lpg...different types

looking towards purchasing a LPG RR 2004...with conversion certification,,
are there system which are better then others? is there anything to look out for? thanks

hi
I'm not an expert by any means but on a car that new it should be a multi point sequential system with its own ecu. prinz & ag are 2 that spring to mind. they need servicing as well so look for receipts.
lpg tank storage is a consideration. a 'cheap' conversion will have a cylinder in the boot which obviously is unsightly and uses boot space. there are doughnut tanks which replace the spare wheel (usually you will use a puncture sealing material in the tyre instead) there are torpedo tanks underslung which comprimise ground clearance(how much off-roading will you do) some will replace the original fuel tank with a small (25-30l) tank and put tanks in the space made.(not good if you don't know your nearest lpg station)
size of lpg tank is misleading . a 100l tank will only hold 80l of gas as there is a 20% expansion margin allowed. also dont expect the consumption to be as good or the performance , probably 15% drop in both. worth it though 53p a litre here and the grin of a v8. To be honest a car that new will have a decent system fitted I would have thought. I'd try to get one already converted as it doesn't add value to resale.
good luck

If it says Levato leave well alone unless you live near cornwall. Or like going into London. As there are only 2 companies that service that system in the south.

and you probably wont find one but avoid anything with marini on it as the importers are all gone now and there's no UK support for it

the lpg system as a working idea is excellent, it is more cost efficient, cleaner for the environment and puts a smile on yer face when you fill up at half the price of petrol(its currently around 48 ppl in my area.

that said there are downsides to it. less economy compared to petrol, gas gives around 15% less mpg, less power, but thats irrelevant considering it can be switched to petrol for those boy racer moments. and on those long motorway journeys the benefits out weigh the losses in mpg and power!

i went to wales from rotherham, ( s62 5nd to sa44 5rt) not much motorway stuff and mainly at less than 60mph on the winding country roads, a bit of running round. total 268 miles, topped up at 57p/l and spent just over 39 quid for 70 litres(tanks hold 94 litres. local equivalent was 33 quid at 47.9p/l) equates to 17.4 mpg, 12.5 pence per mile. on petrol it would have been 26.35 pence per mile saving approximately half per mile!! on a 4 litre engine that is amazing!

you will have to service it, this is recomended every 18 months but it can be done by a competant diyer. you will have to change plugs more regular as lpg requires tip top ignition system to be fault free!

that said i dont pay for spark plugs and its not a big job to change plugs in between major services on the petrol side!

i have had backfiring issues but thats because its an early system and they are prone to it if not cared for. the recent issue i had was a stepper motor going down( not bad after 9 years of service) and its cost me 38 quid to replace (still awaiting delivery.

a multipoint system will have issues if not looked after but they are fewer and not exactly the same as single point systems.

once you have aquired the car and found out the system make, get the cable and software and make it available to your gas people if they havnt already got that type!

also, make a copy of the settings before and after the service, this gives you a reference point should your gas system loose its mine if power is lost. unlikely but for the sake of a cd its wise!

forgot to mention the lpg forum, theres a wealth of knowledge on ther and a few experts to address your issues. simon hobson and rossko have been more than helpful to me on my gas issues and i couldnt thank them enough!