MEGATHREAD - All things LPG 💚🚘

[Teekay]

Morning fellow members, LPG Gurus and Students are invited to this post.

looks like LPG kits, conversion, performance, issues, tips, tricks, costs, safety information etc, there is so much to talk about LPG kits that it deserves its own dedicated MEGATHREAD. Alphards and Vellfires can be bit more green with this.

Please share your experience 

What kit you use? Stag? Brc? More?

Lessons learnt?

MPG you get?

Things you wish you knew?

Access to pumping facilities?

Travel restrictions (if any)?

Tank sizes? Tank placement? Etc 

[Rojie]

1 hour ago, Teekay said:

Morning fellow members, LPG Gurus and Students are invited to this post.

looks like LPG kits, conversion, performance, issues, tips, tricks, costs, safety information etc, there is so much to talk about LPG kits that it deserves its own dedicated MEGATHREAD. Alphards and Vellfires can be bit more green with this.

Please share your experience 

What kit you use? Stag? Brc? More?

Lessons learnt?

MPG you get?

Things you wish you knew?

Access to pumping facilities?

Travel restrictions (if any)?

Tank sizes? Tank placement? Etc 

Unforunately, LPG vehicles are not allowed to use the Channel Tunnel !

[Oddcouple]

We are planning to run a season on petrol and look at the impact on finances! I know we will get less mpg on LPG, but offset by cost, which although rising, is no where near the painful prices of super unleaded. I’ve seen some folk stating around 500 miles with 2 full tanks, which is quite impressive if true. All info most welcome to help us make the decision! We are quite lucky with a decent amount of local LPG garages, I know some are not as fortunate.

[Teekay]

3 hours ago, Rojie said:

Unforunately, LPG vehicles are not allowed to use the Channel Tunnel !

That's what I remembered from last trip, thanks for confirming. I assume ferry are not having such restrictions?

[Teekay]

55 minutes ago, Oddcouple said:

We are planning to run a season on petrol and look at the impact on finances! I know we will get less mpg on LPG, but offset by cost, which although rising, is no where near the painful prices of super unleaded. I’ve seen some folk stating around 500 miles with 2 full tanks, which is quite impressive if true. All info most welcome to help us make the decision! We are quite lucky with a decent amount of local LPG garages, I know some are not as fortunate.

I'm told LPG gives 10 percent less mpg than petrol. So it's not too bad. Cost of kit can be 1100-1500 range, so depending on miles clocked it should work. Now whether it affects engine life, piston rings, performance etc, these are questions we wait for some experienced blokes to comment on.

[Oddcouple]

1 minute ago, Teekay said:

I'm told LPG gives 10 percent less mpg than petrol. So it's not too bad. Cost of kit can be 1100-1500 range, so depending on miles clocked it should work. Now whether it affects engine life, piston rings, performance etc, these are questions we wait for some experienced blokes to comment on.

Come on experienced folk, we know you’re out there!

[Alphard Club]

On my 10 series i had a stag system, it was great. Instantly stopped having fuel anxiety as i was paying a lot less.

 

Stag system is great, the installer from Profess Autogas could log in and make any tweeks via my PC, without having to make any trips to see them.

 

My 20 series can fit a 95 litre tank but 2 of the 4 LPG stations around here have stopped providing gas and with the recent announcement that MFG (BP garages) will stop providing LPG at petrol stations soon made me decide not to get my 20 series converted. I now use the Alphard at the weekend and drive a small car to work during the week whilst fuel is at it's all time high.

[Teekay]

18 hours ago, Alphard Club said:

On my 10 series i had a stag system, it was great. Instantly stopped having fuel anxiety as i was paying a lot less.

 

Stag system is great, the installer from Profess Autogas could log in and make any tweeks via my PC, without having to make any trips to see them.

 

My 20 series can fit a 95 litre tank but 2 of the 4 LPG stations around here have stopped providing gas and with the recent announcement that MFG (BP garages) will stop providing LPG at petrol stations soon made me decide not to get my 20 series converted. I now use the Alphard at the weekend and drive a small car to work during the week whilst fuel is at it's all time high.

Spoke to Profess guy Andrew, he can do annual check/lpg kit mot sorts remotely and send filters to change. To leave car for four days at his place is bit inconvenient but I suppose has to be done. I got only 1 shell selling lpg in my neck of the wood, I'm also feeling unsure too go for it not.

[Teekay]

I wonder how the lpg behaves on extremely cold days?

if used for only short journeys, is that any issue?

Edited June 7, 2022 by Teekay

[Alphard Club]

1 hour ago, Teekay said:

I wonder how the lpg behaves on extremely cold days?

if used for only short journeys, is that any issue?

The engine will use petrol for slightly longer until it reaches its proper running temprature.

 

[Alphard Club]

1 hour ago, Teekay said:

Spoke to Profess guy Andrew, he can do annual check/lpg kit mot sorts remotely and send filters to change. To leave car for four days at his place is bit inconvenient but I suppose has to be done. I got only 1 shell selling lpg in my neck of the wood, I'm also feeling unsure too go for it not.

He usually has a courtesy car. Yes i had to leave mine, but I can tell you this guy knows his stuff and does a great job, he sent me pictures of the work as he went along. 

I also had the small fuel meter installed inside my ashtray so it was all hidden away. When it's low it beeps.

[Teekay]

That's very interesting. I was thinking I'll do it manually - turn to petrol at end of every journey and turn to gas five min after start of every journey. But it is done for you..

 

If running on lpg mostly, petrol in the tank can start going off if kept for far too long? I  imagine it will be good to not fill the petrol tank full but say only 1/3rd. 

[Alphard Club]

18 minutes ago, Teekay said:

That's very interesting. I was thinking I'll do it manually - turn to petrol at end of every journey and turn to gas five min after start of every journey. But it is done for you..

 

If running on lpg mostly, petrol in the tank can start going off if kept for far too long? I  imagine it will be good to not fill the petrol tank full but say only 1/3rd. 

 

it will take a long time for fuel to go off. But i wouldnt run around on a full tank of petrol as for every litre of fuel is 1kg of weight to carry around.

Yes LPG switches by itself, its seamless, maybe a slight jolt if it switches when accelerating, apart from that you never know it has swtched.

LPG has a slight less calorific value so burns 10% faster than standard petrol, but it's still a good saving. However, has higher octane which is good.

You will never fill a tank to it's full capacity, around 85%, so the bigger the tank the better.

only dislike was the smell when filling up, The gas reminds me a smelly cabbages lol.. 
 

[Teekay]

I was told by someone that we can get two tanks fitted if you r wanted. Say 60x2. 

 

AFAIK Petrol shelf life is 3-6 months usually and if using lpg mostly, that can be easily reached 

[Alphard Club]

6 minutes ago, Teekay said:

I was told by someone that we can get two tanks fitted if you r wanted. Say 60x2. 

 

AFAIK Petrol shelf life is 3-6 months usually and if using lpg mostly, that can be easily reached 

Just run around with 20 litres in, you will go through that when warming up and every now and then stick £15 in. 

[Oddcouple]

Genuinely finding all of this massively interesting, thanks all!

[Teekay]

I find megathread good option like a pin up board where you know what to look where. Participantion could be better but between Alphard Club, Chris Rojie you and few more it is making all worth it 

[Teekay]

https://www.drivelpg.co.uk/approved-installers/find-an-approved-installer/

 

Good site to find approved installers

 

Its seems so many of them use Prins LPG kit - not sure why

[Teekay]

Position of LPG filling point on the car often seems to be quite awkward and low. I hope I can get it fitted on side of the car at same height as petrol cap. Not best to have to go on knees every time need refill 🧎