What Older Car To Convert To Lpg?

[G54]

I am looking to buy a 2nd hand car in the region of 150 - 200,000 Baht and am wondering what petrol car would be best suited to convert to LPG.

My knowledge is limited but I understand the valves need to be able to withstand the higher temperatures.

I do not want a diesel to convert.

Any helpful information will be gratefully received.

[Plus]

I can't recommend which car can be converted, but

- you can't convert diesels

- converting Hondas/Toyotas or any other cars with variable valve techonology (like vtec or vvti) will be expensive and problematic.

[nakhonsi sean]

I am looking to buy a 2nd hand car in the region of 150 - 200,000 Baht and am wondering what petrol car would be best suited to convert to LPG.

My knowledge is limited but I understand the valves need to be able to withstand the higher temperatures.

I do not want a diesel to convert.

Any helpful information will be gratefully received.

Early to mid eighties W123 230E Mercedes. They hold up brilliantly and drive well, parts are easy to get and comparable in price to the Jap cars - sometimes cheaper. If you keep it well you should also lose nothing in depreciation. Prices have not fallen for about 10 years now. Also feels really good to have that star on the front of the bonnet! Main thing is to check the fuel injection system, the one thing that can be expensive to fix. The upper end of you budget should find one close to immaculate, the lower end decent cars that may need a little work.

[Gary A]

You may want to reconsider LPG. From everything I have read, the price of LPG will increase VERY substantially after the first of the year. The government is not likely to continue to absorb the huge losses they absorb now. I don't remember the exact numbers but they sell LPG for about $330 US a ton while they pay about $800 US a ton.

[G54]

You may want to reconsider LPG. From everything I have read, the price of LPG will increase VERY substantially after the first of the year. The government is not likely to continue to absorb the huge losses they absorb now. I don't remember the exact numbers but they sell LPG for about $330 US a ton while they pay about $800 US a ton.

Comment appreciated but even if they double the price of LPG from its current 11 baht liter it will still be cheaper than petrol / diesel.

The other main option is NGV but I have heard and read too many bad reports about NGV converted diesels. Added to that it is more expensive.

The money I could save before any huge LPG increase would absorb the cost of the conversion in a year or less. I will take the comment into consideration though.

[G54]

Thanks plus and nakhoni sean

I know a diesel needs to be converted to NGV. or a new engine fitted. Is why I do not want a pick-up truck. As for VVTI etc. that is an interesting point. Thanks.

As for a Mercedes, now that is an interesting thought.

[G54]

Nakhoni sean

Since you mentioned Mercs I have been searching a site or two and found this :-

A MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS 230E 2.3 MT

Converted to LPG already and only 170000 Baht. Looks in very good condition inside and out though an inspection would be on the cards.

Cannot rip the photos from screen or I would have posted a couple.

[nakhonsi sean]

Nakhoni sean

Since you mentioned Mercs I have been searching a site or two and found this :-

A MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS 230E 2.3 MT

Converted to LPG already and only 170000 Baht. Looks in very good condition inside and out though an inspection would be on the cards.

Cannot rip the photos from screen or I would have posted a couple.

Green one on one2car? Looks OK but also looks like the whole front end has been resprayed - accident?

They are great cars, built like tanks inside and out, everything is solid. Interior quality puts the new cars to shame. I have a 1977 300 diesel, slow but drives very well even with 700,000km on the clock. Once I get round to a respray and re-trim she will look the part as well, will probably soldier on for another thirty years!

[mijan24]

Thanks plus and nakhoni sean

I know a diesel needs to be converted to NGV. or a new engine fitted. Is why I do not want a pick-up truck. As for VVTI etc. that is an interesting point. Thanks.

As for a Mercedes, now that is an interesting thought.

GarryA makes a good point on LPG re cost> but also if memory serves me correct the mid 80's MB are Mechanical Injectors and not a favourite to convert to LPG. The one advertised check if MB motor, as a lot are 2.5L Toyotas on LPG.

[Geroc]

I can't recommend which car can be converted, but

- you can't convert diesels

- converting Hondas/Toyotas or any other cars with variable valve techonology (like vtec or vvti) will be expensive and problematic.

No ! Diesel cars can be converted easily for LPG.

D4D Toyota can be converted. Many bus in Bkk are converted, and the government gives money to incite trucks company to convert their engine.

You can see on the road big trucks with gas tanks behind the cabin.

[mijan24]

I can't recommend which car can be converted, but

- you can't convert diesels

- converting Hondas/Toyotas or any other cars with variable valve techonology (like vtec or vvti) will be expensive and problematic.

Not quite correct - one of the techniques used is to introduce LPG into the air intake so as to ensure complete combustion of the diesel fuel.

[Plus]

Buses and trucks are converted to NGV, not to LPG. For pickup trucks only Chevy/Isuzus are convertable, btw, because GM invested in the conversion system, which is originally a third party Italian maker and the conversion costs more 150k itself. Actually any NGV conversion would be too costly for an old car, cheap LPG vacuum mixer is the way to go.

There are no reliable diesel to LPG conversions, there was an article about some ChiangMai shop doing this conversion, and even they admitted it as a unique and real breakthrough.

With diesels they usually mention a mixture fuel, with only about 30% of gas, that means not a lot to save. The drawback is that the truck will run only on the mixture, it won't even start if you run out of either gas or diesel.

I guess you can find old pickups with petrol engines, if you really want one.

>>>>

LPG price was going to be raised half a year ago, then on July1, and now it's postponed indefinitely. There are several things the govt needs to put in place first even if they decide to definitely go ahead. Most likely they'd continue subsidising it for cooking and cars (and use domestic LPG), and let industry (the biggest user by far) use the imports and pay the full price.

While these rumors go on, a cheap conversion would pay for itslef already. Finding an LPG converted Benz with toyota engine sounds like an easy solution, btw.

[mijan24]

Diesel Gas System

Save money and emissions.

Use LPG or CNG with your diesel.

www.cleandemissions.com

D-GAS Diesel-LPG Enhancement SystemsD-GAS is an Australian owned Diesel Enhancing and LPG technology conversion center. Providing Diesel and LPG injections into commercial vehicles, ...

www.d-gas.com.au/ - 52k - Cached - Similar pages

Hunter Gas Technologies - LPG injection system for diesel enginesHunter Gas Technologies LPG injection system for diesel engines What if there was a system that could be fitted to your diesel 4WD, light commercial vehicle ...

www.gastek.com.au/cgi-bin/engine.pl?Page=page.html&Rec=9 - 32k - Cached - Similar pages

[philipm]

740 volve is a popular choice for LPG, plus its cheap.

[Plus]

Mijan, those are links for Australia, they talk about adding LPG to diesel, and it's a very new technology.

I menioned that they are available in Thailand, too, but they cost a fortune to install and save very little. No wonder the first site promotes "Cleaner emissions" rather than economy, and two others a full of snake oil sales pitches.

Makes absolutely no sense to waste 100+k to convert a 150k car and save 2k per month.

Buy a petrol car and pay 15k for LPG, or buy already converted car like that Merc for 170, there must be plenty around.

[Cuban]

I was reading in the BP that LPG cars will have to display safety stickers from the 21^st October.

Link.

Edited October 2, 2008 by Cuban

[G54]

I was reading in the BP that LPG cars will have to display safety stickers from the 21^st October.

Link.

Yeah. Yellow sticker on the windscreen. No hassle to get. Cheap enough too. A quick inspection. All done from door to door (as a Thai took one motor through this) in an hour.

[Plus]

I got a registration sticker, but it's white and red.

First question - how would they know if the car runs on LPG or not? They can't pull you over for not having a sticker only 2% of cars are supposed to have.

[G54]

Tell tale LPG pipe at the back of the motor?

[chiangrai]

anywone no if it's good to convert the newish feul injected suzuki caribeans,

i see alot of the old ones done but there not feul injected,

and what would it cost

[Plus]

Around 35k, I guess.

Unless they use variable valve technology you can install a cheaper, basic system for half the price but there will be drop in power, no piggyback ECU, and you'll have to tune your LPG manually, as in "unscrew three quarters of a turn and listen for the engine noise".