Some advice please.

[Baby Huey]

I have been well and truly screwed by Boris Johnson.

I recently bought a VW camper. From October this year I'll be getting clobbered by phase 3 of the London Low Emission Zone. Having done much research into campers I knew about the LEZ and also that Boris had scrapped phase 3 to much fanfare at the beginning of last year.

Well, now it's back. Thanks again, Boris.

For anyone who doesn't know, I'll have to pay £100 everytime I use the camper. FFS.

So, what are my options?

The reasons my camper are included in the LEZ scheme is that the gross vehicle weight is over 2500kg and it has an uncompliant diesel engine.

Fitting a petrol engine. Petrol engined vehicles are unaffected by the LEZ scheme. What are the issues involved in converting diesel to petrol.

Fitting a compliant diesel engine. I wouldn't carry out an engine swap myself so roughly how much for a recon engine and fitting.

Fitting emissions control equipment. Any suggestions?

I've read elsewhere about downplating. How does this work? The unladen weight of my van is below the 2500kg limit.

Sell the van. Nooo!

It currently has about 100bhp and I wouldn't want any less power.

[Hitch78]

Sell the van - or buy/rent a lock up somewhere convenient.

[Baby Huey]

It's too big for a lock up sadly. I could find storage but that will cost plenty long term.

[N Dentressangle]

What model / year / engine spec of VW camper is it?

[Marquis_Rex]

40 bhp/tonne

[Baby Huey]

Marquis_Rex said:

40 bhp/tonne

It's a beast.

[Baby Huey]

N Dentressangle said:

What model / year / engine spec of VW camper is it?

It's a VW Florida, LT 31 based camper from 1991, with the 2.4td engine.

[sebhaque]

You may find a bit of interesting reading here - there are some links to other websites too. Whether the links still work or not after 2 years is another question but hopefully you'll find some useful information here.

http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Baby Huey]

sebhaque said:

You may find a bit of interesting reading here - there are some links to other websites too. Whether the links still work or not after 2 years is another question but hopefully you'll find some useful information here.

http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Thanks a lot.

I'll have a read.

[N Dentressangle]

Baby Huey said:

N Dentressangle said:

What model / year / engine spec of VW camper is it?

It's a VW Florida, LT 31 based camper from 1991, with the 2.4td engine.

Ah.

Then there are a number of useful VAG petrol engines which fit, including the Porsche 924 engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_LT

Looks like you've got until at least 2012 anyway:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/2526.aspx

so the easiest option would be to swap it for something compliant in the next couple of years, no?

[Baby Huey]

N Dentressangle said:

Baby Huey said:

N Dentressangle said:

What model / year / engine spec of VW camper is it?

It's a VW Florida, LT 31 based camper from 1991, with the 2.4td engine.

Ah.

Then there are a number of useful VAG petrol engines which fit, including the Porsche 924 engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_LT

Looks like you've got until at least 2012 anyway:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/2526.aspx

so the easiest option would be to swap it for something compliant in the next couple of years, no?

Thanks for these. There seems to be conflicting info on the start date. I really hope it's the end of next year.

The engine in mine was also used in the Volvo 740 I believe. A Volvo turbo lump may be the way forward.

Ideally I'd like about 200bhp and convert it to LPG.