Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
  
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You're welcome. Keep me posted with the progress and I'll let you know the economy when I check it.
Leo
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 2nd Nov 2005 9:26 am |
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JP
Member Since: 23 Oct 2005
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 7
 
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Monkeyhanger, did you manage to take any photos of the tank yet? I really interested to see how you've got it fitted in.
JP
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| 2nd Nov 2005 2:13 pm |
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Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
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Sorry about the photo's.I have an Apple Mac as my main computer and a PC back up. The camera I have is that old, it runs on gas as well and won't download on the Mac so I have to use the PC. When I get all three talking to each other I'll post them.
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| 2nd Nov 2005 2:16 pm |
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espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
 
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I was interested to read about this possibility of an LPG conversion for the Disco. Is my understanding right, that you still have the full petrol-driven capability (and fuel capacity) of the car as well as the LPG option after the conversion? Do you have to switch manually between LPG and petrol or does that happen automatically?
Any further info about economy yet? And the photos?
Thanks for any information.
Eric
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| 8th Nov 2005 12:47 am |
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Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
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Hello Eric.
The car is a standard Disco 3 with a V8 petrol engine. Nothing has been altered on the V8 engine.
A 120 litre cylindrical tank has been fitted where the rear offside (right hand side) seat,in effect the seventh seat, was. This seat has been removed and the tank secured using the seat bolt holes. The tank is filled using a baynot type filler mounted next to the petrol filler cap. LPG from the tank is fed to 8 injectors which feed the cylinders the same way as the petrol injectors do. This process is operated from a switch which can be mounted any where on the dash but in my case, neatly below the cigarette lighter. Once the switch is turned on the system remains operational until the LPG runs out. The car automatically then switches to petrol.
From cold the car runs on petrol and when it reaches 40 degrees C (about 200 metres) changes automatically to LPG.
Although the side effect is 90% less harmful emmisions from the gas compared to petrol the main benefit in the UK is the cost.
Current prices are 96 pence per litre of Diesel, 92 pence per litre of petrol and due to less tax on LPG, 35 pence per litre LPG. The mileages are approx 30 MPG on Diesel, 18 MPG on petrol and 15 MPG on LPG. As you can see, the effective cost is abou 25p per mile on petrol, 15p per mile on Diesel and 10p per mile on LPG.
Also in the UK the road tax is cheaper compared to other fuels and because the gas doesn't desolve your engine oil and remove it from the rings like petrol and diesel do, there's less wear and tear on your engine.
There is no loss of performance, and the car still takes off like a rocket.
I hope to have some photos for you some time this week when I fathom out how to use the camera.
Want anymore information please don't hesitate to ask.
Leo
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| 8th Nov 2005 1:31 am |
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espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
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Hello Leo,
Many thanks for the very full and interesting answer -and remarkably quick it was too. What are you doing up at this time of night, even if you are an hour behind me? I have just discovered this forum and haven't been able to switch the computer off since!
The only other question I would have now is whether the conversion is available in Germany, but probably you don't know that.
Thanks anyhow.
Eric
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| 8th Nov 2005 2:03 am |
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Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
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Sorry, can't help you on that, Eric What's the availability of LPG across there and how does it compare cost wise with petrol?
Leo
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| 8th Nov 2005 9:59 am |
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Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
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What sort of range do you get on LPG? This has always been my big concern and where have you put the tank? DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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| 8th Nov 2005 1:05 pm |
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Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
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The range depends on how hard you drive.
At 56mph it does about 3.7 miles per litre. The most I've put in it so far,not letting it run out is 71 litres.This would give it a range of about 260 miles. @35p per litre thats about £25.
Playing hard but using the cruise control at 70 on the long stretches it comes down to about 3 miles per litre. Bringing the range down to 200 miles. And of course theres also the fact that if you leave it in the garage it uses none. That's not being sarcastic, as LPG is a sealed tank the fuel does not evaporate. I parked a Range Rover in the garage for a year with a full tank of petrol and after that time, the tank was almost empty.
Leo
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| 8th Nov 2005 3:58 pm |
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espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
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Leo
Monkeyhanger wrote:What's the availability of LPG across there and how does it compare cost wise with petrol?
Leo
LPG (called Autogas here in Germany) does seem to be becoming more available able now. In particular, the garage where I normally fill up my car (in quite a small village) has a supply. Currently the web site
www.gas-tankstellen.de lists 1143 filling stations throughout Germany. The price is, I think, about €0.65 / litre, which is just over half the cost of super petrol (€1.22 / litre today; diesel hanging around €1.10 / litre). Seemingly the price for LPG varies across Germany, down to around €0.50 / litre.
Since I commute about 110 miles a day (there and back), your range would mean tanking every second day, which is rather off-putting. At present I manage four days between refills of diesel with my VW Caravelle.
Two more questions:
I park car underground. Is that a problem with LPG?
Do you know whether the Disco navigation system can display a list of filling stations for LPG?
Eric
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| 8th Nov 2005 8:55 pm |
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Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
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Eric,
Can't help you on either of those questions. LPG is heavier than air so if you get a leak it can colect in a pool unlike petrol which vapourises and diesel which teaches you how to put teeth marks in your motorcycle seat. I park my car in the brick built garage without a problem but I'd certainly seek advice on the parking issue.
As for the satnav, It shows garages nearby but don't think it tells you which ones have gas. What I did was printed out all LPG garages on route from the internet, log the post codes in the sat nav to keep in memory and then if I need gas just bring up the nearest one. I'm fortunate in that I have 4 within a mile of my house and they're dotted at regular intervals down the motorways.
Leo
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| 8th Nov 2005 9:26 pm |
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Monkeyhanger
Member Since: 21 Oct 2005
Location: Hartlepool
Posts: 65
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Just an update for all you people interested in LPG.
Went for a long run from Hartlepool to Ripon and back on A19. Filled up before and after so have an acurate acount of consumption. The journey was run mainly on cruise control at 60 mph ( speedo not yet checked) and the following was clocked
Mileage...... 91.9miles
Average Petrol Consumption on computer........ 22.6 mpg
LPG used .......... 24.36 litres
Cost of fuel @ 35.9p per litre .......... 8.75 GBP
Average LPG consumption Imperial ............ 17.17mpg
Average LPG consumption Metric ............ 3.77mpl
Comparison with cost of diesel @ 92.9p per litre ...........44.4 mpg
Cost per mile ........... .10p
Range on 120 litre tank LPG( dont use it all ).......... About 300 miles
0-60mph ............ 8.5 seconds
maximum speed (Manufacturer)........... 120mph
The bloke with the smile on his face........... Leo
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| 10th Nov 2005 12:38 am |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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Monkeyhanger wrote:Just an update for all you people interested in LPG.
Went for a long run from Hartlepool to Ripon and back on A19. Filled up before and after so have an acurate acount of consumption. The journey was run mainly on cruise control at 60 mph ( speedo not yet checked) and the following was clocked
Mileage...... 91.9miles
Average Petrol Consumption on computer........ 22.6 mpg
LPG used .......... 24.36 litres
Cost of fuel @ 35.9p per litre .......... 8.75 GBP
Average LPG consumption Imperial ............ 17.17mpg
Average LPG consumption Metric ............ 3.77mpl
Comparison with cost of diesel @ 92.9p per litre ...........44.4 mpg
Cost per mile ........... .10p
Range on 120 litre tank LPG( dont use it all ).......... About 300 miles
0-60mph ............ 8.5 seconds
maximum speed (Manufacturer)........... 120mph
The bloke with the smile on his face........... Leo
Interesting facts and figures.
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| 10th Nov 2005 11:39 am |
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minicabelemet
Member Since: 28 Oct 2005
Location: Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey
Posts: 85
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Leo, that sounds very impresive! I am still thinking which way to go as the LPG in my area is 43-49 p/litre and that means that it would cost me about 15% less than diesel and I would have 15% more power than a chipped diesel. It looks an easy decision, but I got to think about the £2500 for conversion, plus the fact that the lpg tank would replace the spare wheel (it would give me 90 less 20% = 76litres lpg= 200 miles range), insurance issues, waranty issues, etc. As I do not do more than 10K miles a year it might not make financial sense to go for the V8, but on the other hand we have to do our bit to help the environment (LPG is 10 times less poluting than a diesel !), so.. it is not easy decision. Thanks for all your info and please keep us all informed as I am sure that there are a lot of people who want 15-35% more power for 15-35 % less money!
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| 10th Nov 2005 3:06 pm |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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minicabelemet wrote:plus the fact that the lpg tank would replace the spare wheel
No No! Don't even consider it, the spare forms part of the crash safety system. Replacing it with an LPG tank would not be a good idea. Replacing one of the rear seats is a far better alternative The End
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| 10th Nov 2005 3:12 pm |
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