LPG Conversion - Taken the plunge

[smileynialley]

So the awful fuel prices here in London have finally pushed me over the edge. At ?1.31 / Litre ($9.98 / Gallon) and averaging between 9 and 10MPG, it's becoming more and more difficult to drive my H2 anywhere, which is a huge shame as it's my pride and joy.
I know LPG isn't very popular over in the US but it's something that I've been considering for a few years now and yesterday I finally bit the bullet and dropped my truck off to be converted. At around 70p/Litre, it's much more wallet friendly.
Normally the conversion would be fairly cheap (cheap enough to save the cost of the conversion in under a year) but it would mean installing the new LPG tank in the trunk space, which I did not want to do.
I have chosen to have the existing fuel tank removed completely and replaced with a small 36L petrol tank (LPG vehicles need petrol to run on until the engine reaches temperature) and behind this will be a 70-80L LPG tank. This means that with both new tanks, I will not loose any space inside the truck as they only take up the same amount of space as the original fuel tank.
This method is slightly more work and therefore more expensive but is the best choice if you want to keep the truck looking as stock as possible.
I am due to get the H2 back next week so will update you all then on how it has gone.

[jsbihn]

You are talking about "Liquid Petroleum Gas" right?
Basically methane or propane?
Or what might also be considered "green" fuel

I would be interested in finding out the gas mileage an such the H2 gets after the fact

[LoJac963]

Good hell $10/gallon are you kidding me?! If that before or after a currency conversion ? lol

[jsbihn]

LJ,
I would say that with there being roughly 3.5 liters to a gallon, and gas costing 1.31 pounds per liter, that is roughly 4.5 pounds per gallon.... and now we convert it using the standard 1.5 conversion rate and it comes out to be about $7.00 a gallon

Given, I used alot of rounding and rough figures, but hopefully you get the idea.
Of course, it has been about 15 years since I have worked in overseas sales but this was the reason why alot of those "across the pond" would come to the US or other areas like Japan where the dollar is worth less to purchase BIG things. And..... with our economy in the crapper (thank you Obama and the socialist Democraps in the Govt), it definitely keeps our power as a nation in terms of world finances down too.
Soooooooo I might be wrong with my calculation.

Even still at $3.05 (which is what I paid here on the Gulf Coast), it still costs me about 90 dollars to fill up my rig. And in my opinion that is ridiculous.... now consider the OP pay more than twice that.....

[Biskxp]

Been saying I will get mine converted for the last 3 years and not got round to it yet

Keep us informed how you go. I will be following your example very shortly I think

[LoJac963]

I got ya, even $7 a gallon is flat out ridiculous. No economy can recover paying that much for gas.

The cheapest it has been here in AZ was $3.05 at one point but it went back up and never leaves the $3.20's. Last time I filled up it was $3.27.

I do agree with you, typically it will take anywhere from $90-$120 depending on the price per gallon at that given time to fill her up. I don't care though, there's nothing as badass as an H2 coming down the road!

[smileynialley]

Yes LPG is supposed to be "greener". I'm not exactly what you would call a green warrior (It's unlikely anyone with an H2 is) but once it's registered as running on LPG, it puts your vehicle in a lower tax band for road tax. The savings are only about ?15 but every little helps.

Biskxp, good to see another Brit on here, I was starting to think I was alone over here. I'll keep you updated on the results, but a word of advice, I've been advised to have the flash lube protection installed, which protects the valves etc from the added wear and tear of burning gas instead of petrol.

LoJac, I agree, I love my H2 also. Driving around in this courtesy car this week has made me appreciate it even more, but with fuel prices only going up, it's getting to the point where it's nearly cheaper to get a taxi everywhere. I filled up the tank a few months ago and it came to roughly ?145 which at todays rate is $242!!!! for a tank of fuel!!
At least LPG will only cost around ?50 ($80) to fill up.

[jsbihn]

LJ,
You are very right about your predictions on the recovery of our economy (or anyone elses economy).
You work all day long only to calculate out that you busted your ass to fill up your tank, or to pay you electric bill....
By the time you are done, there isnt much left over.
And with the way everything is rising in price while everyones pay goes down or stays the same....
Then a person might say "well then go get a better job" or "second job".... Ok where? how?
If the economy is poor so is the job market. Most mom and pops have had to close because they cant afford to stay open. Between the large box stores and the lack of people actually shopping out there, little businesses die.
Ok so you do like my friend and get any job available working for lower pay but he has 3 jobs.... sure he never sees his family but that have enought to survive. What a trade off there.
(I saw in a movie that a asian man stated to an asian immigrant that it was the american dream to have three job nowadays. Wow I thought it was a home, two cars and 2.5 kids while still having time to be there to rise you family.

Sadly we need to do something, and one of those somethings is to get a representing political body in Washington that will represent us properly.... instead of trying to make us this communist country, while padding their pockets.

We need someone there that is willing to say "our government spends too much money on our government and not the people it is elected to represent"

We need someone to not "change us" but to bring us back from "change"

Ok I guess I will get down now.

[LoJac963]

I agree with everything you said. The other main issue is the amount of debt this our country as accrued. It's absolutely ridiculous with no end of spending in sight let alone any feasible way to pay these debts off.

Absolute worst case, the dollar completely tumbles and is worth nothing, our economy completely falls along with the rest of the countries who rely on the dollar and god only knows what after that.

[jsbihn]

^^ A+
Sadly you are right. Our liberal democrap govt is spending us into oblivion. Basically the govt is using our tax dollars in a "government type of ponzi scheme". If you actually lok at all they are doing, there is no outlook to any future, just whatever they can get now.... and of course with no future our country will just continue to get weak.
BTW, the dollar is tumbling and it is tumbling fast and bad.
And though I agree with everything you stated, I think there is one thing you are mistaken about.
Our government has found a way to pay off our debt.... it is by selling it to China. So right now there are large portions of the US of A that are part of the Socialist Party of China. Funny how our socialist president could sell our debt to anyone (or just have kept it) but choose to sell our debt to our BIGGEST ENEMY right now.
And yet the people of America voted him in for a second term??? Which with no ability for re-election, he can do whatever he wants.... and has been.

Sad to see a country that I love, fought for, and suffer for is being turned into something so ridiculous that the french are even laughing at us now.

[LoJac963]

I first read your statement about me being wrong and though HEY LOL until I read the rest of your comment. You are completely right about China. Truly sad for the great (used to be great) USA!

Taxes for instance, not sure how you faired this year but for my wife and I, I'm an experienced nurse and my wife is a hair salon manager who makes as much as I do. We make a healthy living but nothing extreme. We paid a little over $26k in taxes for 2013 and still had to owe the Federal gov another $6k making our total $32,300 in taxes. That is absolutely ridiculous!!

[jsbihn]

Good to hear there is another nurse out there.
I have been in the ER for 15 years....
Now given I am single, so I didnt do as good as most people during the year, but in the tax department... well lets say it is far worse than it was last year.
But why shouldnt it be, the president and our reps need some way to pay for all their vacations and trips back and forth to their state on our dime.

Personally I think anyone that runs for any elected seat should have spend time behind a gun defending those that elected him. I think it would give them a better sense of pride.
Especially when they are living the good life and those that have and are defending them arent. I have been fighting a case for YEARS (almost a decade) about my back, neck, head, and left leg from when I was in the "sand box" and out APV hit an IED. My buddy and I were the only to survive because we sat against the back wall, but can I get any help? Nope just have to push through the pain to make a buck..... Meanwhile our leaders sit on their asses all day long getting fat and developing stage 1-2's in their cheek in an attempt to ruin this country.

Whoops sorry.

[smileynialley]

right, back on topic.
Got the truck back today and I'm well pleased. Drives just the same, sounds just the same, the only difference is I pay nearly half what I did before.
The guys have removed the original fuel tank and replaced with a 80L LPG tank and then added a small 40L petrol tank under the rear of the trunk.
At the press of a button you can change from LPG to petrol.
I cant recommend these guys enough.

[mbdougl]

Beware! There is a severe shortage of propane in the US because of the extremely cold winter so I have been waiting for a delivery for over a week and they are not sure when they will get to me. Most propane companies I have called are not taking any new customers and our business just paid almost $6 a gallon just to get propane for our forklift

[jsbihn]

Mb,
Thanks for the 411

Given, smiley is a UK member

(btw smiley, sorry I didnt mean to hijack your thread)

[smileynialley]

LPG is fine over here because our wonderful government has started digging up towns and gardens for fracking.

just thought I'd share some photos.
You can just about see the new petrol tank hanging under the rear bumper.

It's a 40L petrol tank but I think I could install another one above this one or replace it with a bigger one.

Because it's such a small tank, I use Shell V Power and it doesn't hurt the wallet too much.

The old 120L petrol tank got removed to make space for the LPG tank.

New 80L LPG tank mounted in place of the old petrol tank.

Fits nicely between the chassis and driveshaft

This is the LPG gauge (new petrol tank uses original fuel gauge). When LPG runs out, it will automatically switch over to petrol. If you press the on/off button it will also switch back to petrol instantly

Extra filler cap for LPG

Now for the best bit

[LoJac963]

One hell of a clean install! Very nice!!