Trouble with LPG on our patrol

Submitted: Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 14:42

ThreadID: 51628 Views:3453 Replies:2 FollowUps:10

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justin71

Hi everyone

We let the LPG tank empty completely the other day and have since filled it up and we cant change it back to LPG, just cuts out. Are there any tips or anything anyone can suggest before we take it to an LPG centre to check it out? Last time we did this the next day it switched over fine, but obviously it doesnt like being run to empty on lpg.

cheers

Justin

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Reply By: PradOz - Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 17:13

Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 17:13

Why not give your local LPG centre a call rather than taking it in. If its a simple fix, he may not actually do anything anyway and charge you for doing next to nothing if you do take it in when it may be a simple fix for you.

I am getting my Prado converted soon. He is in S/West Sydney if thats any help to you. His details - Jamie 02 - 9728 1977. Cant be a bad thing to ring either him or someone first. He seems very approachable over the phone during the 2 conversations we have had so far. If not him why not ring the place that did it? As far as I know you cannot actually completely drain a LPG tank.

In my case it will have an 85 litre tank but only 68 litres are useable.

Apart from your current problem which is self inflicted, have you had any other negatives? I believe the 4WD will stilll tow and 4WD ok after conversion to LPG. Do you normally run it on petrol much or only use the LPG? Cheers Mick

AnswerID: 271847

Follow Up By: Shorsfall - Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 18:21

Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 18:21

You ban run the LPG to empty. I do it all the time in my 100 Series Landcruiser. There must be a fault with the LPG system. I run my LPG out whilst driving and it just starts the shudder. I then flick over to petrol and keep driving. When I fill up on LPG again I just flick it back To LPG and off ya go.

FollowupID: 534897

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 18:38

Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 18:38

The reason you can only use 68 litres is because thats all you can put in the tank. The rest is to allow for expansion in hot conditions.
I used to run an 80 litre tank in a Falcon taxi. It would hold 78 litres cos we took the float out and bent it so that it would fill right up.
Not really legal but as it was in a colder climate and I ALWAYS filled it at the start of a shift so it bled down in a reasonable time didnt have any trouble with it.
It also had a pair of Darlington???? tanks in place of the petrol tank and so held 135 litres altogether.
U should run it on petrol occasionally to use up the petrol or it can go off and petrol pumps dont like varnish as my $600 bill for a new Toyota pump will testify.

FollowupID: 534899

Follow Up By: justin71 - Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 22:06

Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 at 22:06

PradOz

Apart from the current problem its been ok. To be honest, I think LPG is pretty ordinary performance wise. I wouldnt recommend towing with it, although I have heard others have no problem. I will take it into the lpg place tomorrow and see what they think of it. I fill our tank up to 80 litres so it must be a 100 litre one on the patrol.

shorsfall

"I run my LPG out whilst driving and it just starts the shudder. I then flick over to petrol and keep driving."

Yeh thats what we have been doing, but our car doesnt like going back to gas after filling the tank up. I talked to one of the guys at the original installers and his first guess was contamination iin the bottom on the lpg tank. WOuld explain why it doesnt go to gas, or what if the gas from caltex is a bad batch, maybe that would cause it to not start. I have no idea, not alpg expert unfortunately.

FollowupID: 534969

Follow Up By: Blaze - Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 01:08

Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 01:08

Depends on what LPG system you have fitted. If its an injected system...IE: has its own computer and injectors then there is no noticable power difference between ULP and LPG

FollowupID: 535060

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 10:09

Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 10:09

Justin71 - it's all in the tuning especially if you have a duel fuel conversion. Some people want the greatest possible economy (distance per tank) others want extra horse power on each of the fuels. This is just not possible so the tuning is a compromise of best power/range and ease of starting for each fuel.

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Follow Up By: justin71 - Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 10:57

Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 10:57

We have an IMPCO system, which from what I have read, is supposed to be the ducks guts in combo with the patrol engine.

I would like to drive some other patrols on gas to compare power etc. and also, I dont really like our economy either. About 600km I guess out of the two tanks, one small sub tank on petrol and the other LPG one is a 100 litre job I think, cant be 100% though.

Just wish the bastard would switch back to lpg, I hope the caltex/safeway LPG isnt contaminated, I have a feeling it could be to blame, but no point in asking them as that would be their fault then.

Would like to try a car on LPG injection some day, I hear they are as powerful as petrol, should have got the V8 jeep converted I had, but it had plastic manifild and it owuld have cost 5 grand for the conversion apparently.

Oh well, off to the lpg place here and see what they can do with it I guess.

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Follow Up By: justin71 - Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 10:59

Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 10:59

Kiwi Kia

I had heard this on here before (re dyno tuning the lpg etc.) and when I suggested this to Arthur at progas, he said that its so taxing on the engine when you dyno tune it theres no point as it was dyno tuned when the lpg system was installed, and its only a few months old the system. Gonna call Arthur now and see what he says, he might have something to try,

FollowupID: 535114

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 11:35

Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 11:35

Justin71, I am not saying that you should dyno. I am saying that trying to get a duel fuel system to do everything you want is almost impossible. You can tune for economy or power on petrol. You can tune for economy or power on gas. BUT.. being able to just turn a switch and swap between each fuel and still have economy and power is tricky. Everything is a compromise, you can 'tweak' the system for a bit more grunt but you will have to lose a bit of economy. Also, easy starting requires a slightly different timing then economic running.

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Follow Up By: justin71 - Saturday, Nov 17, 2007 at 10:07

Saturday, Nov 17, 2007 at 10:07

Kiwi Kia
I am not asking for the impossible, just stating that they are not all they are cracked up to be, power wise, in my experience. These people that say that there is no or virtually no power loss on LPG must have a hell of a lot different machine than mine! As for easy starting, I just want to be able to start it. I dont mind starting it on petrol which ive been getting in the habit of doing then switching back tp gas.
cheers
J

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Reply By: PradOz - Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 18:21

Friday, Nov 16, 2007 at 18:21

Hi Justin

I spoke to my LPG man today and also brought up your problem. He said when you run the tank dry you cause a problem with the mixture setting, you then need to reset the LPG mixture. He said he would normally charge around $20 for this. You need to go where they have a gas analyser.

He also said it is ideal if you get this redone each time you either clean or replace the air cleaner. It only takes about 10 minutes to get the job done. He also spoke about the differences between vehicles with and without computers controlling these mixtures. Its all over my head so if you are in Sydney go see him or give him a call.

Hope you solve your problem soon. cheers Mick

AnswerID: 272064

Follow Up By: justin71 - Saturday, Nov 17, 2007 at 22:49

Saturday, Nov 17, 2007 at 22:49

Hi Mick, thanks for the message!

What he said makes sense, although I did ask progas on the phone if u can run it dry and they said there is no problem with doing that at all. Anyway, its booked in to be looked at on Monday, I will be happy if its only 20 bucks!
I wont let it go empty again though. The problem is though, that the gas gauge is so un-precise, it will go another 150 km after its roughly on empty, but I would like to have something more reliable for measuring, maybe I'll just use the trip computer.
I assume mine doesnt control the mixture, I think if its gas injection it controls it, but I am possibly wrong! Thanks for asking your lpg man, intersting response! Would have been easier if I got a diesel I think!

FollowupID: 535468