I was just wondering if anyone knows what cars can / can't be converted to run on LPG.
I have heard of someone with a subaru impreza turbo running on lpg, and i'm curious about the idea. Stonking performance at a sensible fuel cost....
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All petrol cars can be converted to LPG quite easily. Reputedly there is a loss of 10% or so in economy, but little loss in performance. Due to the lack of carbon in LPG engine life is considerably extended if you convert a nearly new car and keep it for yonks. You could get round the "loss of boot space" problem by having the original petrol tank removed and running on LPG exclusively, putting the LPG tank where the petrol tank was.
Diesels can be converted, but may require engine mods so the economics of the conversion need to be considered more carefully for each individual circumstance.
Does anyone know the policy of the ferry companies or Eurotunnel toward transporting converted cars? I've heard they won't take converted cars. Is this true?
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Ferry companies will ask you to isolate the lpg supply - so if you're 100% lpg rather than dual fuel, that sort of knackers you, unless you want to push it on and off the boat! :o)
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lack of carbon in LPG??!?!
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Cyclone Cyd is not correct. Because the valve timing has to be altered slightly to suite LPG, cars with variable valve timing cannot normally be adapted to run on it. There are also reports of valve seat recession problems on some engines running on LPG.
HJ
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Cyclone Cyd is partially wrong in another way too.
Cost of converting diesels to run on LPG is such that its just not worth it For example convert a truck engine to run on gas, you start it on diesel then run it on a diesel 20% gas 80% mix (CNG) takes ~300,000 miles before you've paid for the cost of the conversion. Sensible to do it on a car? I think not.
Source Transport Engineer Magazine of Society Operational Engineers. (formerly Inst Road Trans Eng)
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I know you can't take an LPG powered car through the tunnel :-(
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Not sure about the Impreza Turbo.
I had a long chat with an approved fitter about a year ago. He said turbo equipped vehicles couldn't be converted, but designers were trying to solve the problems.
Anyone know if they succeeded?
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Can't be 100% LPG. Must always start on petrol.
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