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Pics of my LPG install
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Author:  Che [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Pics of my LPG install
Well, can't find too many other people who've gone this route, so i'll post a couple of pics of the outcomes.

That's an 84L tank in the rear (68L useable capacity), costs ~$45 to fill and I'm getting just shy of 600k's to the tank. Consumption is around 11.3L/100kms, not bad seeing I was getting around 10.5L/100kms on petrol.

All the emission gear has been ripped off the carb and manifold (serves no function without petrol), and I could probably strip the carb back even further if I wanted.


New components - a ring mixer and regulator (2 wires to manage)

Ditched components - fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel pump, charcoal canister, ECR/PCV components (incl. control box), and various carby controls.


Al up it cost $2500, but I've got a $1750 rebate check on the way - effectively costing me $750 to switch.


Benefits - 100kms costs me $7.40 (petrol cost me $13.80), a considerable torque increase and power gain up to 5000RPM, less maintenence requirements, cleaner operating, theoretically engine life could double (taxi's run straight gas and will clock a million kms if well treated), can drive it upside-down and it won't stall, no petrol tank = more clearance, 200km greater range.

Downsides - needs a couple of minutes to warm up (still runs OK cold, just better with a bit of warmth in the regulator), less cargo space, weighs 40kg more with a full tank (1000kg vs 960kg on the weighbridge at work), no jerry can refills if I run out of gas, and no LPG refuels in the middle of nowhere.


I stuck with the second setup I tried (flows a little less gas) - the initial Impco valve mixer I trialled made the Sierra like bucking bull with power to burn (copied the gotpropane.com Samurai kit), but I only got 450km out of a tank. The second ring mixer I tried flows a little less gas, but still has a bucket-load more torque and low end power than my old petrol setup.


All in all, i'm happy as Larry with the conversion. Very neat, quality job from Metrolpolitan Gas in Brisbane.


Image

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Author:  Joe [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
8O I hope ya dont smoke in ya car :lol:
Author:  Scrawny [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
The only real downside for me would be availability, as you stated. You need to know where you're going to get the next tankfull from. Otherwise a good setup 8)

Does the a/c still work?
Author:  Che [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
ha ha! No fumes at all in the cab - installer told me I could smoke cigars in there if that's what I was into. Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBXS21uh ... PL&index=4

Hope my installer ain't a cowboy!!
Author:  BAZZOOK [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
make sure you change oil regularly as it always looks clean. no impurities deposited in the oil by gas.
Author:  royce [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
Did it go fast up hills with the other mixer?
Author:  atari4x4 [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
what about getting a BBQ gas bottle fitting made up for it... then you can have a jerry can?
Author:  Che [ Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
royce wrote:
Did it go fast up hills with the other mixer?


Held speed pretty well, only started fussing in the longer rolling climbs - if I had a decent filter and exhaust system (and toyed with the lagging timing a little), it would have been a rocket, - I never got to take it for a run offroad (due to the mid week change). I'd first need to upgrade the rest of my car before putting this mixer on. And that was the main problem.

The car really stunk of unburnt LPG exhaust, idle was terrible, car was running hotter (and feeling hotter inside) - and I ended up blowing the exhaust gasket where the header meets the start of the pipe... that sealed the deal for me, so I took it off for the ring mixer. It's perfect - and more power and torque in the more-often used 0 - 5000 RPM rev range. It also allowed me to maintain the stock air intake system - a valve-type mixer would need a custom intake solution.
Author:  eldo [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
atari4x4 wrote:
what about getting a BBQ gas bottle fitting made up for it... then you can have a jerry can?


I was thinking the same thing. Better still just use swap n go bottles
Author:  atari4x4 [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
eldo wrote:
atari4x4 wrote:
what about getting a BBQ gas bottle fitting made up for it... then you can have a jerry can?


I was thinking the same thing. Better still just use swap n go bottles


I was 100% serious & I have seen it done 8O

The only drama with swap & go is it's so freakin' expensive!
Author:  Built4thrashing [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
did you look into putting the LPG tank under the back where the old petrol tani was? should fit a decent tank under there.

B4T
Author:  Brett [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
i used to have a pipe to fill up my bbq bottles from my car till the dog thought it was a bone. works both was, it just equals out the psi in both tanks and doesn't fill them up. i would get you out of a jam.

you have to find a very nice lpg bloke to do it as its frowned on by the law
Author:  v.w.dave [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
how hard would it be to keep it duel fuel????
Author:  Che [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
Underneath just not enough room - looked at different shapes, a cylinder made the most of the available area, but as a 'main tank'... too limited a space available for a decent range tank. And the bigger you try to go the more risk you race of bottoming out on a rock, banging the diff into the tank... not a risk I was game to take.


Not sure if I have the extra valve on the tank to fit a secondary 'stop-and-go' bottle... sure would be cool though - illegal as hell, but cool. Straight propane fuel would be fanstastic - it's a shame it's wasted on BBQ bottles and forklifts.

More likely to get straight propane in country servos, as the BBQs and cars all fill from the same supply.


Definitely noticed that 'home brand' LPG (ie woolies or coles LPG) gives less performance than Autogas or Unigas - I think these 'brand' LPGs offer a higher octane (or higher propane content) fuel.

BP LPG is supposed to be the worst so I haven't tried it yet.


Dual fuel isn't be best option as you have a sort of compromise arrangement to get an average best from both petrol and LPG fuels - thus generally a loss in overall perfomance. Costs more to install too, as I think you need more components.
Author:  MacDaddy [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
che_guitarra wrote:
Dual fuel isn't be best option as you have a sort of compromise arrangement to get an average best from both petrol and LPG fuels - thus generally a loss in overall perfomance. Costs more to install too, as I think you need more components.


I would have kept it as Dual Fuel myself... dont know about Brisvegas, but in country WA, there are still alot of places that dont have LPG...

When i had my LPG converted Holden PV with 202, i had a long range LPG tank fitted, and i went on a trip from Perth to Exmouth, but there just wasnt enough servo's with gas to make it, if i didnt have petrol as well, i would have been stuck in the middle of nowhere...

I dont know about the alloy engines running on LPG all the time :roll: yes it would make them run hotter, which they Dont like... on my Holden PV, i also had a very simple and effective Water/Ethanol injection system to help keep the engine cooler, and not burn the valves out while running on LPG, but i still had to run the engine on petrol every now and then... so how do you keep the valves cool in your engine, and not do any engine damage ? :? :wink: :lol:
Author:  Santos [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
thats awesome, someone who has actually done straight LPG and got awesome results.

I have been wanting to do a dual lpg fors some time, its just that australia doesn't have small cylinders (i want like two scuba type tanks runing length ways between the wheel flares under the door)

My main idea was to go a 9.5 to 1 compression engine, programable ignition electronic and the ring adaptor
Author:  ball [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
MacBear wrote:

I would have kept it as Dual Fuel myself... dont know about Brisvegas, but in country WA, there are still alot of places that dont have LPG...

When i had my LPG converted Holden PV with 202, i had a long range LPG tank fitted, and i went on a trip from Perth to Exmouth, but there just wasnt enough servo's with gas to make it, if i didnt have petrol as well, i would have been stuck in the middle of nowhere...

I dont know about the alloy engines running on LPG all the time :roll: yes it would make them run hotter, which they Dont like... on my Holden PV, i also had a very simple and effective Water/Ethanol injection system to help keep the engine cooler, and not burn the valves out while running on LPG, but i still had to run the engine on petrol every now and then... so how do you keep the valves cool in your engine, and not do any engine damage ? :? :wink: :lol:


Alloy heads tend to have a hardened seat. The old holden will have a soft iron seat. A hard seat will be more forgiving of higher temperatures than a primitive old cast iron seat.
Author:  Che [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 5:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
My engine fan is actually fitted backwards - not sure what the previous owner had going on there... i'll probably advance the timing a fraction once i'm happy the new install has settled - so i'll fix the fan issue then.


That said the temp guage is indicating no difference in temperature petrol vs gas, pre vs post install - sitting at about 1/5th of the way up the guage - never seen it go much higher - even in the twice a day gridlock of peak hour Gateway Motorway traffic.


With the timing sorted and spark plugs correctly gapped the engine should be running a treat, without any temperature or wear concerns. Doesn't hurt an alloy taxi motor after all.


I can actually go 10,000ks without the need for an oil change... that's just something else i've learned!
Author:  Santos [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
The lpg tuning maunals i have read say that although a gas engine should be set up with more timing advance down low the total initial advance should be conservetive.

from memory it was from an american propane advocate with year of experience.

Might be worth recurving the distributor.
Author:  11_evl [ Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Pics of my LPG install
got any pics of the actual adaptor you used on the carb. your engine pics doesnt show it?
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