LPG fitted to 1.8 Freelander

With petrol and diesel prices out of control fuelling (pardon to pun) fears of pickets and blockades , lets talk LPG

I have a PRINS system with a STAKO tank (takes about 48L, even though the lpg certificate states 60L . .) situated in the load area. It was fitted in 2005 prior to my ownership of the vehicle.

It costs approx £23 to fill it up ( @ approx 49p per litre).
Around town, I get about 160 miles before it runs out and motorway 210 miles.
From other peoples experience of LPG is this about right? To be frank, thats not the economy one expected from the media hype . . . Are my expectations too high?

Beyond 90mph, I think car runs better on petrol but at legal speeds there is no difference.

Working out how to fill the thing is not as easy as often made out. . . It was a mini mission for me initially and the forecourt staff are not allowed ( or have any knowledge or don’t care!??) to assist according to signs on refill pump (how convenient . . ) and I even got a shot of gas in the face, when I tried to remove nozzle . .. “once bitten , twice shy . . . oh yes, the saying holds true )

takes about 48L, even though the lpg certificate states 60L
This is normal. LPG tanks always take less than their capacity. Something to do with the compression of the gas versus liquid. Do a quick Google for more info.

Around town, I get about 160 miles before it runs out and motorway 210 miles. From other people's experience of LPG is this about right?
Cars are less economical running on LPG compared to petrol. Normally you would expect a drop of about 20% in mpg. Taking the average of your mileages (185 miles) and a full tank of LPG (48 litres) you are getting 18-20mpg on LPG. A 1.8 Freelander on petrol should do about 27mpg which means you are getting a drop of about 25% which is more than average but not horrendous.

Beyond 90mph, I think car runs better on petrol but at legal speeds there is no difference.
You will probably find that petrol gives you ever so slightly more bhp than LPG which would be more noticable at higher speeds in a relatively unaerodynamic vehicle.

Working out how to fill the thing is not as easy as often made out. . . It was a mini mission for me initially and the forecourt staff are not allowed ( or have any knowledge or don’t care!??) to assist according to signs on refill pump (how convenient . . ) and I even got a shot of gas in the face, when I tried to remove nozzle . .. “once bitten , twice shy . . . oh yes, the saying holds true )
I had exactly the same experience when I first filled up with LPG. The girl in the shop did come out on help me once I had showered myself in LPG (takes a while for the taste to go away doesn't it?!)

Cheers

Rog

.Hi,I have a V6 fitted with LPG and will normally use around 14gallons/64litres of LPG to do around 210miles full tank till petrol switchover.All LPG tanks will only fill to 80% of there rated size,mines is an 80litre tank which fills to 64litres so yours seems to be filling properly.If you search my username theres various other LPG related info you might find helpfull.My mpg is roughly 15,yours is around 19 so dont seem that bad,maybe seems bad because you have a relativley small LPG tank in a very thirsty car so it needs constantly filled up.As far as I remember you will lose between 10-20% of your petrol fuel mpg when running on LPG.

had a factory fit lpg astravan. Got 33 mpg on petrol, but only 24mpg on lpg, so you seem to be doing okay

Our Hippo still runs on petrol but have had a 3.5l V8 Disco running on LPG in the past no problems. You don't get so much mileage, gallon for gallon, from LPG as petrol but you have to weigh that up against the difference in price per litre.

I'd b cautious about running a 1.8K on LPG due to this motor's propensity to blow head gaskets coupled with LPG's detergent effect. Basically, if there's already a weakness with the head gasket the LPG will find it.

This site is awesome, a real font of knowledge. Thank you for your responses, reassurance and breakdowns, and yes the taste of gas is b*tch On the "lpg v head gasket " consideration, I have a modified head gasket fitted and an engine warranty (2 - 5 years) in place so hopefully not
On another LPG dialema, a few weeks back my interior mounted LPG gauge which counts down from 4 green dots when full, to a single red one and then over to petrol when empty, switched over to petrol even though it had only counted down to the final green dot! It then switched back to gas after about 15 miles of driving (showing me the final green dot again) and has behaved itself since. I took it to a PRINS specialist and they advised that I have to pay £150+ vat for a 'reducer kit', road test & calibration and service (filters) Is this about right for all these things? What is a reducer kit? How often do you guys service your units?

Dont worry about the guage...never seen one that reads right, aim to fill tank just before you reach your max (210) milage by setting your trip meter.

As for economy just work out money-mile equivalent compared to what it would cost on petrol and at guess would be expecting minimum 35-40 mpg eqivalent from 1.8. I have V6 on gas and driven hard and even as gas has gone up recently still get a minimum of 35 mpg penny for penny equivalent.

wow!!!! thats fantastic.




















































































anyone care to hazard a guess as to the meaning of it

Means you had chance to add to post count

why thank you for that. but am sure thats not the real reason you posted an incomprehensible post. one suspects it because you do not have a good enough understanding of the english langauge to be able to string together a coherent paragraph.
i think we may have to ask paulb to return 'the LZ big book of coherent posting'

Makes sense excellent me to, maybe wrong somthing with eyesight having you. prhps culd kepe simpl nxt tme 4 al da twts oot der.

wunda how long before HGF - LPG runs hotter!

doobreydog said:

Makes sense excellent me to, maybe wrong somthing with eyesight having you. prhps culd kepe simpl nxt tme 4 al da twts oot der.

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thats only because you wrote in your own secret langauge, you senseless ****!

slob said:

thats only because you wrote in your own secret langauge, you senseless ****!

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Can I change my vote for the rudest tratter boy to Slob? On great form today...

Cheers

Rog

slob said:

thats only because you wrote in your own secret langauge, you senseless ****!

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Thought Id do that for the ****ers out there to understand, obviously you did now **** off and ge a life.

The Mad Hat Man said:

wunda how long before HGF - LPG runs hotter!

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has less combustion and as long as water kept topped up should last longer

doobreydog said:

Thought Id do that for the ****ers out there to understand, obviously you did now **** off and ge a life.

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look yer getting this all wrong and making yer self look a bigger **** each time.
if i understood i wouldn't be asking what yer trying to say. so obviously i didn't understand. or do you not understand that if i understood i wouldn't be asking what the fook yer on about.

so either explain in comprehensable sentences or go away and learn how to.

labrador said:

hi guys ive got a 1999 1.8 petrol / lpg freelander the problem im having is the tickover is very high, currently sitting at 1700 rpm, i believe it should be approx 800rpm this high tickover is on both lpg and petrol, ive tried to adjust the tickover screw but didnt make any difference at all, i was told to turn the ignition on to the second click and throttle up and down five times but still no joy, does anyone know or have heard of these tick over problems and how to cure it, maybe i need to control the ecu on the gas,, if so what is the best reader to buy? regards labrador.:doh:

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I've a 2004 1.8 on LPG. The tickover was very erratic but changed plugs and coil packs which improved things on petrol but still a searching problem on Gas. To be honest I just accept it, I get around 180 miles on £15 of fuel which makes up for a wobbly rev counter.



Whoops, just realised how old this thread is.

Intravenus di milo said:

I've a 2004 1.8 on LPG. The tickover was very erratic but changed plugs and coil packs which improved things on petrol but still a searching problem on Gas. To be honest I just accept it, I get around 180 miles on £15 of fuel which makes up for a wobbly rev counter.



Whoops, just realised how old this thread is.

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The idle air control valve can cause erratic idle. A quick squirt with carb cleaner or similar can help. I used WD40 a couple of years ago and it made a big difference.