Auto-LPG Conversion Thread

[Louga]

I did my own tank cage at my neighbors welding shop, it has a fabricated 2" flat bar and 1/4" round bars steel cage and bolted on the chassis, so there's no drilling on the flooring. I spent P1K for the fabrication.

I initially paid 30% on the kit and ask permission from Mike if I can bring home the tank first so that I can have my own tank mounting and they agreed. When the tank mounting was done, then I head back to Mike and paid the full amount and the installation just took less than the whole day.

So far I'm still happy and enjoying the SGI kit

Thanks Mile2. Now i understand that you had that tank cage sa welding shop. I thought (in your previous post) that GF did the customization for you.

On my case, i settled for their traditional bolt-in sa flooring and i also arranged for additional flatbar support since the tank is much bigger (65liters) para peace of mind. magvisit na lang ako sa welding shop after installtion para magpagawa ng much better support (if hindi ako 100% satisfied sa support).

quick question lang Mile2. i'm nearing my 20k pms. shell mineral oil lang po ba gamit niyo and stock spark plug? good naba don ang innova natin? I beleive you shifted back to mineral and stock spark plug (if i remember it correctly sa posting niyo).

salamat po ulit. this thread is very very helpful.

[vinj]

i'm nearing my 20k pms. shell mineral oil lang po ba gamit niyo and stock spark plug? good naba don ang innova natin? I beleive you shifted back to mineral and stock spark plug (if i remember it correctly sa posting niyo).

I've been using regular mineral oil on my Altis (Petron Ultron Touring and Mobil 1000). Change every 5,000kms. No problem whatsoever after 55,000mks of using LPG on my engine.

As for spark plugs, if you see white residue on it when using your LPG, up it to a colder plug. I'm using NGK Gas (LPG specific plus) now and will probably try BKR7E's during my next plug change.

[Louga]

I've been using regular mineral oil on my Altis (Petron Ultron Touring and Mobil 1000). Change every 5,000kms. No problem whatsoever after 55,000mks of using LPG on my engine.

As for spark plugs, if you see white residue on it when using your LPG, up it to a colder plug. I'm using NGK Gas (LPG specific plus) now and will probably try BKR7E's during my next plug change.

salamat vinj. based on your experience alin ang mas ok? yun ultron or un mobil 1000? yun mobil 1000 siya yun may nakalagay na "for gasoline and lpg egine" diba?

[vinj]

Feels the same but i would put my money on the Mobil 1000 as its specified to be suited for LPG engines.

[Louga]

Feels the same but i would put my money on the Mobil 1000 as its specified to be suited for LPG engines.

salamat ulit.

[Mile2]

Yes I'm back using the stock long reach copper plugs Denso K20HR-U11 and Caltex Havoline mineral oil with sludge cleaning agent. Been with it since 2009 and so far I'm sticking with these.

The only colder plugs for Innova was Denso IKH22 which is Iridium and it cost too much, and just the same if you encounter dirty (oily) LPG it will also gets fouling.

BTW, about a couple of months ago, I replaced my head cover gaskets (no. 1 and no.2) and I could see that my cams and internal parts are still metal clean...I'm now a believer of no sludge additives of Havoline

I'm tempted to try Mobil 100 LPG whenever I'm at ACE Hardware, but could not find the right time when to buy and carry 6 liters oil

[bananatype]

Has anyone experienced increased heat in the engine bay after LPG conversion? My apologies to all if this topic has been discussed already.

Cheers

[ghosthunter]

Has anyone experienced increased heat in the engine bay after LPG conversion? My apologies to all if this topic has been discussed already.

Cheers

Increased heat is normal due to LPG operation but it shouldn't cause your engine to overheat or fail. Your engine cooling system should be able to absorb the additional heat from LPG.

[bananatype]

*ghosthunter thanks for the reply. Would you know the cause of the additional heat?

A friend told me it could be because LPG doesn't have any valve lube agent, unlike gasoline. So this leads to more friction between valves, seals, and seats resulting in more heat.

Just wanted to hear from users and knowledgable tsikoteers.

Thanks again:-)

[Louga]

Yes I'm back using the stock long reach copper plugs Denso K20HR-U11 and Caltex Havoline mineral oil with sludge cleaning agent. Been with it since 2009 and so far I'm sticking with these.

The only colder plugs for Innova was Denso IKH22 which is Iridium and it cost too much, and just the same if you encounter dirty (oily) LPG it will also gets fouling.

BTW, about a couple of months ago, I replaced my head cover gaskets (no. 1 and no.2) and I could see that my cams and internal parts are still metal clean...I'm now a believer of no sludge additives of Havoline

I'm tempted to try Mobil 100 LPG whenever I'm at ACE Hardware, but could not find the right time when to buy and carry 6 liters oil

thank you mile2...im on 19.5k km na and will try Mobil 1000. tomorrow converted na din ako hahaha

[Louga]

Yes I'm back using the stock long reach copper plugs Denso K20HR-U11 and Caltex Havoline mineral oil with sludge cleaning agent. Been with it since 2009 and so far I'm sticking with these.

The only colder plugs for Innova was Denso IKH22 which is Iridium and it cost too much, and just the same if you encounter dirty (oily) LPG it will also gets fouling.

BTW, about a couple of months ago, I replaced my head cover gaskets (no. 1 and no.2) and I could see that my cams and internal parts are still metal clean...I'm now a believer of no sludge additives of Havoline

I'm tempted to try Mobil 100 LPG whenever I'm at ACE Hardware, but could not find the right time when to buy and carry 6 liters oil

thank you mile2...im on 19.5k km na and will try Mobil 1000. tomorrow converted na din ako hahaha

[ghosthunter]

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/212976/j...ine-says-group

[SIZE="4"]
Jeepney may shift to new LPG engine, says group[/SIZE]
02/14/2011 | 04:06 PM

The Philippine jeepney, a basic mode of transportation in the country and the largest market for diesel fuel, may likely shift to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) after a study launched Monday, called "Love the Air, Save the Planet," is completed.

Gates Ambient Hi-Technology Systems Inc., a supplier of LPG kits, is spearheading the study that will look into the economic viability, environmental soundness, health impact, and social acceptability of a jeepney that runs on a brand-new, Euro-3 rated, LPG-fuel engine from Japan.

Cielo Fregil, Gates Ambient’s managing director, said in a statement the study will be done in collaboration with the Philippine Automotive Depot Inc., Miriam ESI, Citizens Organization Concerned with Advocating Philippine Environmental Sustainability (COCAP), Partnership for Clean Air (PCA), and Clean Air Initiatives Asia.

The study would last more than three months to cover all possible factors as extensively as possible, according to the statement.

Love the Air, Save the Planet was launched at the Environmental Studies Institute of Miriam College in Quezon City.

"We foresee that a huge portion of the market for diesel consumed by the public jeepney sector would shift to LPG as soon as we are done with the validation of the study because of its much needed and desired economic and environmental benefits that all sectors of society have been wanting for so long," Fregil said.

The shift would be something like the shift done by Philippine taxi operators, she said.

Diesel is now selling at P41.50 per liter, compared with LPG at P28 a liter, according to Gates Ambient’s managing director.

In mileage terms, an LPG engine runs longer by an estimated 6-7 kilometers , compared with 4-5 kms of a diesel engine, according to Gates Ambient.

LPG is known to have better and more desirable emission than diesel, especially when combusted by a brand-new, direct-fuel-injection engine, said Rene Pineda Jr., president of COCAP and PCA.

"We, in the environmental movement, are so critical about emission standards and the flagrant violation thereof because of the worsening air pollution level that has already breached by more than 200 percent the ‘livable’ threshold," Pineda said. — VS, GMA News

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/212976/j...ine-says-group

[ghosthunter]

http://www.manilatimes.net/news/tops...fueled-by-lpg/

[SIZE="4"]Group launches public jeepney fueled by LPG[/SIZE]

BY ANGELO S. SAMONTE REPORTER

A GROUP of businessmen, transport leaders, members of the academe and environmentalists will launch today the first passenger jeepney which runs on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) under a Valentine’s Day project themed “Love the air.”

Global Ambient Hi-Technology Systems (GATES), Philippine Automotive Depot Inc. (PAD Inc.) and Miriam College have come together to build and test-run a jeepney that is 90-percent “cleaner” than the ones we usually see on the streets.

Cielo Regino Fregil, a business leader from GATES, said that the LPG jeepney project is aimed at knowing the business viability of operating LPG-run jeepneys, and to contribute to efforts to protect the environment by lessening carbon emission from diesel-fed engines.

GATES and PAD Inc. partnered with Miriam College to operate the LPG jeepney for a month or two to determine its viability and environmental benefits. The test-run will gauge several factors such as the advantages of a LPG-run jeepney over a normal jeepney, LPG cost versus diesel, engine power and environmental benefits.

“[Today], we will turn it over so that they can study the LPG jeepney in a controlled study. It’s for everything, the driver will remit the boundary [and] list the cost of LPG. The route of LPG jeepney will be UP [University of the Philippines]-Katipunan under a special permit so it can be studied very well,” Fregil said.

The 24-seater LPG jeepney was fitted with a brand new engine made by a reputable Japanese engine manufacturer.

Its proponents are planning to build more LPG jeepneys in the future with bigger engine displacements. They plan to deploy them in various routes. According to Fregil, two more units were being planned for a test-run but Miriam College has yet to approve it.

“Its privately funded by the company Global Ambient Hi-Technology Systems together with Philippine Automotive Depot Inc. We both conceptualized it,” she explained.

“It will be for public transportation. We already converted the taxi and this time it will be the jeepney sector so we can help the drivers in terms of savings because the price of LPG now is very, very [low if compared to] the price of diesel,” Fregil added.

Jeepney operators, she claimed, could save a lot by shifting to LPG. Fregil noted that the current price of LPG is only about P28 a liter while diesel is above P40 a liter. She added that still, the P28 a liter price is high because of the current high global demand for LPG. Under normal conditions, its average cost is between P24 to P25 a liter.

Cleaner alternative
Besides these savings, Fregil said that the environmental benefit is huge. Based on their own tests, cars that run on LPG are 80-percent to 90-percent cleaner than vehicles that use diesel.

“In terms of carbon emissions based on our test, its almost 90-percent cleaner but of course I could not rely on my own test. I’d rather allow Miriam finishes their environmental study about the environmental benefits. In addition the engine its already Euro 4 compliant so it’s really high that’s even better than brand new cars that are not Euro 4 complaint,” Fregil further stressed.

“We all know that the jeepneys now are not really compliant to Euro emissions so if the government will adopt higher standards for environmental benefits and I’m pretty sure that all the jeepneys are not complying to the Euro standards, that’s what we’re trying to adopt,” she pointed out.

Fregil also claimed that using an entirely new engine running on LPG will give jeepney operators a lot more financial benefits. She said that if they would buy second hand engines, it will eventually break down.

Fregil estimated an LPG engine to cost between P250,000 to P300,000 a unit.

But she said that engine cost depends on volume. A good supply coupled with good demand will push prices down eventually. The Japanese supplier may lower the cost if Filipinos will embrace the technology soon.

Fregil admitted that shifting from diesel engines to LPG-run ones will not be easy without an effective government policy. The government, she stressed, must at least increase the standard of emissions and must be serious in cleaning the air.

“The government must act now because of the worsening air quality especially in the metropolis. Based on recent study, air quality in Metro Manila is 300 particulate per million, very high from the 120 particulate per million which is supposed to be the maximum allowable level” Fregil said.

According to her, the Philippines lags behind its Asian neighbors in adopting high air quality standards. For instance, Thailand is moving to Euro 2 or 3 emission standard while the Philippines remains at Euro 1, a bad mark.

Asked if they plan to seek the support of legislators on improving air quality, she said that they are currently concentrating on the Miriam College study.

“We want to finish the study of Miriam so we have a background of a third party study,” she said.

http://www.manilatimes.net/news/tops...fueled-by-lpg/

[bananatype]

Great post! Wow I hope these guys can figure out the business end of this, because it will really benefit the environment the way CNG cleaned up New Delhi's air.

I don't know whether you can convince jeepney operators to buy clean P250k LPG engines just to clean up the air. Also, they'll have a heck of a time convincing operators that their engines need to be tuned with expensive computers, instead of jerry-rigged on a sidewalk.

And this is why we need to take the profit motive out of what should be a public ulitility delivered by the state...but that's OT already

Cheers

[weisshorn]

This is good news indeed but only if the jeepney operators & owners are willing to spend money for the engine & conversion. Conversion is ok for taxis because they already have gasoline engine which is not in the case of jeepneys.

[ghosthunter]

This is good news indeed but only if the jeepney operators & owners are willing to spend money for the engine & conversion. Conversion is ok for taxis because they already have gasoline engine which is not in the case of jeepneys.

That is why I think this is more applicable to those using multicab units as shuttles and as jeepney replacements. The vehicle is already gasoline fueled. All that is needed is a good Auto-LPG conversion kit made for the size of the multicab.

[Mile2]

thank you mile2...im on 19.5k km na and will try Mobil 1000. tomorrow converted na din ako hahaha

Congrats

[Louga]

first of all i wanted to thank jun and alvin of greenfuel for bringing the "after sales service" to my home last night. here's what happen:

installation and testing completed around 5pm yesterday and i was able to drive the car back home (nagpakarga muna ako ng 500 sa naidaas pioneer). after i parked the car, i double check the installation + leaks then noticed that may liquid na tumutulo sa ilalim ng tank (yun mga tubo don) tapos there was a "sirit" sound then amoy lpg un ilalim (although hindi nmn sya amoy na amoy pag malayo ka. open parking naman ako). so i waited around 5-10mins before calling jun to report. then sabi ko kung puwede nila macheck dito sa bahay since medyo nagpanic ako kasi hindi tumitigil yun sirit tapos ayoko ko na sya edrive. then the sirit lasted i think 20-30mins (kasi umalis ako bahay para sunduin sila malapit samin. sumisirit pa din).napansin ko nagcrack yun fitting sa isa sa mga tubo sa ilalim ng tank. sabi ko sa sarili ko "akala ko ba may autoshut off to bakit ganon hindi pa tumitigil yun sirit"

tapos dumating si jun and alvin sa bahay (after an hour ata) then wala na yun sirit (hay nabuhayan ako) tapos sabi ni alvin mali ata yun "ring" na nalagay nila so maluwag tapos nagcause non crack sa fitting. then pinalitan nila then ok na siya ulit. they explained to me very well yun autoshut off so naintidihan ko na maayos.

i'm very impressed na they extended help even after working hours and home service pa...maraming salamat kay jun and alvin

after testing here's what i observed:
1. coolant is nangalahati (middle na siya ng full and low). normal ba ito? dagdagan ko na lang?
2. idle issue. namamatayan ako from standstill sa trapik. so tinatapakan ko ng unti yun gas pedal para mabuhay siya + control sa clutch. sabi nagaadjust pa daw makina and masolve lang yan sa next visit for final adjustment.
3. may kunting "nginig" sa makina pag changeover from gas to lpg. mga 1-2secs tapos may "click" na nadidinig. same lang po ba ito sainyo?
4. tried running 90kph sa expressway smooth siya. no hesitation.
5. 1st gear to second gear prang may unting delay pero hindi naman siya noticeable. meron din ba sainyo nito?
6. fuel consumption. need ko pa observe next week.
7. nagbutas pala sila don sa brace kung saan nakalagay yun kabitan ng sparetire.tinggal nila yun para hindi sagabal. sa flooring walang binutas.

overall: happy and 90% satisfied. malinis ang pagkakabit. yun tank kasing kulay pa ng body paint ko so panalo. pag maalis lang yun idling issue and mapa puro "gasoline feel" pa then good na good na.

thank you GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEENFUEL

[Mile2]

Normal lang na bumaba ang coolant level after installation, yung ibang coolant pumunta kasi sa vaporizer at 2 hoses.

[ghosthunter]

Normal lang na bumaba ang coolant level after installation, yung ibang coolant pumunta kasi sa vaporizer at 2 hoses.

After initial install, you need to top-off your engine coolant. But after that, it should keep to "normal" levels. If it's dropping, there could be a leak, probably at the clamps to the vaporizer.