DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Old Leafsprung Land Rovers
HTML https://ollr.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Technical tips & Questions
*****************************************************
#Post#: 16444--------------------------------------------------
lpg
DIR By: seriesewan
Date: March 21, 2012, 9:41 am
---------------------------------------------------------
i have a 2286 5brng petrol in an 88
how much of a faff is converting to LPG & is it DIY'able? also
what would a gentleman expect to pay for such a conversion
either DIY or prof done
#Post#: 16449--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: 2.5petrol109
Date: March 21, 2012, 10:25 am
---------------------------------------------------------
It's a fair faff to do and I'm not sure it's quite as viable as
it was, and the taxman has his eye on the pump price. Did mine
ten years hence for jsut over 500 fitting myself. I've had my
dues out of it, largely becaues I do lots of miles, and had my
own tank.
HTML http://www.extrafuel.co.uk/,
but right now, I think it
looks like a TDi is the way to go. But a Tdi looks even more of
a faff to do.
You'll get more grunt out of a Tdi , which agreed, you can get
equally with LPG if you go the ACR route, I did, but even more
costly. So you'll not be doing LPG to save money unless you do
crazy mileages.
Only snag as I see it, I've jsut ridden in a TDi conversion for
the first time. Now, noise is my thing, and a great toy it was,
but a toy only, it was deafening. 20 minutes was enough. You
won't be going far in it.
So unless you're doing real milaege, or you want to do it,
"because, well... you just do", ie you fancy it, I say don't, I
say stay put. 'Cos the numbers simply don't add up.
But then, these things are not always abouut the numbers, so
fuck it, knock yourself out...
Isaac
#Post#: 16452--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: ashowman
Date: March 21, 2012, 10:54 am
---------------------------------------------------------
You will need an unleaded head.
Agree Tdi can be noisy, and depends if you have space available
for your tank, as it takes up a fair bit of room in an 88. I
think lpg prices will still be considerably less than petrol for
a long time yet.
Second hand lpg kits are available from time to time. Currently
this may be reasonable value
HTML http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Petrol-Engine-with-Full-Gas-Conversion-/251021326232?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a72097798
HTML http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Petrol-Engine-with-Full-Gas-Conversion-/251021326232?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a72097798,<br
/>then get someone off of here who knows what they are doing to
set it up for you.
Cheers
Simon.
#Post#: 16462--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: chally2
Date: March 21, 2012, 2:18 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
You can have mine if I can't fix my fucking engine :banghead
#Post#: 16470--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: hippydave
Date: March 21, 2012, 2:39 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
my conversion cost around £300 all in and thats with my head
having a skim and hardened valve seats fitted to the head and
all the gas bits (vaporizer, and solenoids, tank and piping etc
etc), the fitting of the lpg was done in an afternoon and took
around 3 to 4 hours all in. there is slightly less power with
gas and my timing is set at a happy medium between gas and
petrol, but gas dosnt like wet conditions as it needs a very
good spark and if it gets wet its a bastard to get going again.
I have a 80 ltr tank and that takes up one side of the 88 so
only 1 seat in the back, but it think its worth it.
#Post#: 16477--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: NoelC
Date: March 21, 2012, 3:16 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: seriesewan link ---
>
> how much of a faff is converting to LPG & is it DIY'able?
also what would a gentleman expect to pay for such a conversion
either DIY or prof done
--- End Quote ---
It's a bit of a faff however I've converted two series motors
myself with zero experience and didn't have any problems. I'd
certainly rate it as much easier to install an LPG kit than
install a Tdi. Both of mine have been converted for some time
and paid for themselves umpteen times over. The 109 kit was £385
and the 88 kit (from Tinleytech) was £425. Nowadays I'm sure it
could be done much cheaper with used kit off eBay.
The good points with LPG are in my experience the engine runs
better and starts easier. The oil stays cleaner for longer and
of course it's a damn site cheaper than petrol. The supply of
LPG vs demand means the price is more stable than petrol or
diesel. Negatives are the tank takes up space and LPG fuel
gauges are pathological liars.
Cost-wise if you were to assume (conservatively) you'd get 17mpg
on LPG you'd need to achieve 35mpg on diesel to match the cost
assuming LPG is 70ppl and diesel 145ppl.
Obviously this matters nowt to many on here but if you have any
desire to visit London in a non-tax exempt series you don't want
a diesel or you'll get fucked over by the LEZ.
#Post#: 16479--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: guest13
Date: March 21, 2012, 3:34 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I prety much agree with everything NoelC says ^^
Not really a faf to fit. I did mine in 3 half arsed days never
having seen an LPG kit before (to be fair could have done it
much quicker if id spent less time drinking coffee and making it
all look tidy)
As to unleaded heads, maybe. I ran my conversion on an engine
without one for several years with no evidence of valve seat
recession and still would be today had I not killed the engine.
You can get additives for it anyway if your worried, or fit
hardened valve seats when needed
It works out comparable to a TDi depending on your fuel prices
locally (around me a TDi would be marginally cheaper at the
moment, a few months ago LPG was)
My conversion cost about £450, so similar to a reasonable TDi
conversion (though both can be done cheaper)
Choice depends what you want, TDi will be faster, but less
refined and harder to fit, and in my opinion devalue the vehicle
more than LPG, but those are personal choices
#Post#: 16480--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: NiteMare
Date: March 21, 2012, 3:35 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
if you buy that one as linked above i can assist with collection
if you need a hand/engine hoist, i'm only in Birmingham and can
chuck the hoist in my trailer
#Post#: 16530--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: seriesewan
Date: March 22, 2012, 3:23 am
---------------------------------------------------------
hmm its all food for thought, i like the petrol engine so i
dont want to go down the tdi route, people have mentioned some
good points that i had not considered either
has anyone successfully put a tank in the void between the
chassis rails under the tub? i am thinking that would be a good
place for a toroidal tank
#Post#: 16540--------------------------------------------------
Re: lpg
DIR By: Doug_T
Date: March 22, 2012, 5:38 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: seriesewan link ---
>
> has anyone successfully put a tank in the void between the
chassis rails under the tub? i am thinking that would be a good
place for a toroidal tank
>
--- End Quote ---
On a 109, yes but I'm not sure how well you'd get around it on
an 88. If you could find somewhere on an 88 to mount a smaller
petrol tank then what you can do is get a couple of 35(ish)
litre tanks under each front seat to maximise your range on LPG
without compromising interior space. I also agree with
everything Noel and 5988 are saying; a WELL set up LPG system
should not give you any starting / running problems either (in
fact despite the slightly less calorific value of LPG - i.e.
less power - it does seem to pull better from low revs than
petrol).
For me the only major drawback is the need to plan routes around
LPG stations etc; my tank is only 50 litres (only fills to 40)
and that isn't enough for many of the journeys I do. This means
any journey over 130 miles or so (depending on how silly I'm
being with the throttle) ends up having between 10 to 20 minutes
tagged onto it for an enforced fuel stop, Sodt's law invariably
dictating that even on an empty forecourt there will be one car
always blocking the LPG pump.
If you DIY with a simple (cheap) system I really would recommend
going and having the full-throttle under load fuelling checked
out by someone with a gas analyser; I've seen a fair few 2.25
and 2.5 heads that have suffered from an excessively weak fuel
mixture under full load on LPG and it doesn't look pretty. You
can avoid this by running a BLOS system (as Noel does) or add a
closed loop system with a lambda sensor.
*****************************************************
Page 1 of 3
DIR Next Page