Change to my LPG plans

[Zaid]

For the last 4 weeks I was totally convinced to convert my car to LPG. Got a quotation and booked my car for sometime this week. Althought I had owned and experinced a V6 sport in the past that was running on LPG, all of sudden while being at work today, I asked myself a question, are there any side-effects of LPG? did my research (source from ciao.co.uk) and this is what I came up with (these are based on the long run):

1- The engines are not designed for fuels that do not have certain lubricators (i.e. the lead compounds in the regular and different substances in the unleaded) Therefore the valve seats and other components are worn much quicker.
2- No matter how high quality the system is, the regulator ("detentor" as they call it) is prone to failure and consequently, misadjustment.
3- Regarding the very high pressure involved, the ever present danger of a leak of this highly explosive gas is always causing concern.
4- The stench of exhaust whenever it enters the cabin is neausiating, worse than gasoline fumes.
5- Since the burn out of the gas produces high volumes of water vapor, the exhaust system corrodes very quickly. That includes the catalytic covnerter which is painfully expensive to replace. This will directly effect the mpg.
6- The different characteristics and efficiencies of the different fuels need different tune ups of the engine. No engine to be configurable for several fuel types is known yet. Should you decide to return to gasoline, you are in trouble...
7- LPG is a fuel designed for constant flame-burn; not detonation. On the other hand gasoline would not ignite easily even if you throw a burning match into it. A car' s engine is designed for detonations of the fuel. So fundamentally, LPG is not for internal combustion engines. The LPG conversion concept is basically a cross-breed freak.
(All this is told to me by a garage owner who actually converts vehicles to LPG)
8- As LPG burns faster, the heat produced is higher and overheating problems are more frequent - had that problem ocasionally on ex-LPG Galant.

Taking all these into consideration, I have decided not to go for the LPG, although according to my calaculations I will be saving about £50 per month.... however I would rather keep my car in tip-top condition... and maybe look at some other ways to make up the £50 per month :P

Also I advice you not use any of the online calaculators to see how much you will be saving, I have attached my excel sheet that I created, hope this might be useful to someone.

[Robotnik123]

Maybe you could drive a bit more conservatively to save fuel - drive like an OAP - you'll be one, one day anyway, so you may as well get in some practice now!

Also have you ever tried tailgating an HGV on the motorway? The reduction in wind resistance will definitely increase your fuel economy. Just be alert to any sudden braking on the part of the lorry.



For the last 4 weeks I was totally convinced to convert my car to LPG. Got a quotation and booked my car for sometime this week. Althought I had owned and experinced a V6 sport in the past that was running on LPG, all of sudden while being at work today, I asked myself a question, are there any side-effects of LPG? did my research (source from ciao.co.uk) and this is what I came up with (these are based on the long run):

1- The engines are not designed for fuels that do not have certain lubricators (i.e. the lead compounds in the regular and different substances in the unleaded) Therefore the valve seats and other components are worn much quicker.
2- No matter how high quality the system is, the regulator ("detentor" as they call it) is prone to failure and consequently, misadjustment.
3- Regarding the very high pressure involved, the ever present danger of a leak of this highly explosive gas is always causing concern.
4- The stench of exhaust whenever it enters the cabin is neausiating, worse than gasoline fumes.
5- Since the burn out of the gas produces high volumes of water vapor, the exhaust system corrodes very quickly. That includes the catalytic covnerter which is painfully expensive to replace. This will directly effect the mpg.
6- The different characteristics and efficiencies of the different fuels need different tune ups of the engine. No engine to be configurable for several fuel types is known yet. Should you decide to return to gasoline, you are in trouble...
7- LPG is a fuel designed for constant flame-burn; not detonation. On the other hand gasoline would not ignite easily even if you throw a burning match into it. A car' s engine is designed for detonations of the fuel. So fundamentally, LPG is not for internal combustion engines. The LPG conversion concept is basically a cross-breed freak.
(All this is told to me by a garage owner who actually converts vehicles to LPG)
8- As LPG burns faster, the heat produced is higher and overheating problems are more frequent - had that problem ocasionally on ex-LPG Galant.

Taking all these into consideration, I have decided not to go for the LPG, although according to my calaculations I will be saving about £50 per month.... however I would rather keep my car in tip-top condition... and maybe look at some other ways to make up the £50 per month :P

Also I advice you not use any of the online calaculators to see how much you will be saving, I have attached my excel sheet that I created, hope this might be useful to someone.

[Zaid]

Driving after an HGV doing max 60 miles an hour... hmm... wont work for me :P

[richy rich]

Also have you ever tried tailgating an HGV on the motorway? The reduction in wind resistance will definitely increase your fuel economy. Just be alert to any sudden braking on the part of the lorry.
Please don't advise people to do this, as someone with a class 1 HGV I hate people tailgating. It is a dangers way to drive. (and before anybody starts saying that HGV's tailgate, I hate that to).

[Paul Beazer]

5- Since the burn out of the gas produces high volumes of water vapor, the exhaust system corrodes very quickly. That includes the catalytic covnerter which is painfully expensive to replace. This will directly effect the mpg.
6- The different characteristics and efficiencies of the different fuels need different tune ups of the engine. No engine to be configurable for several fuel types is known yet. Should you decide to return to gasoline, you are in trouble...

#5 AsS far as excess water vapour, this would only be an issue if you only do short journeys, this also applies to petrol powered cars. Simply put the water vapour doesnt dry out until the cars properly warmed up, so it sits in the exhaust system. Once its warmed up it should be a problem.
#6 Why it is possible to convert the car to be used with LPG, but not possible to put it back to petrol use?

Strikes me the person who wrote this had a bad experience and isnt being particularly impartial.

[peter thomson]

It sounds like he has had a bad conversion as there are many happy owners out there going by the forum I use and from personal experience of running on LPG since 99 in 4 different cars

[Zaid]

Personally I was pleased with my ex LPG Galant for the period that I had her.. and a number of mates have LPG cars, all are very happy with their cars... but the Galant is so precious to me and after reading the reviews above on the net, I have completely changed my mind. I might consider converting another car but not the Galant.

[Robotnik123]

Please don't advise people to do this, as someone with a class 1 HGV I hate people tailgating. It is a dangers way to drive. (and before anybody starts saying that HGV's tailgate, I hate that to).

Yes, it is very dangerous and not recommended.

It is a possible means of saving fuel though - I saw it on Mythbusters! ;) Driving at 55mph and 100 feet behind a big rig they increased their mpg number by 11%. 50 feet gave them a 20% improvement and at 10 feet they had a 39% improvement in fuel economy.

[bradc]

sounds like a plan :D

[richy rich]

Yes, it is very dangerous and not recommended.

It is a possible means of saving fuel though - I saw it on Mythbusters! ;) Driving at 55mph and 100 feet behind a big rig they increased their mpg number by 11%. 50 feet gave them a 20% improvement and at 10 feet they had a 39% improvement in fuel economy.
Yes take your car up in a plane to 2000ft and drive it out without a parachute will save you 99% fuel. /haz

[Zaid]

Yes, it is very dangerous and not recommended.

It is a possible means of saving fuel though - I saw it on Mythbusters! ;) Driving at 55mph and 100 feet behind a big rig they increased their mpg number by 11%. 50 feet gave them a 20% improvement and at 10 feet they had a 39% improvement in fuel economy.

Thats probably true in dry weather only... in rain, there will be more sprays of water that will definatley reduce the mpg?

[Robotnik123]

Thats probably true in dry weather only... in rain, there will be more sprays of water that will definatley reduce the mpg?

Yes that may be true. Fortunately, the United Kingdom enjoys a warm, dry sub-tropical climate, so rain isn't a problem most of the time, is it? LOL!