XR6T on LPG

[Guest Scootre]

What's LPG like for running a Turbo XR6?

While at the servo tonight, putting all $1.21/litre of Optimax in my tank , I started chatting with a guy filling his old 2dr landcruiser. He reckoned he was getting about 400 - 450 km on a 60 litre tank of LPG.

Price for LPG at the moment is 58c / litre. Makes you wonder.

I'm sure there was some discussion about this a long time ago but I can't search on 3 letter strings.

[fordboy1981]

NO ONE could be so stupid!!!

Dave.

[Guest]

[Welll that's not nice! I think it is a valid question! LPG also like higher compretion ratios so it should like turbo too?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

tell him go on tell him!

lpg had a ron rating of 114 ron pulp's are generaly 98ron.

lpg boils at -40 deg. c. awsome refrigerant!

these are just two of many facts that make lpg a much much better turbo fuel!

ive done many r+d hour on lpg and liquid injection. infact one of my early test beds was a wait for it and yes every second wog kid had one gemini this one was turbo with some impresive stats I think.

how about 350rwhp 1.6l turbo with 800+ km range per tank!

or lpg powered ex diesel generator runing with 30% more torque and almost 45% better economy!

I say if you want to do it go for it good idea!

[Guest]

ps obstain from factory style poliauto converters and for that matter gas reaserch systems for sanity porposes!

[Falchoon]

I believe the tuner that MS700 goes to is in the midst of converting his own XR6T to LPG.

[Goobz]

I used to own a 74 KE25 corolla in which I had a 1.8l celica engine on LPG with a T04 turbo running around the 25psi mark. That thing was turning out around 147kw/550nm at the treads. Not to shabby in an 800kg car! Hehe! At these levels and since I had it at 33 degrees advance I had to run a 2 stage water/meth injection setup which at high RPM pumped nearly a litre a minute in to prevent detonation. Damn that thing hauled ass though!! hehe!

The advantages of LPG as dynowog already stated is the higher RON rating(this varies from state to state as the mix of propane/butane(think that's right!) varies) Barbeque gas gives the best results as its straight propane! And the fact that it cools down the mixture before it hits the cylinder.

Just make sure if you are going to go down this path you don't go for one of those "dual fuel" setups. The problem with them is, with the massively different states of tune for Petrol and LPG, they try to find a happy medium, which sux. Maybe you could utilise the unichip and have two switchable states of tune, one for petrol and one for LPG. Or just go straight LPG...

Edited 28/10/04 10:23 PM by Goobz

[ZAP]

I heard that LPG will be rising in price in Jan 2006 as the government will be wacking their tax on it now that it is popular.

I had a taxi driver tell me who just got a new cab and did not get LPG. I noticed that the car did not have the red sticker on the plate so I asked him why and that was his answer. Makes you wonder if it will be worthwhile. Also I was told that you need to do 50,000+km per year for 5 years to recoup the cost of the LPG conversion.

[Guest]

LPG only if your gunna do it from what ive heard.

Having dual fuel was a pain

vik

[Turbo6man]

There is absolutely NO problem getting LPG and turbo working together. I've been doing it for years. It is easier to tune for max performance on straight LPG, forget dual fuel. However, I had separate computers when I was running dual fuel and it was OK. The same could be done today with an Xede as has been said. Or Boss Edit when available.

The only problem is cost effectiveness. If you have to buy the LPG system it will take you forever to get your money back in fuel savings (at today's prices). LPG provides only about 65% of the energy that PULP provides so you use more for the same output.

With my ZL, when ULP was at 90c per litre and LPG was at 60c per litre my cost of fuel per KM was equal. LPG where I live has been around 60c per litre for several years now so I simply wouldn't buy it here. However when on a trip I could often find it at under 40c per litre so would immediately fill the gas tank and switch to it.

[profrat]

Hmmm. I had a VL Turbo for 450.000 kays running Dual Fuel. Lots of hassles with backfires 'till I got the right HT leads. Must be 'Blow Through' with an intercooler. 9Or ot self destructs.

Mine had +2psi and 3" pipe with no rear muffler. Other wise stock Manual Berlina Wagon (Family sports car )

Pros: More low down and mid range torque.

Oil stayed crystal green clean

Cost a lot less to fuel up

Engine did 450,000 with bottom end still great

Cons: Ran out of breath in top end (tuning issue?)

Had 3 new heads.

Had to fill with fuel more often: 8-10km/litre on ULP, 5-7 LPG.

Unless LPG was less than 1/2 petrol price it was line ball for cost advantage.

Bloody backfires!! Blew up a lot of air mass meters and filter boxes. (used to buy AFM in bulk at its worst)

Not as much load space with spare in the back.

I would not try it again unless it was dedicated gas and proven liquid injection.

I have been trying to follow the progress of commercial liquid injection systems for years now but it seens there is almost NO progress. Liquiphase made a lot of good noise then disappeared. I recon the Ford factory would have used Liquid injection if they could have made it work for their dedicated Taxis. Nobody seems to be able to tell me what the overwhelming problem is but there obviously is one.

A mob in Melbourne was developing a new type of injector but they have gone silent as well.

There is a guy in sydney who was developing gaseous injection but that seems to have run into problems too.

Liquid injection can have a HUGE cooling effect on the inlet charge. That is probably its killer advantage, but may be its major problem as well.

I hear they have cars on Liquid injection in Europe (Holland) and trucks (F250type utes etc. in USA, but not much detail is available.

As for the octane level, it does indeed vary a lot with the Butane %. Pure Propane is very high (110?) but Auto gas in Aust is not much more than Optimax. (according to the fuel companies) Obviously, if you build an engine to take advantage of it you can do big things with Propane.

I spend the same or slightly more per km on fuel now withthe 'XR6T' than I used to with the VL. Comparing a converter mixer sytem with modern electronic fuel injection is chalk and cheese. LPG technology is light-years behind and there is no sign of it catching up.

I am sure some very clever tuners/engine builders out there can do some amazing things with current (stone age) LPG technology, but I am over it!