes and caravans go through with bottles of LPG on board! Same thing really.
UK installers have to belong to a special scheme and provide safety certification on completion, not saying its the same everywhere as surely some other countries do too, but not all do, so they just blanket banned it.
Are underground car parks still out of bounds?UK installers have to belong to a special scheme and provide safety certification on completion, not saying its the same everywhere as surely some other countries do too, but not all do, so they just blanket banned it.
I believe it's not an issue over here in the UK (I'm yet to see one that bans LPG converted cars), but know there are restrictions in some places in Europe in terms of parking cars with LPG. All a bit silly really, as I guess they'll start banning electric cars from parking under cover as well soon.
Plus covered car parks with a Wortec is great fun
Plus covered car parks with a Wortec is great fun
Like I said before I have two installers in mind but have contacted around 10 in my region. I know of several people who have been to the installer in Hertford over the past 15 years and are happy. The installer I contacted in Norwich is a V8 specialist and has already done 1 big boot CV8 and will set it up on a dyno once he's happy.
I'm still wavering over whether to go gas and turn it into a everyday car as I really need a tow bar. Trouble is I could only buy a manky Kia for what they are offering for my spotless 22k mile CV8.
I'm still wavering over whether to go gas and turn it into a everyday car as I really need a tow bar. Trouble is I could only buy a manky Kia for what they are offering for my spotless 22k mile CV8.
maccavvy said:
well ive had some wildly varying prices and what not from various places.
Now I don't know which one to go with .
can those who've had it done let me know what kit you've had fitted and where it was fitted please guys.
Long email sent to you. Company that did mine was The Greenfuel Company Limited, Now I don't know which one to go with .
can those who've had it done let me know what kit you've had fitted and where it was fitted please guys.
MRH (Accident & Repairs) Ltd
4-5 Warehams Lane
Hertford
Herts
SG14 1LA
01992 550026
Well ive been and had it done.
Got it done at mates rates, as my best mates mrs cousin does it.
Bit of a back st garage but the guy is so technical about things it impressed me.
he used a multitude of brands not a one brand garage .
not done many miles yet but ill update on how things go.
tank is a little proud of boot floor so ill sort out somepacking to make it look flat again .
all parts mounted to oe brackets under bonnet so no extra holes up front
and nozzle on a bracket directly under the central fog, so no bodywork or bumper holes.
Got it done at mates rates, as my best mates mrs cousin does it.
Bit of a back st garage but the guy is so technical about things it impressed me.
he used a multitude of brands not a one brand garage .
not done many miles yet but ill update on how things go.
tank is a little proud of boot floor so ill sort out somepacking to make it look flat again .
all parts mounted to oe brackets under bonnet so no extra holes up front
and nozzle on a bracket directly under the central fog, so no bodywork or bumper holes.
yes dude. no problem
gimme till weekend as im working late at the mo
. the underbonnet install isn't as neat as yours dude to the vapouriser used.
but its rated at 600bhp . so no issues there.
the boot looks ok but I may remake the brackets for aesthetic purposes. but that's me. they are up to the job
but I can be funny like that. give me something to do one day when bored lol
gimme till weekend as im working late at the mo
. the underbonnet install isn't as neat as yours dude to the vapouriser used.
but its rated at 600bhp . so no issues there.
the boot looks ok but I may remake the brackets for aesthetic purposes. but that's me. they are up to the job
but I can be funny like that. give me something to do one day when bored lol
I did think about converting mine when it was new some 119,000 miles ago (and perhaps I wish I had, how much would I have saved by now). My insurance company put me off at the time as they were not keen and wanted to add a whole load to my premium (as a mod you are obliged to tell them)
This off-set some of the apparent savings - I think they wee concerned about the number of cowboys back then fitting this stuff, the fact (they told me, I am not sure if its true) that these cars have a plastic inlet manifold and apparently there had been some issues with these failing under backfire. And of course the added risk of carrying around a small bomb strapped to the inside of my car (I did point out that a tank full of petrol is just as bad and held in a tin can rather than a strong steel container).
By the time I had convinced myself to go-for-it - I then realised that I would loose most of the small boot space I had if I went for a decent size tank or loose the space saver (maybe no loss given its never been out of the car.
I guess in the last 8 years the LPG industry and installer network have greatly improved so I might consider this again on my next car
The final thing that put me off was that (at the time) the LPG was only supposed to be cheap for the first 3 years of availability in the UK, as it is it still there and considerably cheaper than unleaded
This off-set some of the apparent savings - I think they wee concerned about the number of cowboys back then fitting this stuff, the fact (they told me, I am not sure if its true) that these cars have a plastic inlet manifold and apparently there had been some issues with these failing under backfire. And of course the added risk of carrying around a small bomb strapped to the inside of my car (I did point out that a tank full of petrol is just as bad and held in a tin can rather than a strong steel container).
By the time I had convinced myself to go-for-it - I then realised that I would loose most of the small boot space I had if I went for a decent size tank or loose the space saver (maybe no loss given its never been out of the car.
I guess in the last 8 years the LPG industry and installer network have greatly improved so I might consider this again on my next car
The final thing that put me off was that (at the time) the LPG was only supposed to be cheap for the first 3 years of availability in the UK, as it is it still there and considerably cheaper than unleaded
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