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Jul 31, 2007 10:54:23 GMT
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Thought I'd run a picture install thing of the LPG install on our van. Might help a few people out there contemplating such a conversion. I wanted the largest tank I could get, so we won't have to stop too often when we tour Europe. Although I could probably fit a couple of small tanks down the sides between the front and rear wheels, I opted for one 80 litre tank (64 litre fillable) to go behind the axle, so that should give us around 200 miles @ 12 mpg. Yes, it's a 5.9 v8! OK, so for now, it's just a couple of pics of the kit. I can highly recommend FESAutogas (google it) for all parts needed - they know their stuff and can recommend the best options for you vehicle. This little lot cost a little over £600 delivered.   I have been making up a bracket to support the tank under the rear, so will post photos when complete. If this gets completed today, I shall move my efforts toward the front, and install the mixer/solenoids/pipework etc... Probably not of much interest to many on here, but it may help a few... |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Jul 31, 2007 11:00:40 GMT
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£600 for everything you need seem like good value!
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Sierra - here we go again! He has an illness, it's not his fault.
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Jul 31, 2007 12:38:59 GMT
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good thread, may dispell a few myths about home fitting kits. good work christoff.  |
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Carter
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,535
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Jul 31, 2007 13:41:22 GMT
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Excellent!.. that camper is a beast, when are you off to tour europe? May pop round and have a look if i get the chance.
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'77 Chevy G20
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Jul 31, 2007 13:49:25 GMT
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Excellent!.. that camper is a beast, when are you off to tour europe? May pop round and have a look if I get the chance. By all means mate. Hope to finish it by about Thursday, so pop round any time... |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Jul 31, 2007 13:52:56 GMT
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good thread, may dispell a few myths about home fitting kits. good work christoff. I hope so. This the 4th conversion I've done, so pretty much understand it now. Not done a carb before though - always k-jet. Right, back to it then... |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Jul 31, 2007 14:33:25 GMT
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have you got a pic of the carb end?
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Someone just shot the elephant in the room. |
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Jul 31, 2007 17:59:59 GMT
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have you got a pic of the carb end? Will do tomorrow. Not started that bit yet... |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Jul 31, 2007 19:07:35 GMT
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FES Autogas are the daddies.
I have fitted two of their BRC kits, one a very basic one, and the other a gas injection system, and they were both done with no hassles and help was just a phonecall away.
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Jul 31, 2007 19:10:53 GMT
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How do you stand with the insurance when you fit it your self?
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Jul 31, 2007 21:09:34 GMT
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as i understand it, you have to have a certificate from a qualified bod. - who will want to check the system ( and charge for the service)
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Someone just shot the elephant in the room. |
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Jul 31, 2007 21:16:17 GMT
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as I understand it, you have to have a certificate from a qualified bod. - who will want to check the system ( and charge for the service) Indeed, had to do that with home installs in the past. Very few pro-fitters are prepared to certify others work though, so it pays to know someone  However I took the precaution of regisitering the van as a duel-fuel from the start, (Dodge did do a Propane/gasoline version of this van from factory) so I don't have to prove anything - insurance company were fine with it all ;D |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Jul 31, 2007 21:20:24 GMT
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dodge pot.  see what i did there?  ;D |
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Mr S
Posted a lot
10-4 Good buddy.
Posts: 2,654
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Jul 31, 2007 21:24:23 GMT
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What carb are you running on the engine? I'm going to convert my 6.6 Chevy with an edelbrock 600cfm carb on it - not sure what sort of mixer I would need yet! Asked at the local LPG place who I've bought a few bits off and they couldn't help...
Like you, I've done a couple of installs (Merc 420sel and Rangie 3.5efi), so know the general score.
P.S. what camper is it? Any more pics?
Cheers, Martin
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Suzuki GSXR1000 K2
BMW R1150GS
BMW K1200RS
Chevy K5 Blazer
Chevy Suburban LT
Jaguar XKR
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Jul 31, 2007 21:40:22 GMT
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OK, so details of todays work. With the tank slung under the vehicle, I wanted to make sure gravity way kept at bay. I made two brackets using 2x welded 1inch box for no other reason than that it what I had kicking about. The tank weighs about 40kg empty, add that to 64kg for a full tank of gas, and thats a lot of weight trying to make for the tarmac. The bracket is held in by 6 m12 bolts through the chassis, then 8m10 bolts holding the bracket to the mounting kit supplied with the tank. That should hold it! Crazily, the tank is supplied with two straps to hold it to the mounting kit. These are secured with just 2 m8 bolts, so I have bought two more heavy duty straps which I'll fit tomorrow. Anyway, some pics...  Bracket bolted to van, mounting kit bolted to bracket.  Tank installed with it's two spindly straps. It hangs down a little further than I hoped, but although it doesn't look like in this pic, the fuel tank is still slightly lower. [glow=red,2,300]Cheers to 'Aux' for giving me a hand to lift the bu99er in! [/glow]  Closer look at tank and multivalve.  Filling pipe to filler, bolted under rear bumper. Note: by putting the filler in the middle at the rear, you can pull up to either side of the pump. Clever eh? ;D   Pipe run along chassis to front, installed here along with solenoid and fuel gauge cabling.  And rear end complete except extra straps (ooh err). Gonna start on the front tomorrow. See ya  |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Jul 31, 2007 21:49:04 GMT
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What carb are you running on the engine? I'm going to convert my 6.6 Chevy with an edelbrock 600cfm carb on it - not sure what sort of mixer I would need yet! Asked at the local LPG place who I've bought a few bits off and they couldn't help... Like you, I've done a couple of installs (Merc 420sel and Rangie 3.5efi), so know the general score. P.S. what camper is it? Any more pics? Cheers, Martin Martin, Can't remember the name of the carb without looking at it, although I'll have some photos up tomorrow. Benz v8's are easy enough to do, but I never could stop the random backfires - general consensus was that they just do that! Give FES a bell as recomended above. They will know exactly what mixer you need for your Edelbrock. Here is a pic of the van in question...  |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Mr S
Posted a lot
10-4 Good buddy.
Posts: 2,654
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Cheers for that, I'll give them a bell when I'm ready to do it then.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who suffers the random backfires either, only had 2 in the 8 months it's been fitted though, so that's not too bad I don't think!!
Cheers, Martin
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Suzuki GSXR1000 K2
BMW R1150GS
BMW K1200RS
Chevy K5 Blazer
Chevy Suburban LT
Jaguar XKR
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With the tank now safely strapped in, and the pipe running down the chassis rail to the front, it was time to concentrate on the gubbins under the bonnet. The tricky bit here is mounting the gas thingy (venturi?) on top of the carb. This is a crude inverted gas ring that wafts gas over the carb for it to suck through to the engine.  Carter carb as standard These gas thingys are generic devices, and thus need massaging to fit to specific applications. They normally sit under the air filter, raising it up an inch or so. As the engine sits between the front seats, there was no room to do this, but with some subtle tweaking, it fits almost perfectly inside the airbox between the filter. Most pleased.  Gas thingy, still sitting up too far, but it eventually sat about 10mm lower than this  And with air filter refitted, slightly modified to clear inlet pipes  Mixer, located low down behind offside headlamp (has to sit lower than top rad hose to avoid air-locks). Mixer had tee'd off water from heater pipes (two outer pipes), and the central low-pressure gas output to the carb. The front to rear pipe is connected to a solenoid mounted below, before entering the mixer. Just a bit more pipework to finish and tidy, then wire the whole thing up, mount the controller on the dash, and go fill up. Doubt I'll finish it tomorrow, but hope to have it set up and able to drive on LPG this weekend. Marvellous. |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Mr S
Posted a lot
10-4 Good buddy.
Posts: 2,654
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Just to be picky, the bit on the carb is the mixer, and the bit on the bottom pic is the vapouriser (or reducer).
Good thread, you're getting me inspired to do my truck now....!
Oh, and the camper looks great, how long is it?
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Last Edit: Aug 2, 2007 7:54:47 GMT by Mr S
Suzuki GSXR1000 K2
BMW R1150GS
BMW K1200RS
Chevy K5 Blazer
Chevy Suburban LT
Jaguar XKR
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Just to be picky, the bit on the carb is the mixer, and the bit on the bottom pic is the vapouriser (or reducer). Good thread, you're getting me inspired to do my truck now....! Oh, and the camper looks great, how long is it? Cheers - I should know the names really Van is 19ft. Just about finished now - all pipework done, fuel lines and gas pipes in place so that I can get to all adjusters from under the bonnet. Controller mounted in dash. Think that is about it. Guess I'll go fill it up tomorrow and see what happens! |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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