Suzuki 1.6 LPG DIY ?

astro_al · Gate Opener Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Odometer: 22

Hi guys, I could use some help with my Suzuki lwb Vitara 1.6 16v.

I need to put an lpg kit in and get it all checked and legal asap.

I can't find any examples of this engine conversion done by others on the interwebnet. I'm digging as fast as poss, but I could use some input pdq, so please forgive any stupid questions.

If anyone can help with the following I'd appreciate it:

1. What sort of minimum price am I looking at for a diy installation?

2. Can anyone recommend a suitable kit or somewhere to get parts of decent quality / price?

3. Can you just take it to any installer to be certified - if so, is there a register, or does anyone know anywhere good in hampshire or that area?

4. Is there an idiot's guide to this anywhere?

5. Anything I need to do / be aware of when I do it to help with insurance / certification?

Interested to hear what people think is the best approach - should I just fit the mechanical bits (tank, filler etc) and get it all hooked up professionally?

Thanks for any help, Al.

Question

Nathaniel · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:39 pm Post subject:

Compressed flammable gas does tend to worry me at the best of times.

And I'm sorry to say then if you have to ask then you shouldn't be working with this sort of equpitment.

I would be much inclined to have the whole lot professionally installed, even siting the tank and filler yourself my incur extra expense if it has to be moved by the installer.

The tank is by far the most expensive component of an LPG kit....

Tinley Tech will supply a kit.

Rossko · Articulating Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Odometer: 757

Have you found this useful starter website?
http://www.diy-lpg.co.uk/

It's not a legal requirement to have your work inspected, but there are laws about the standards you have to meet, so it would be wise.
Your insurers may insist on inspection - ask em - but not all do (perhaps not until there is a claim?!)

UKLPG approved installers may certify outside jobs, but aren't obliged to. You'll have to ask one.
http://www.drivelpg.co.uk/faq.php

You must tell the DVLA about change of fuel type.

astro_al · Gate Opener Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Odometer: 22

Hi, thanks for your reply. I appreciate what you're saying, but I'm confident I can make a good job of it, I'm an engineer by education and a metalworker by trade, so it should be do-able.

I have spoken to Tinley Tech since posting this thread, and as you suggest, I'll be using one of their kits. I have also found a local autogas installer who will certify my installation and register it for me for about £115. They told me that it is best to use flashlube on most japanese engines, so I will be adding a £40 kit for piece of mind. For that kind of money, I don't care if they are right or wrong!

Just off to pick up the car today, so I can get cracking & order the kit when I have planned where the tank will go and measured up.

Can't wait to get into cheap(er) motoring!

Cheers, Al.

astro_al · Gate Opener Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Odometer: 22

Thanks Rossko, yes, I'm going to get it all checked before I dare fill the tank!

I did find that site, yes - very useful too.

Before I splash the cash - are the Tinley Tech kits decent quality?

Cheers, Al.

Twiss · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:13 am Post subject:

I can recommend Arun autogas... I know a bloke that works there and they're pretty helpful.

I was looking at doing this to my vit engined SJ, I worked it out at about £300 for parts... a mix of new and 2nd hand

You need - tank, valve for tank, vaporiser, mixer, 2x cut off solenoids and the electrical gubbins

I know that you can do this installation bit by bit without really disrupting the operation of the car. I would start with putting in the tank, wiring and piping it together, then do the vaporiser, bits under the bonnet, and electrics and once its done, take it for certification before you put LPG in it!

I gave up on the idea because LPG is just getting more expensive anyway! But now fuel is up to 140/l I may have to look again!

astro_al · Gate Opener Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Odometer: 22

Yes, I though about a used kit. To be honest, the sale of my existing car will pay for a full new kit, so I'd rather go down that route while I can.

I know the price isn't what it used to be, but the combination of a change of vehicle and using lpg is going to slash my fuel bills to 1/3rd of what they are at the moment. Frankly, I can't afford not to do that!

I'm going to recoup the cost very quickly indeed - of course if your current vehicle isn't a gas-guzzler, then the incentive is less.

I couldn't find any threads on people lpg-ing this engine, so I'll post up my progress, when I have some.

Cheers, Al.

Twiss · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:50 am Post subject:

Yeah thats fair enough...

My SJ normally does about 30mpg anyway (when I'm not wearing my heavy right boot) so its not THAT much of an improvement for me...
I am considering it more though... at the beginning of the year I moved house (from the stix) so now I am less than 1/2 a mile away from an LPG equipped petrol station.

If you look at this post on Suzuki club uk, one of our members (sam16v) had LPG all set up in his samurai, there are some nice pics there at least

http://www.suzukiclubuk.co.uk/forum1/viewtopic....hilit,LPG/#p14128

Rossko · Articulating Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Odometer: 757

Twiss · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:17 pm Post subject:

If petrol goes above 150 I will convert probably.
Its at 140-145 here at the minute, depending on where you go

its GED · Guest

Twiss · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:10 am Post subject:

You never know!!!
The might start digging up the falklands and find a thousand billion barrels of oil under there Wink

Yeah my local petrol station is at 140p/l right now, so its still got 7p left to go after the 3p increase in August!!!

I think you're right though its a case of when!!!!

astro_al · Gate Opener Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Odometer: 22

Quite! If you know its going to happen, and you'd also be saving money in the meantime, it doesn't make much sense to wait?

Anyway, the LPG kit has arrived (from Tinley Tech) - delivered next working day after I ordered. I went for a 65 litre regular tank which sits nicely behind the front seats (rear seats are gone). I'll build a parcel shelf over it to throw my crap on. I figure it'll give me 300 miles of range for about £40, which is bags for what I need. My local petrol station has LPG, so I won't need to make any odd trips to fill up.

I ordered a JLM lube kit from ebay for £40 which has also arrived, just for piece of mind really.

So now I'm swamped with wiring looms, pipes and boxes of bits. Just reading through all the stuff and planning it out.

Cheers, Al.

Twiss · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:20 pm Post subject:

You got the £480 kit?

Thats a brave move there... quite a lot of investment!
If I do it I intend on spending an absolute maximum of £300 on the parts...

astro_al · Gate Opener Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Odometer: 22

Its not that brave - I figure the worst thing that can happen is that I do all the mechanical installation of everything, and if I can't get it all hooked up and running then at least it won't be much work for an lpg garage to finish off.

I went for a sequential kit, so a bit more, but hopefully worth the difference. It's 'funny money' since my old vehicle is paying for it, if it weren't I'd probably have hesitated more!

I had a used lpg kit a while back, and frankly I'm glad I've got a nice clean one with all the bits and a good set of check certificates, manuals and info to help me fit it and to help in case insurers ever get involved. It'll quickly pay for itself, so I think its worth doing right.

Will post up my progress, when there is some.

Cheers, Al.