LPG conversions

JipJopJones

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2006
Messages
4,475
Location
North Shore
Car(s)
1979 Cressida Wagon, 1981 Corolla Hardtop
Well, gas prices are high, and I have very little money. So I was wondering about running a car on Propane.

I've looked into costs and whatnot, but I was wondering, what sort of power output do you get? More? Less? Same? Different Torque/Power Ratio? What is it? :cheers:
 
LPG != propane

have no idea about propane, but on LPG you should have the same power
be warned though, that after 50 000km, your valve seals will be gone completely, and you'll need to have the head revisioned
 
LPG equates to about the same power (mild loss) and alot of your boot space. Some engines are better suited to it than others.

There are ford falcons here that have 500,000Km+ on them that run on LPG (taxi's)
 
^ If you stone-cold change-up from petrol to gas you can get rid of the petrol tank and put the gas canister in its place and then you don't lose boot space.

But most people have both petrol and gas (duel-fuel we call it) and can switch from one to the other at the switch of a switch. This gives you the benefit of ruining on petrol when the price is cheap and it also gives the car a huge range.

Performance will be very, very similar. So much so that you probably don't really need to worry about it... unless you're Dale Earnhard or some shit.

A few things to note: It stinks! You probably know this already but it's naturally odorless so to help detect (hazardous) leaks they impregnate it with the stench of rotten eggs. I honestly don't think I could handle pumping it... it would make me retch.

It's also less economical than petrol so if you get 20mpg with petrol don't count on getting 20mpg with gas...
 
I am driving LPG in my conversed 1.4 Ibiza for 37.000km now, and I don?t have any problems. LPG is Liquefied Petroleum Gas, it?s a Propane/Butane mixture.

The problem with the valve seats is only for older cars, newer cars have hardened valve seats. Otherwise, there is still an option to install a Flashlube system, that cools the combustion down a little bit, as LPG burns hotter than Petrol.

If you want to see Pictures of my cars LPG system, go here:

http://fakeadresse.de/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=29&catid=7

I get a consumption of ~9.2l/100km, on Petrol I was at ~7.5l/100km. Concerning that LPG costs 58c/l and Super Fuel is at 1.40?/l, that still is a very nice deal.

I already drove so many kilometers that the conversion costs already saved in and now I am really saving money ;)
 
Thanks for the info... and as for boot space.... It shant be a problem as it will be going into a pickup truck.
 
A few things to note: It stinks! You probably know this already but it's naturally odorless so to help detect (hazardous) leaks they impregnate it with the stench of rotten eggs. I honestly don't think I could handle pumping it... it would make me retch.

The smell is good thing though. If you smell it, it there's something wrong, even while you're pumping. The whole pumping system is pressurized and sealed to the tank so you shouldn't ever smell it.
 
The smell is good thing though. If you smell it, it there's something wrong, even while you're pumping. The whole pumping system is pressurized and sealed to the tank so you shouldn't ever smell it.

nah you can smell it even when you pump it, when you release the handle it lets a small bit out from the pump straight into the air.
 
It doesn't smell that bad, it's not like petrol and diesel smells of roses ethier!!!

LPG conversion on a pickup is great, just strap a couple of tanks up on the chassis rails. Only thing, check your insurance company will cover you, some get twitchy when you mention LPG.

Oh and bear in mind LPG systems are only pressurised to 60% of the tanks capacity so a 30litre tank won't be holding that amount.

Power and economy are down slightly, but you don't notice it. You can claim to be an eco warrior too, emissions will be superb and your engine won't coke up in carbon crap due to the cleaner burn.
 
... There's something about the smell, tho. Maybe it's just me but it really turns my stomach. Diesel smells like shit but it doesn't make me feel sick and I actually kinda like the smell of petrol... :blush:
 
That's true but you could have told him that LPG constits of propane and butane. ;)

What do you pay for LPG and petrol in Canada?

It's about 60 cents, give or take.

I really don't mind the smell of Petr.... you guys got me saying it now.... GAS, or diesel, I don't know about over there but here our Propane doesn't smell like rotten eggs it smells about the same as a Natural Gas stove....
 
... There's something about the smell, tho. Maybe it's just me but it really turns my stomach. Diesel smells like shit but it doesn't make me feel sick and I actually kinda like the smell of petrol... :blush:

Abbo! :p
 
yeah ok petrol does smell good, but proper leaded petrol used to smell great. I actually like the smell of LPG too, ours doesn't smell like eggs ethier, it's a bit like natural gas, but not, can't put my finger on its.


.....we sound like a bunch of glue sniffers
 
i love the smell of 2-stroke, reminds me of being at the gokart track mmmmm yehhh :heart:

oh, and avgas
 
^depends on the oil used

castrol 747 smells the nices imho
and i bought a batch of old texaco cans, and they STINK!!! realy. the bottles are all sucked in due to age, so probably that has also sth to do with it, but no one wants to drive behind me atm :D

That's true but you could have told him that LPG constits of propane and butane. ;)

euhm...i didn't know that :blush:
 
Top