Engine Gas Conversion

[dhamah]

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>>> Edited by johnny_k on Sunday 8th February 14:39

[simpo one]

I think LPG is worth considering for high mileages - it's a question of payback time, plus the fewer LPG outlets, loss of storage space for the tank and possible effect on resale vale.

With TVRs in mind I think the tank would, surely, take up much of the luggage space?

[kenny chim 4]

I've never heard of LPG running through a V8 but there's no reason why it can't, I guess. Even though there's currently lots of cars/vans using this twin method, I'd be seriously worried having a gas tank in the boot in front of (or behind - depending from where your'e viewing) the petrol tank, If some d****head runs into the back of you, wouldn't the effect be like a bomb?

[tvrheart]

www.v8engines.com has a mass of useful info + it's worth looking at just for the sound that kicks in when you do the url.

[the dodger]

tvrheart said: www.v8engines.com has a mass of useful info + it's worth looking at just for the sound that kicks in when you do the url.

Fantastic sound tvrheart! - I didn't bother going into the site, just listened to it! BTW - is that realy a Rover V8?

[nubbin]

Virtually all engines will run on LPG, but with a slight power loss, but same MPG. You have to run as a dual-fuel car, i.e. keep a petrol tank and add a tank for LPG. That might be a problem with the small boot size. My local gargage sells LPG and it's 33p a litre. Local cost of conversion is about £1500, so it should pay for itself with about 2500litres - about 50 tankfuls, or, (on my BMW 5 series) about a year or so. Not bad economics, I reckon!

[trefor]

kenny chim 4 said: I've never heard of LPG running through a V8 but there's no reason why it can't, I guess.

Loads of Land Rover V8 owners run LPG, I think I even spotted an LPG filler on Mark Adams' Land Rover (which is, ahem not standard).

Space is the issue - many people don't use most of the boot anyway ... maybe a second boot floor could be put in above the tank - it would still leave a bigger boot than a Z3/Alfa GTV/Fiat Coupr. Storing the roof could be a problem though ...

[M@H]

nubbin said: Virtually all engines will run on LPG, but with a slight power loss, but same MPG.

I heard you only get about 80% MPG (!?) but due to LPG being 50% of the price its a winner on the pocket..

Matt

[p7ulg]

We ran a dual fuel Astra van at work and it was terrific, mind you it was doing about 2000 miles a week!
With regards to using LPG on a TVR I think it would destroy the resale value, as gas does carry a lot of prejudices.Also I don't think it would be very viable as you would be running a high consumption engine ( rember an increase in fuel consumption does occur due to gas having a lower calorific value) with a small fuel tank.Added to this the availabilty of LPG, it makes super unleaded availibilty look plentiful!
All in all unless you were doing mega mileages you wouldn't recover the cost of conversion.

[incorrigible]

M@H said:

nubbin said: Virtually all engines will run on LPG, but with a slight power loss, but same MPG.

I heard you only get about 80% MPG (!?) but due to LPG being 50% of the price its a winner on the pocket..

Matt

Nah, had the conversion on a Range Rover you get nearer 95%, there's a small drop in max power but you can always switch it back to petrol at the traffic lights

[p7ulg]

nubbin said: Virtually all engines will run on LPG, but with a slight power loss, but same MPG. You have to run as a dual-fuel car, i.e. keep a petrol tank and add a tank for LPG.

This is because the engine has to starts on petrol and then it automatically changes to gas after a minute or two.Someone I know with a dual fuel merc reckons he only has to top up his unleaded every few month, as he runs on gas all the time!

[incorrigible]

p7ulg said: This is because the engine has to starts on petrol and then it automatically changes to gas after a minute or two.Someone I know with a dual fuel merc reckons he only has to top up his unleaded every few month, as he runs on gas all the time!

Not true anymore, conversions I've driven recently will start on gas, also the automatic switching is an optional extra

[p7ulg]

incorrigible said:

p7ulg said: This is because the engine has to starts on petrol and then it automatically changes to gas after a minute or two.Someone I know with a dual fuel merc reckons he only has to top up his unleaded every few month, as he runs on gas all the time!

Not true anymore, conversions I've driven recently will start on gas, also the automatic switching is an optional extra

Are you sure as I thought this was down to the lower calorific value of the gas and its ability to cold start the car .Usually the process was totally automatic as was the switching between tanks when they ran out of fuel.There was however a manual overide on the switch over

[incorrigible]

I'm not an expert, but....

I had a Range Rover with a gas conversion, started and ran fine on gas, there was an option of automatically switch to petrol (don't know if this was on start up or when the gas was low or both) but it was an extra £200. Don't know why it was so much, may be he just made all his money on the extras (the original conversion was only £1100 (paid for itself in 8000 miles ))

So, true on mine, but that's only one of a few that I've driven

[Qube]

All your answers can be found here :

www.autogas.co.uk/benefits2.htm