More than just proven.
Now, with at least 5 years testing, we can
assure you there is no doubt about it, if you have a V8, then
you will halve your weekly, monthly and annual cost of running
it!. If you have a diesel, then the direct savings are about 30%',
but wider issues (dealt with later) are far cleaner emmisisons,
significant power gains, longer engine life, and enhanced vehicle
values to name but a few.
 What is the difference between single-hole and 4-hole tanks |
A brief explanation.
Essentially, there are two types; 4-hole &
single-hole (and many shapes) of LPG tanks that are 2003, 67R-01
European-approved for use. Some suppliers (like us) have maintained
that nothing less than a 4-hole tank is acceptable.
A 67R-01 approved LPG gas tank always requires [at least] most of the following:
Ability to withstand a continuous & intense fire without explosion.
Very high impact resistance. Fittings that would break away, rather
than tearing a hole in the tank. A gas filling valve. An outlet
valve (with electronic shut off). A gas level float & sender,
plus an 80% max fill level cut-off system. Pressure tested to well
above 30bar with a max. working pressure of 20bar.
Single-hole Tanks The
main differences are; all 4 functions are in one unit and failure
of one part means replacement of all, also a smaller pressure relief
and fill valve is used.
4-hole Tanks have
separate gas valve and safety components, individually mounted within
a thick steel panel (min 1.5 cm) on the LPG tank. This means all
parts of the system are easily servicable, filling is much quicker,
where simple maintenance and overall safety are paramount.
See our exclusive range of LPG Tank options for all Rover 4WD Models
or Download our tank brochure here
Warning, this file
is 7.6mb at the moment
| What are the Options available |
Download programmes
Or see below
Simply click the link above and download our unique V8 conversion
programmes & costs. You will see we cover almost all possible
Rover V8 applications. You should easily be able to see what's
best for you and your model. Why so simple? It's easy, we
only do Rover V8s.
If you would like to check out the likely condition of your
engine before you go any further, then this Is the web page
to start with.
http://www.v8engines.com/engine-4.htm
If you feel you need more information or specific advice, then please phone or mail us and simply ask away, we will always do our best to help.
Over the years, we have experienced so many 'one make' LPG
systems (no names mentioned!), but, needless to say, we soon
learnt that it's not so much the brand of the system you fit,
but the relevance of the sum of its parts, that will achieve
the best (or worst) for your unique Rover V8 application.
For this reason (amongst many others) we have chosen to cherry-pick
the best, among all that's availabe from all possible suppliers,
to make sure we offer the best conversions and component supplies,
uniquely for the Rover V8.
Further Tank options (Range Rover, Land
Rover 90-110 & Discovery EFi if load space loss is not
a problem). Up to a 120 litre
tank fitted east-west behind full rear seat. £POA (4 hole) or 80 litre tank fitted behind rear single
seat facing north-south. This allows full access to the twin
rear seat and all load space behind it (suited to those with
large dogs, or in need of large floor space retention). 66
litre upright Toroidal tank fitted in spare wheel compartment.
(further additional £POA to
single tank price).
Very convenient as no load space is lost. Carb Models Basic kit price is £POA less
New Single 80 Litre Ellipsoid tank to replace
std. Petrol tank (see below) with Stainless Steel inner wing
Petrol tank (accepts std. fuel pump and tank level gauge).
Full kit with 80 Litre 4-hole ellipsoid tank and 7 Gallon
Stainless Steel petrol tank etc. fitted £POA,
plus upgrade option to offer up to 140 litre total capacity
with no lost load space for Discoveries, Range Rovers and
some Land Rovers if combined with twin 30 or 37 litre chassis
tanks offering a massive distance potential, further boosted
by 7 gallons of Petrol.
Other additional tank options. As it is possible to
use a combination of most of the above tank options on the
same vehicle, the following additional costs would apply (prices
based on a £POA single tank conversion
price as detailed above).
Additional £POA for first extra (std
type 4 hole ) tank and £POA to £POA
for any further additional tanks as appropriate.
| Before
you start. consider the following. |
Before you start.
First consider what you have already and its suitability
to LPG conversion
Added economy & efficiency advantages are always
attainable using RPi LPG upgrades such as Optimax ECU
re-programming (Efi models) and RP4 cam upgrade. Plus
Mallory and Electronic ignition upgrades. After all,
economy comes from both cheaper fuel and increased efficiency,
or at least curing the drainage of what little efficiency
your engine may have now, especially if it's in High
Mileage & less than perfect shape. See where
to look to find out more.
The following possible V8 LPG Conversion plus engine
upgrades would normally yield minimum 15-30% efficiency
and power/torque gains over a std. factory new or existing
engine, and vastly more than a less than perfect used
engine, (you can use info on our General
info page above to assess your engine's condition
and available improvements.
|
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| LPG
Frequently Asked Questions (Carb & EFi model Rovers). |
) How do I change over my float in the LPG tank?
We have a web page that shows you in easy steps how to do this.
www.v8engines.com/lpg-float-change.htm
) I have read that there are a number of different filler connections, are these available from you?
We do the industry standard type, you will have no trouble
with 99% of filling stations with this, and there are adaptors
available for those LPG pumps not yet up-to-date.
Is there a dash gauge for the LPG level?
Yes, we use an LED display on most systems. However, contrary
to what manufactures will tell you, they are not extremely
accurate on some tank types (especially twin underneath),
due to the ability to empty either tank first. We are developing
a twin-gauge system that will average out the readings, but
it's not too essential, as LPG will warn you before it runs
out, and you still have your petrol ability.
How long would it take to install the twin under-sill tank conversion? (assuming no other work is required).
2 days normally but we are so busy we will need up to a week (or less time if you wish to come over and assist). We can arrange this with Local Accommodation and it's a great idea to learn more about how it all works, how it all fits and what to do if it needs setting up again.
Does it
require any special or periodic maintenance?
There is little or no need for
any further maintenance, except checking over at normal service
times, although after the initial 2-500 miles the system will
have settled down with respect to the diaphragm in the regulator
and may need re-setting at this stage, this is why we like
to put a few miles on the vehicle locally before it is collected.
How smooth is the changeover from LPG to petrol (and vice
versa) with carbs? I have heard that there is a period during
switch-over when the engine is starved of fuel.
Don't listen to all the rumours, they will only confuse you.
There is no problem with this issue, once started on gas it
will always start on gas, and if you run out of gas the switch
back to petrol is instant. When you are on petrol and switch
back to gas it is necessary to run the carbs out of petrol
before turning the gas on, as it will "dual-fuel"
and flood if you don't. This is why carb engines are suppled
with a 3 position switch (not an issue with EFi).
I have
been told I will need to first start my engine on Petrol,
is this true?
Not at all. With systems of 15 years ago this may have been
the case, but the V8 has no problem starting on LPG at all.
With the EFi models the system is automatic, allowing for
the engine to start and immediately switch itself to LPG,
thus avoiding any risk of backfire on initial startup. This
is the only reason why EFi vehicles prefer to start on petrol,
and this function can be manually overridden if required.
I have also been considering the following mods;
K&N air filters, LPG really dislikes free flow on carburettor engines and you will lose engine power/efficiency not gain it.
Camshaft
UpgradeThis is always a good idea & a consideration
for the V8, especially on higher mileage models, This will
not only prevent a worn cam from further damaging your engine,
but a far more efficient RPi cam will further increase engine
efficiency and power. Indeed, in most cases well beyond its
previous output and economy available before the conversion
and upgrade.
Stainless steel sports exhaust, this is not a problem as it will increase engine efficiency (we can supply same but fitting better).
Changing
from Zenith/Stromberg to SU HIF carbs? This will
make very little difference as LPG does not use any of the
carb functions, only the throttles, so use whatever Carbs
are in best condition.
What effect would these have on setting up an LPG conversion and how much would they cost?
If your Carbs are in need of updating we have various Carb options available.
What are the most important factors I should consider?
The most important issues are with the actual condition and
specification of your engine to run LPG efficiently. If you
first consult our V8
Engines in general page you can give yourself a good idea
of what your engine condition is likely to be. There is little
point in fitting LPG if your engine has worn camshaft or leaking
head gaskets.
LPG is a higher octane than petrol, what benefit can this have?
It is a known fact that LPG is
112 octane, and petrol has continued to decrease in quality
over the years and is now only 92-95 octane at best, This
has caused manufacturers to not only keep lowering engine
compressions but to install ignition systems with less and
less ignition advance (early V8s 20 deg. and later ones only
12 deg.). Although we do not expect that adjusting your compression
is a worthwhile upgrade, improving ignition spark quality
and adding increased timing advance certainly is.
What can be done with ignition system quality and function (Carb Models only)
The best ignition system
by far for all Carb engines is the Mallory Dual Point, which
will give the slower burning LPG 8 degrees more ignition advance
and almost double the spark intensity of standard electron
units (higher octane requires better spark intensity to burn
quicker), it will also (and perhaps most importantly) not
be suffering from the normal mechanical wear that will be
present in the advance system (vacuum and mechanical) and
shaft of a standard older distributor. (Mallory
can be found here) Luminition on an older distributor
is a very poor compromise. This added attention to your conversion
will make the efficiency loss of LPG almost nil for the Rover
V8 with Carbs.
New
New! What is
your 'Advance by Retard' system?
LPG can be as economical and powerful as petrol, but the issue
is with the ignition timing and spark intensity due to the
slower flame front of LPG. Either upgrade to a Mallory dual-point
as above (Carb type only), or fit our unique new 'Advance
by Retard' system (Electronic ignition types only).
We have just released this device, which replaces the original
ignition amp on (or separate from) your distributor (we can
supply it with a brand new distributor also), and allows you
to set base timing to 18deg. thus giving a healthy 38-40 degrees
of advance when on LPG. This is the answer to all LPG prayers,
and, what's better, when running on petrol, it retards the
ignition back to std. 8 idle - 28 deg. @4000.
See
our Dual Timing upgrade and other LPG ignition issues
What is
the cost of this upgrade?
Dual Timing Advance by Retard system as detailed £POA (can also be used with above type existing electronic distributors if in very good order).
My
EFi Does not have Catalysts, so why do I need Lambda probes
added to my exhaust?
All later catalyst type vehicles will use the existing Lambda
probes (if working correctly) to supply a looped feedback
system of information to the The LPG Ecu as well as the Petrol
Ecu as normal. Thus ensuring the vehicle keeps its fuel emissions
as clean as possible, achieved by constantly updating engine
air-fuel ratios.
For EFi vehicles without catalysts (normally Pre 93. 94),
this is still an important issue with getting the best from
your LPG installation, and is why all our systems employ a
Lambda probe fitted to the exhaust to give the LPG ECU this
same essential information.
What are the Petrol Companies saying and doing?
The Latest
Brochure (BPCF026) Entitled BP
AUTOGAS A Greener alternative) Available from all BP outlets
states the following:
At BP we are committed to improving the quality of fuels and making a positive contribution to a cleaner environment.
By 2005 motor fuels in the UK will be manufactured to new
specifications, but BP are not waiting till 2005, we are acting
now, and plan to develop the UK's largest LPG retail Service
Station network with at least 300 BP Autogas facilities over
the next 5 years.
A cleaner Fuel for your vehicle compared to
Diesel,
practically no smoke emission, zero particulate pollution,
much less noise and lower nitrogen oxide emissions.
Petrol
Less carbon monoxide, less carbon dioxide, less nitrogen oxide
emissions.
LPG
Kinder to your car. as there is minimal sooty residue build-up
in your engine. Kinder to you pocket and your £1 will
get you much further. BP study on the same amount of fuel
produced these results on average: Petrol
89 miles. Diesel 105 miles LPG Autogas 139 miles
|
| American 4 Barrel Fuel injected engines. |
This Chevy atep-side truck is now affordable
to run, and the conversion to LPG is very simple.
 |
 |
| |
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Almost
all American V8s will run happily on LPG and the savings
mean you can enjoy driving the car you like more often,
if not all the time.
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One drawback at the moment is that this system requires quite a lot of bonnet clearance.
We are working on a system that works inside the Air
cleaner instead of underneath it, this will close bonnet
clearance by at least 4 inches and make it suitable
for Rover V8 (Weber 500) applications. |
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|
 Time to Come Clean
At last it seems this Government is waking up to the obvious, Petrol and Diesel are killing not only us, but more importantly our Children. We have already been told about the Greenhouse effect and of the effects of lead in fuel, but do you really believe that Diesel is Green? In reality it contains a cocktail of some of the most harmful chemicals known to man, especially harmful to our Children.
Current research, which won't see daylight
for years, shows that fine particulate pollution PM10 carries
cancer-causing, mutagenic chemicals (especially dioxins - the
most dangerous group of chemicals there is) into the bottom of
people's lungs, where they are bio-accumulative time bombs waiting
to go off. Children are most at risk from this for several reasons;
they are smaller and breath faster and are much closer to ground
level where these particulates are at their most concentrated.
They are more active, play outside more and their body weight
is much lower so they acquire a greater level of contamination
per kilo of body weight, which many experts and regulators fail
to take account of.
That effectively rules diesel out in my opinion
as a fuel for cities and towns, it is the worst toxic polluter
there is - (do you think the Government realized just how many
diesel vehicles there would be in our cities and towns by the
year 2001?). You are talking almost all Company Cars, Delivery
Vans, Courier Vehicles, 4WD's, RVs, Taxis, Buses and Lorries,
it's a wonder we can still breath at this end of the millennium.
And you can bet that the huge recent rise in Child Asthma cases
is no coincidence either.
So what are the alternatives.
Electric power?.
Many years of research still shows the need to carry tonnes of
batteries around, and when you re-charge them the chances are
the power has originated from a Nuclear or Fossil Fuel burning
power station.
Steam ?
Well I am Sure Fred Dibnah would recommend this one, but again,
it's bulky and burns coal (oh and Fred's had his Landy converted
to LPG too).
LPG?
- It's been around for years. Emissions are virtually Zero, indeed
there is no production car that we have seen that runs cleaner
than LPG. Shell & BP (amongst others) have a commitment to
install 500 more re-fueling sites. Major car companies such as
Ford and Volvo (amongst others) are producing fleet vehicles to
run on LPG. LPG is 112 octane, so produces no 'Pinking' like poor-grade
unleaded, and will extend the life of an engine three fold due
to its almost perfect clean burn and virtually zero contamination
of your engine's internals And the bit most people find important
(the Price) LPG is available at only 37p a litre, making it less
than half the price of petrol or diesel
It is already available from over 250 outlets
in the UK (with another one at least added on average every week)
and for those who have their own LPG supply installed, it can
be less than 22p a litre (ex VAT) (normally fleet or other large
users).
All petrol engines can be easily converted
to run (Dual Fuel) LPG, and the benefits will be realized immediately.
The modern conversions ensure no noticeable loss of power, and
give you a Dual-fuel environment with your Petrol or LPG available
at the flick of a switch, doubling the range of your vehicle between
fill-ups. And most importantly, in most cases effectively cutting
your fuel bill by 50%, with this saving set to continue to rise
due to the government's already announced plans to raise diesel
and petrol prices 6% above inflation every year. Add this to ongoing
oil price rises and it's easy to see the gains when LPG prices
are frozen for at least 5 years. To a 4WD that covers in excess
of 15,000 miles per annum, that's a saving of £1500 (about
£30 per week) in the first year alone, and rising in future
years when you consider the 35ppg per annum promised price rise
to conventional diesel and petrol fuels
All LPG installations are carried out under
COP2 (Code of practise) standards, conform to all insurance and
safety regulations and are certificated, so you can be 100% sure
of safety.
You will never know what you are missing until you test drive a Dual-fuel vehicle,
It's friendly to the environment and the future of our planet. Its 60% cheaper than petrol/diesel. It burns pollution-free in your engine allowing an average engine life 3 times longer than that of a conventional petrol engine.
It's a renewable source of fuel unlike coal or oil that take millions of years to form. The Government and the Queen own a number of LPG Dual-fuel vehicles as do many other prominent figures.
Conversion cost subsidies are available on vehicles under 1 year old up to 75% total cost.
The big petrol companies are actively installing hundreds of filling
sites within their network of petrol stations and there are already
over 250 LPG dispensers country-wide.
Much of Europe is already benefiting from a high proportion of Dual-fuel vehicles. In some countries over 30% of vehicles are Dual-fuel.
It is anticipated that there will be a healthy used market for vehicles converted to Autogas fuelling. In fact, according to a recent edition of Fleet News . . ., 'if the government sustains its support for cleaner fuels there is no reason why buyers could not end up paying a premium for green vehicles in the future.' The fact that the Queen and Government Ministers have already changed their vehicles to run on Autogas may indicate that LPG could offer a cheaper and, more importantly, cleaner alternative to petrol for towing your horses around!
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