Jimboxr4x4

I am on the look out for a ST TDCI but they are a couple of grand dearer than the petrol equivalent ST220. Then I had a brainwave: buy an ST220 and get an LPG conversion!

On paper it seems to make sense. Ie buy an ST220 for £4k and spend £1500 to £2000 converting to run on LPG (whilst retaining petrol as well as you can switch between the two). I've then spent £6k in total which is the price of a half decent ST TDCI but LPG is only about 70p a litre!

Am I missing somethng or is this a good idea? Opinions please.

bj928

i've had a couple of 2.0 mondeos on LPG and an old P100, found it to be good, when my pickup comes overe from America that will be run on LPG

Turbo Zetec

iTrader: (1)

only problem with lpg is that it seems to wear valves/valve seats fairly quickly (compared to petrol), so unless you're handy with the spanners, it could end up costing you alot on headwork after a few years

JonnyBravo

Using a flashlube system get help against that.

If the engine is the same as the one used in the Jag S type then I have converted loads of them onto LPG and they work very well indeed.

Some were on BRC, most were on Prins.

Jimboxr4x4

Kind of academic for me now as just put a deposit down on a ST TDCI this evening. It was showing 56 mpg on the economy gauge which kind of swung it!

CarParts Express

I had an impreza on lpg with flashlube system , no probs

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

anyone got a cossie on lpg? genuine question?

kermitt

[quote=Jimboxr4x4;5493110]I am on the look out for a ST TDCI but they are a couple of grand dearer than the petrol equivalent ST220. Then I had a brainwave: buy an ST220 and get an LPG conversion!

Exactly my thinking. I was on the look out for a 530d sport for less than 10k with about 60k miles. After a few months there was sod all on the market and roughly a £3k difference between the sought after sport models and the bogging SE.

Then I spotted an E39 540 V8 with comfort seats, full sound system, spare wheels with full winter tyres and low mileage for a bargain price. Just need to spend the £2k on the LPG conversion and I will have 530d running costs together with a lower purchase price and not have to worry about expensive diesel repairs i.e. £1k for a Turbo, injectors or swirl flaps destroying my engine.

Plus I got a V8 soundtrack!

nugnah

lpg cars tend to run hotter than normal, be prepared for head gaskets going, my old boss ran 3 previa's and an A8 4.2 , all previas blew head gaskets and the A8 had trouble with the lpg injection system in the end.

jas

JonnyBravo

Previa shouldn't be converted to LPG, we avoided them due to valve seat errosion.

As for the A8 I have converted plenty and they take it perfectly, fit a crap system or set it up badly and they will destroy an engine in no time.

From personal experience which is 5 years of working for one of the best installers in the country I would only advise Prins on anything and the newer BRC setup on a quite a lot of vehicles.

We fitted the Eurogas system to Berlingo's and Partners and the new model vans, BRC to the transits all for the congestion charge. All of these work very well but have been through a lot of testing to comply with emissions and main dealer warranty.

I have a friend with a M5 V8 on romano and its been nothing but bother, he is looking to sell to buy and another and convert that and I advised it went on Prins as it tends not to cause any problems that lead to the petrol ecu flagging up faults.

www.gastech.org.uk, if you call them speak to Keith or Stuart as they are both very experienced with converting anything from a Smart Car to a 600hp Hummer to a speedboat.

JonnyBravo

I know of several, Phil Price Rally School run everything on LPG, thats MK2 Escort's with pintos, a rwd Grp A Esc Cossy and a Grp N Suabru, I believe he actually has a company doing installations as well as the rally school.