gas conversion

[barrymarie]

Hi all,question may have been asked before,but has anyone any experience good or bad on the fitting of a gas conversion to a mercedes in general and the 5 ltr v8 in particular,thanks:

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

I have carried out a little research, but not specific to Merc's; my v8 Rangy actually. However similar engines..................
Consider where the gas tank will be located? filling up the boot/spare wh'l issue's etc. Need a reputable multipoint system, Rovers suffer combustion within the induction System with single point.
I dont think thee are many people on the forum with LPG conversions. Probably be prove wrong after saying that!
TB

 

[hairyg]

There has been a recent thread (LPG Conversion) on this subject and there do seem to be a few LPG converted MB's around.

My advice would be to avoid single point systems like the plague. Multi point is more expensive to fit but will prove cheaper in the long run as it won't destroy your engine compartment!

I've run 4 and 6 cylinder cars on LPG without any problems and I know of many V8 RangeRovers with the conversion.

I sacrificed half the boot space on my old C Class for an 80 litre LPG tank and the SL has a donut tank in place of the spare wheel. This only holds 30 litres or so but this is fine even when touring in Europe.

LPG is going up in price in line with petrol and diesel, but is still about half the price. Even at motorway services I can fill my tank and get change from a £20 note!

 

[A210AMG]

I've recently started 'looking' at Rangers and the 4.4 V8 with Gas, spoke to owners who are very happy. Also 95L tank where spare wheel goes means at least you get a desent range.

I would be very tempted to go the LPG route the way things are going,


My millage is just too low to warrant

 

[frank133]

Hi mate I can only go on my experience I have a 190e 2ltr Sportline,its auto so not economical,I decided to convert to LPG,I bought a kit from someone who was recomended to me,and fitted it myself.It took a week or so,but I just took my time and done it properly.it is a single point system,the mixer is fitted on top of the fuel distributor.I have had it tuned and safety checked.I am pleasantly surprised there is not a great deal of difference in performance,and starts on petrol and immediately goes on gas.At a total cost of £600 ,I am well happy.

 

[karl.w]

in the last month Ive been shown installs on an E55 AMG (w210), ML55 AMG and an E500 (w211) all converted to LPG with prins lpg systems and they all run perfect with no noticeable loss of power.

so the merc v8's run well on LPG.;-)

 

[Devonian]

I had my E200 converted 18 months ago and have done nearly 40K miles since. I have a Prinz multipoint system which so far has performed without any problems

 

[Xtractorfan]

I had my E200 converted 18 months ago and have done nearly 40K miles since. I have a Prinz multipoint system which so far has performed without any problems

And would you recommend it..what is the fuel consumption?

 

[barrymarie]

Thanks for input,now looking for local lpg fitter,converter? Any recomendations Barnsley Sth Yorks area

 

[Brian J]

I can recomend these people for you they are close to J28 M1 they put LPG on my Lincoln Town Car Limousine for me and they really do know what they are doing and are no cowboy outfit like some. Here is a link for them give him a ring and I'm sure you will be impressed with him. Give Kevin a call 01773 741230. Regards Brian

http://www.autotech-lpg.co.uk/

 

[manzar]

I am in a similar position. Had quotes ranging between £2000-2300. The tank fits into the spare wheel compartment. You would save about 40% on your fuel bills. Don't forget the initial installation cost, if you are doing only a few thousand miles a year, it will be a few years before you start saving. The other point to consider is that LPG cars are not allowed in Euro Tunnel.
I hav't made up my mind yet, please let me know if you find a better price on installation. Thanks, M

 

[hairyg]

I was quoted £228 return for the SL and 2 people to use the Channel Tunnel and £49 return for the SL and 2 people on the ferry.

I'm not very worried by the Tunnel ban on LPG. £179 buys an awful lot of fuel, especially autogas!

Some underground car parks also prohibit LPG vehicles but they are rare. I've usually noticed the prohibition as I am driving out and I ain't got a fine yet.

If you do enough mileage to recover the conversion cost in a reasonable time it's a great fuel to burn.

 

[Aussie Nick]

I dont believe the LPG is the answer. Where I come from there are huge natural LPG reserves.Yes it is cheap compared to petrol. However.......... Be prepared to suffer a loss of engine performance and down track be prepared to replace the whole motor prematurely.
There have been tough Toyota land cruisers with hardened valves which have consistently suffered the consequences referred to above at some point .
Just remember if you combine LPG with a concentrated pure form of oxygen it will cut through a thick steel plate like a knife going through butter.

 

[GAZZA91]

I dont believe the LPG is the answer. Where I come from there are huge natural LPG reserves.Yes it is cheap compared to petrol. However.......... Be prepared to suffer a loss of engine performance and down track be prepared to replace the whole motor prematurely.
There have been tough Toyota land cruisers with hardened valves which have consistently suffered the consequences referred to above at some point .
Just remember if you combine LPG with a concentrated pure form of oxygen it will cut through a thick steel plate like a knife going through butter.

Aussie Nick, are you saying it is quite common (in Lovely Ausralia,) for cars to age/die earlier than normal on LPG?

If yes, i will not think about LPG in my SL500.

 

[Aussie Nick]

My son works part time at a mechanic shop. He continually comes in with reports of the problems I have outlined.
Some of the 4 WD enthusiasts report the same problem down track on their vehicles.
The earlier NJ Mitsubishi V6 was converted by some owners to LPG with disastrous consequences.This vehicle did not have hardened valves and it was common for head and valve failure to occur wthin a few thousand ks. The later NLs were produced with hardened valves which ensured greater longevity.
There are a great number of holden and ford taxis here running on LPG which will cover several hundreds of thousand kms.However the change over motors for these vehicles are relatively cheap and one cannot ascertain wether they cover those ks with afew engine changeovers or none. Certainly most drivers who convert to LPG brag about the economy.
However reading between the lines one can sensibly conclude the following:

LPG will affect some, if not all motors detrimenally to varying degrees.
In some cases a complete head replacement will be required at some point down track.
It takes more LPG per kilometre to move the vehicle than petrol.
All drivers spoken to acknowledge more performance from the motor when they switch to petrol from LPG.
The Lpg tanks are bulky (and downright ugly ) and take up valuable space.
Because of their placement,Usually in the boot or rear station wagon area the tanks are never safety crash tested and they can present a real safety concern in an accident, especially a severe shunt in the rear.
As more drivers convert to LPG the price of this fuel will accelarate dramatically especially as this country now exports massive amounts of the stuff to China and Japan.
I will not be converting to LPG no matter how high the price of petrol goes..

 

[hairyg]

I can't help wondering if LPG means something different in Australian.

I have driven over 100,000 miles on LPG without problems and know of many other LPG users who can say the same.

The calorific value of LPG (in the UK) is slightly lower than petrol so it is true that you burn slightly more gas than petrol for the same number of miles, getting between 90% and 95% of the petrol mileage depending on the conversion.

Maybe there has been no crash test work done in Austalia but tanks supplied in Europe have been crush tested (not crash tested) and there has been no major incident arising from LPG for many years although there where a couple of nasty incidents back last century.

As for lack of performance, I have never had the SL flat out on either fuel so what does it matter. If anyone worried about lack of power is driving the wrong car for them.

The price of LPG is related to the price of crude oil and rises and falls (hopefully) in line. The main part of the price differential in the UK is Fuel Duty and this differential is likely to continue for some time. The situation in Australia may well be different but hardly concerns most UK drivers.

The only thing I agree with Aussie Nick about is the inadvisabilty of buying a 4WD Mitsubishi with an LPG conversion, they obviously don't work. Fords and Holdens (That's Vauxhall to us Brits, isn't it) are probably OK.

Finally, concentrated pure oxygen will cut steel however you choose to heat the steel. The steel actually burns in the oxygen once it is heated enough. You can actually cut steel that has been heated in a domestic fire if you apply a jet of pure oxygen. It makes a mess of the carpet though

 

[Aussie Nick]

Thanks Harry. I like your novel suggestion for cutting steel. Perhaps you could favour the forum with a DIY Thread on this wood fired steel cutting procedure. Actually I have run out of the stuff and need to cut a piece of steel, if you can demonstrate how it is done. Who knows someone may chose to patent the process and get rich quick.

I am pleased that you have had no problems with your car hopefully this remains the case. As I indicated some vehicles seem to get a good run others don't.

No you can't equate a Holden or Ford to a Vauxhall. Some of these vehicles come standard with 350 kilowatts or there abouts. They are more fashioned to the American counterparts.

The Mitsubishi Pajero is a fine underated vehicle and very capable in rugged conditions. The transfer case was so well designed that Volvo purchased the design. Further Benz has a major stake in the parent company and it must be remembered that Mitsubishi was originally an Aircraft manufacturer responsible for producing the Fighter bomber known as the ZERO.

I am pleased you have challenged my stance as this is what the forum is all about . Good healthy debate will assist all members to achieve decent results.

We have been using LPG for some time here as an alternative vehicle fuel and its popularity far exceeds the choice for Diesel which is reseved for Tractors, Bobcats and of course Excavators. Although of recent times this situation was changing,especially with the 4WDs.
The reason why Lpg is cheaper than petrol is because there are less people using it as a car fuel.The moment everybody converts over to it the price will skyrocket and may exceed that of petrol.

As far as the crushing goes this is not the same as testing a car in a crash test and I dont know one installer who has crash tested converted Lpg cars.

I noticed one member did his own conversion . I would point out to anyone attempting this that the conversion requires a considerable amount of skill and experience. There was a case of someone here recently who carried this out in his home garage. Something went wrong and the person died, taking the house with him and damaging several adjacent properties.

 

[hairyg]

Quote: "Thanks Harry. I like your novel suggestion for cutting steel. Perhaps you could favour the forum with a DIY Thread on this wood fired steel cutting procedure. Actually I have run out of the stuff and need to cut a piece of steel, if you can demonstrate how it is done. Who knows someone may chose to patent the process and get rich quick."

We just hit the Aussie/English language barrier again. Most domestic fires in the UK would be coal burning, not wood. The point is that it is the steel burning in an oxygen rich environment, not the fuel used to heat the steel.

I don't think you could get a wood fire hot enough, but maybe with charcoal. You could give it a try on the barbie:smile: I have seen it demonstrated by a blacksmith with a coke fire and a conventional cutting torch with only the oxygen bottle connected.

Aren't Holden and Vauxhall both General Motors brands? I know there is at least one Vauxhall muscle car that is based on an Aussie original.

 

[Juddian]

Touching on Mitsubishi's for a moment, we almost bought a 2004 shogun (pajero) early
last year, it was the 3.5 V6 petrol.

It was a particularly good example with low mileage and posh lady owner (usually means well treated and it was).

Obviously this would have been bought with LPG conversion in mind, and i had a couple of quotes, but one of the most helpfull in the UK, at High Wycombe informed me that as the shogun was direct injection, the petrol injectors would burn out in time, at a cost of huge proportions. He was talking in a timescale of 30 thousand miles or so for the injectors to be ruined. Makes sense in a way, as the petrol injectors would still be in the combustion chamber, but running hotter, and possibly drier than they normally would.

The thing is not all of the gas converters were so prepared to tell the downside of conversion to this particular vehicle.
I only relate this story to stress how important it is to get as much advice as possible before taking the plunge.

By the way we bought a diesel hilux instead.

 

[Aussie Nick]

Yes Gm Build the Holden. I dont know about the Vauxhall which I always knew of as an English car. It is the Holden Monaro and the GT Ford falcon v8s which are Aussie Legends and considered true blue muscle cars. The Monaro is the Camaro counterpart and the GT is a souped up Ford Mustang to put it simply. There was a 1972 Gt Falcon that recently sold for $one million or there abouts. Of course they are all gas guzzlers extrodinaire.