Converting to LPG

Yorky

Has anyone converted their car to run on LPG or considered doing so? It's about 77p per litre in the UK.

Are there any mechanical problems associated with it and is it widely available?

Iwannahurl

I have no info re mechanical problems.

Even though an LPG conversion retains the option of using petrol by having two fuel sources on board, and the cost per litre is significantly lower, I would hesitate to convert because of the scarcity of LPG suppliers in the RoI. It just feels like too much hassle.

Yorky

Thanks-like many things, anywhere else but Ireland :rolleyes:

I suppose the rate of increase in the price of oil will dictate future availability.

frank gooding

Pointless in Ireland LPG is sold at the same price as diesel in Ireland.

Only worth while when you get it at uk prices.

dr.fuzzenstein

frank gooding wrote: »

Pointless in Ireland LPG is sold at the same price as diesel in Ireland.

Only worth while when you get it at uk prices.

That was true up to last year, when diesel started overtaking it.
Chawkes Garage in Limerick sells LPG at 99c.

Badda Bing

I think that the technological development and with it the inevitable popularity of diesel engined motors has made the need for LPG conversions a thing of the past.

I am not sure about this... did the Irish government offer a grant to motorists converting their motors over to LPG back in the 80s/90s?

Callaghan's Motorway Stores, Burt, Co. Donegal sell a litre of LPG at 75.9 cent/litre. Catches my eye every morning I drive past.

Vicxas

Call me uneducated but.... whats LPG? Biofuel?

keithclancy

Works well on larger engined cars.

Currently over 3000 LPG G3 Cars for sale in the Netherlands at the moment:
Link

Very Popular on the continent, you can actually afford to drive a big 3 liter V8 at the same price as you'd pay on a 2 liter engine running on Petrol.

Over here though LPG is less than half the price of Petrol but the Motor Tax goes up slightly due to the extra weight of the tank.

Mercedes S320 goes from 1700 to around 2100 / year with the LPG Tank (Motortax is done on weight and engine type here)

Plus LPG is way cleaner then Petrol or Diesel.

Only downside is you lose a sizeable part of your boot and the toroidial tanks take away your spare wheel plus have crap capacity.

Matt Simis

keithclancy wrote: »

Only downside is you lose a sizeable part of your boot and the toroidial tanks take away your spare wheel plus have crap capacity.

75litre with 80% fill capacity, ie 60litre, not wonderful, but not totally crap considering some cars come with 60litre tanks from the factory. I think toroidal tanks are the way to go.

Badda Bing wrote: »

I think that the technological development and with it the inevitable popularity of diesel engined motors has made the need for LPG conversions a thing of the past.

LPG usage is on the increase everywhere (else, other than backward ville Ireland). Its not just about MPG, LPG offers petrol driving at better than diesel prices while sourcing the fuel different than Oil. A huge chunk of EU LPG is produced locally, unlike our Petrol and Diesel.
"Propane is the third most widely used motor fuel in the world. 2008 estimates are that over 13 million vehicles are fueled by propane gas worldwide. Over 20 million tonnes (over 7 billion US gallons) are used annually as a vehicle fuel."

And as noted, cleaner too.

Vicxas wrote: »

Call me uneducated but.... whats LPG? Biofuel?

Liquid Petroleum Gas:

LPG is synthesised by refining petroleum or "wet" natural gas, and is usually derived from fossil fuel sources, being manufactured during the refining of crude oil, or extracted from oil or gas streams as they emerge from the ground. It was first produced in 1910 by Dr. Walter Snelling, and the first commercial products appeared in 1912. It currently provides about 3% of the energy consumed, and burns cleanly with no soot and very few sulfur emissions, posing no ground or water pollution hazards. LPG has a typical specific calorific value of 46.1 MJ/kg compared with 42.5 MJ/kg for fuel-oil and 43.5 MJ/kg for premium grade petrol (gasoline).[1] However, its energy density per volume unit of 26 MJ/l is lower than either that of petrol or fuel-oil.[citation needed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_petroleum_gas

In Ireland its mostly Propane, though Butane-Propane mixes are considered LPG too.

dr.fuzzenstein

keithclancy wrote: »

Over here though LPG is less than half the price of Petrol but the Motor Tax goes up slightly due to the extra weight of the tank.

Well, that wouldn't be a problem here.