ZS 180 now running at 10p per mile LPG

[papa_lazaroo]

Hello mates, after all of the trouble I had with the kit fitted by "Prestige LPG", who are anything but, I am happy to report the 650 miles and still going (early days I know).
The new system (Prinz) is running nicely. It isn't cheap at 1950 for the complete conversion, but you only get what you pay for.

Sadly I needed a bigger tank than the one they have fitted, so I only get 260 miles range, but at £23 to fill it back up, I can't complain.

I do have a massive grudge though.

We all know that diesel and petrol carry a high premium of TAX, but LPG doesn't. Doesn't stop the fuel stations taking the p!ss though. They set the price at half as much as petrol, despite only paying 29p litre at the wholesaler. It's a con.:shoot2:

[stamford]

Is there any other supplier you can use, or does it have to be a petrol station for H&S reasons?

[Boot Hill Bandit]

This country is very f****d up when it comes to stuff like that bud. I am so pleased you've got it going okay now though *touches wood* and shall be watching how you get on with interest ;) nice one for trying something that many haven't done with the ZS180 (I could stand corrected....)

Jim

[arwilson80]

IMO it's only a matter of time before LPG goes up in price too, but good to hear that you have got yours sorted out now. Happy motoring. :)

[papa_lazaroo]

I am told that Farmers are willing to sell it on to you, they buy it at Wholesale prices, and heat their chicken pens with it, and add 10p a litre for their troubles, and away you go.

I just need to find one.

I am also running an old diesel Maestro on a mix of Veg oil and parafin 75%/25%

[papa_lazaroo]

the government are tied into a legal charter for "alternative Fuels". they agreed that due to incentives for LPG that the government agree the duties to be added to LPG 3 years in advance to applying them. So even if Mr brown decided to add duty now, it can't be legally added for 3 years.

Job done.

there is an alternative make to Prinz, it's about 1800 for the conversion, but not as good at high tune. probably better on the 2.5 if fitted to a 75 or freelander, but not at 180 BHP.

[markyzs180]

in my slightly drunken state (c'mon the pats!!:clap:) am i right in saying if lpg/petrol prices stay the same it will have paid for itself in around 22k miles?

[Venom]

Is there any drop in performance having LPG mate?

[Venom]

in my slightly drunken state (c'mon the pats!!:clap:) am i right in saying if lpg/petrol prices stay the same it will have paid for itself in around 22k miles?

WAY HAY!! C'mon the Pats indeed!!!! at least I'm not the only one watching it :D (sorry to go off subject)

[azteczs]

go giants ha ! Anyone who is interested check out www.aztecs.co.uk I'm number 49 LOL

[papa_lazaroo]

in my slightly drunken state (c'mon the pats!!:clap:) am i right in saying if lpg/petrol prices stay the same it will have paid for itself in around 22k miles?

You are more or less right yes, plus you get a miserly £20 quid a year reduction in your car tax, plus you get free use of the roads
in Congestion charged areas. Where I work within Milton Keynes, I can register the car with the local council, and get free parking too.

[papa_lazaroo]

Is there any drop in performance having LPG mate?

You don't percieve any loss in performance as such no, but what seems to happen, is the Engine management computer seems to compensate for the lower combustion qualities of the LPG, by trading off a little of your MPG.

If I run on Un-leaded at 70 MPH I get about 3-4 mpg more than I do with LPG.

Cleaver really, that the engine's brain can adapt. Wish the Wife could !!!!

[Venom]

You don't percieve any loss in performance as such no, but what seems to happen, is the Engine management computer seems to compensate for the lower combustion qualities of the LPG, by trading off a little of your MPG.

If I run on Un-leaded at 70 MPH I get about 3-4 mpg more than I do with LPG.

Cleaver really, that the engine's brain can adapt. Wish the Wife could !!!!

Are you able to switch between the two fule types?

[papa_lazaroo]

Some systems are a pig for switching, but this sytem defaults to LPG unless you press the button to swich back to petrol. It switches automatically back to Petrol when you run out of LPG, so you don't have to worry about stalling at the side of the road.

When you start off in a morning, with the engine cold, it starts on Petrol, after about 500 yards, it then switches over to Gas. The only critisism I have, and it is a small one, is that when the tank is really low on gas, and you are doing a decent speed along country lanes and throwing the car about a little, the system seems to hesitate very occasionally. But if the tank has 1/4 gas or more, this never happens.

[mattie007]

go giants ha ! Anyone who is interested check out www.aztecs.co.uk I'm number 49 LOL

You don't know George Mann by any chance?
He comes from Bristol and played american football. I know him because he moved to kettering to do a course at Silverstone!

[markyzs180]

don't forget you'll need to change your sparks every 12 months now your running lpg...

[Southern Storm]

I so want to do this on mine but I just cannot afford it. Good its working out in the end bud.

[papa_lazaroo]

don't forget you'll need to change your sparks every 12 months now your running lpg...


I have bought the NGK plugs that are specially designed for Both LPG and the KV6. I am told that they are good for 30k, but if you decided for some reason to run on Un-leaded and never used LPG, then they'd need dumping every 10K.

Although the LPG burns a lot hotter than un-leaded (495 degrees compared to 850 for LPG) the by product of LPG is virtually no carbon deposits, mainly water. At the 1000 mile checkup this week the computer at the LPG place in Milton Keynes showed my car is creating less than 55 Mg of emission desposits, compared to 227 on Un-leaded.

[papa_lazaroo]

I so want to do this on mine but I just cannot afford it. Good its working out in the end bud.

I know what you mean, but consider this. If you borrow the money to pay for it, work out how much per year you'll save in fuel bills, divide that by 12 months and pay this much back permonth to the lenders, you'll have a system that is paying for itself, dumps less crap in your oil, lowers wear on the engine, and if you sell your car later on, for about 500 notes, they'll swith the system to your new motor. (you may need to pop a new bumper on to the old car though).

[garythesnail]

I know what you mean, but consider this. If you borrow the money to pay for it, work out how much per year you'll save in fuel bills, divide that by 12 months and pay this much back permonth to the lenders, you'll have a system that is paying for itself, dumps less crap in your oil, lowers wear on the engine, and if you sell your car later on, for about 500 notes, they'll swith the system to your new motor. (you may need to pop a new bumper on to the old car though).

I've been running mine on LPG for over 2 years and 47k miles now - I'd get a bigger tank ( but would have to chop out the spare wheel well to do this and retain the practicality of the boot) and put the number plate on a hinge and position the filler behind it so the hole won't be visible.

I don't notice any performance difference when running on LPG or petrol (and don't forget you'll still chuck in a fair amount of petrol over the years too). I changed the original plugs at 60k (which were in very good condition - the middle cylinder plug on both banks were a slightly darker colour) and no difference experienced with the new plugs fitted.

Mine's a prins 'piggy back' sequential system too, but they all seem to operate in a similar manner. The savings are there to be made, but not quite as much as I originally anticipated.

Low mileage users needn't bother converting as it just doesn't pay, but the other benefits are pointed out above.

If it's any consolation, mine stutters with less than a quaretr of a tank being chucked about the twisties too - scary the first few times, almost as if the brakes are put on!!

Saving money on fuel helps justify spending the pennies elsewhere too!

That's my tuppence worth anyway.

All the best,

Gary