Dutch Z3 Running on LPG
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That’s correct; it’s a toroidal tank underneath the car, I think it’s 50 or 60 litres and it takes me about 230 miles. The amount you can get into the tank varies depending on air temperature and pressure but I always get at least 200 miles on a tank. Even though LPG has a slightly lower calorific output than petrol I’ve never been able to notice any difference between running on petrol and gas.
I’ve had lots of LPG cars over the years, from a Silver Shadow to a Fiat Panda and they’ve always been excellent.
Most mechanics are scared of them so you need to find someone who understands the system but once you do it’s plain sailing!
I’ve had lots of LPG cars over the years, from a Silver Shadow to a Fiat Panda and they’ve always been excellent.
Most mechanics are scared of them so you need to find someone who understands the system but once you do it’s plain sailing!
"Many comments are “Why would you?” when the reasonable question is “Why wouldn’t you?”"
Exactly.
My Ignis Sport runs on LPG, fantastic fuel. Real world it gets 94 mpg equivalent to petrol cost.
I bought it converted, took a while to get it to run how I want it, as the professionally installed system was a complete bodge job.
The Iggy feels ever so slightly faster on gas. As Rory says, less calorific value, but higher octane, so any knock sensing system will advance the ignition. It burns hotter, so a slightly lower thermostat is usually a good idea. Some cars it anneals the fire rings in the head gasket, the Ignis started drinking water about 85K, ran it like that a while, changed it around 100K.
I hadn't realised you could get a toroidal tank under the back, I'd read somewhere there wasn't the space. Would make the Z an absolute riot in snow, no need for a bag of sand in the back. With full tanks the Ignis is the best car I've ever driven on snow, bar a full 4wd on snow tyres.
Getting 'my' Z back from my son soon, I think the first thing that's happening is some measuring. I may after all have a use for the front end kit gathering dust in my garage.
;-)
Is it a full toroidal tank Rory with the box on the side?
Any pics?
Or, if you're in Scotland, can I drop by some time?
Exactly.
My Ignis Sport runs on LPG, fantastic fuel. Real world it gets 94 mpg equivalent to petrol cost.
I bought it converted, took a while to get it to run how I want it, as the professionally installed system was a complete bodge job.
The Iggy feels ever so slightly faster on gas. As Rory says, less calorific value, but higher octane, so any knock sensing system will advance the ignition. It burns hotter, so a slightly lower thermostat is usually a good idea. Some cars it anneals the fire rings in the head gasket, the Ignis started drinking water about 85K, ran it like that a while, changed it around 100K.
I hadn't realised you could get a toroidal tank under the back, I'd read somewhere there wasn't the space. Would make the Z an absolute riot in snow, no need for a bag of sand in the back. With full tanks the Ignis is the best car I've ever driven on snow, bar a full 4wd on snow tyres.
Getting 'my' Z back from my son soon, I think the first thing that's happening is some measuring. I may after all have a use for the front end kit gathering dust in my garage.
;-)
Is it a full toroidal tank Rory with the box on the side?
Any pics?
Or, if you're in Scotland, can I drop by some time?
Hi Iain, I’m in Brighton so Scotland isn’t yet in my itinerary but you never know. I’ll take some photos tomorrow morning; I think it’s full toroidal but I don’t really know as I bought the car already converted. I have a set of Eibach lowering springs to fit and the tank is probably the lowest point on the car so I may end up changing tank or even getting a custom one built. I recently fitted a cold air inlet and it seems to run fine with the gas, I’ll get a remap done and then take it to my LPG guys to get them to see if it needs tweaking at all.
I currently have a Lexus RX300 on LPG and a Fiat Panda, also on LPG (I refer to it as “the dog’s car” because it’s only used for him and maybe the odd trip to the dump) and I’d never drive anything that doesn’t run on LPG because it just doesn’t make sense to me.
Second hand LPG cars are in fact excellent value because most people are scared and suspicious; my Lexus was £2500 and the Z3 2.8 was £2000; the Panda was £600 and I had to drive to Wales to buy it but it’s paid for itself several times when the price of petrol os taken into account.
I had no idea that LPG had a high octane value; that explains why the cars seem to run better on gas!
Yeah, Perth to Brighton is a bit of a run Rory! My son is at Berkhamstead, even coming from there is adding another 190 or so.
Lpg varies quite considerably apparently, is generally anywhere between 108-116 octane. It's why anything forced induction goes like stink on lpg. I'm hoping to eventually run a supercharged road/hillclimb car with lpg, but that's another project entirely.
There are lots of folk who'll tell you not to cold feed an airbox with lpg as it'll cause freezing problems. Load of utter bullocks. I have the Ignis on Sorn at the moment, but I have the temp sensor bridged, it switches to gas after 30 sec. I've only frozen it once, that was when it was down at -14C, you're unlikely to get those temps down there. Straight out of the village onto the A9 it switched back to petrol, I just pulled into the first layby, sat there a minute on petrol, switched back to gas and it was fine.
There are plenty of tank sizes, I think it would be prohibitively expensive to get one made and certified. Is your filler in the body or the bumper?
The Ignis I got for only £300 as spares/repairs. I was looking for one to convert and just managed to search Gumtree at the right time.
You've certainly got me thinking about maybe using the Z as a daily if I can fit a toroidal. My daily commute is 130 miles round trip, it's a 1.9 but I'm not doing that trip on petrol every day. I currently use a Clio diesel @ 63mpg, a Z on gas though, that would be a right laugh. I better not mention any of this to my wife or I'll be sleeping in the damn thing.
Lpg varies quite considerably apparently, is generally anywhere between 108-116 octane. It's why anything forced induction goes like stink on lpg. I'm hoping to eventually run a supercharged road/hillclimb car with lpg, but that's another project entirely.
There are lots of folk who'll tell you not to cold feed an airbox with lpg as it'll cause freezing problems. Load of utter bullocks. I have the Ignis on Sorn at the moment, but I have the temp sensor bridged, it switches to gas after 30 sec. I've only frozen it once, that was when it was down at -14C, you're unlikely to get those temps down there. Straight out of the village onto the A9 it switched back to petrol, I just pulled into the first layby, sat there a minute on petrol, switched back to gas and it was fine.
There are plenty of tank sizes, I think it would be prohibitively expensive to get one made and certified. Is your filler in the body or the bumper?
The Ignis I got for only £300 as spares/repairs. I was looking for one to convert and just managed to search Gumtree at the right time.
You've certainly got me thinking about maybe using the Z as a daily if I can fit a toroidal. My daily commute is 130 miles round trip, it's a 1.9 but I'm not doing that trip on petrol every day. I currently use a Clio diesel @ 63mpg, a Z on gas though, that would be a right laugh. I better not mention any of this to my wife or I'll be sleeping in the damn thing.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 218
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Other side though Tony not seen an lpg retro fit in a bit but seen a couple in times gone by known for engine management light issues lambda sensor cant deal with itOne point in its favour, I don't think I've ever failed an LPG car on emissions.
Tony.
Can only comment on my own experiences Steve but not doubting you at all. Never had a lot to do with LPG really, one thing though if a car comes in running LPG you test it on LPG, even if it fails. Don't you? Wonder if it might pass if you switched to Petrol. Just wondering .............
Tony.
Tony.
You can see the tank is fairly low; I have some Eibach springs yo fit which will take me down 20mm! I’ll post another photo once that’s done, Zrory
Ahh,
That's too low for me I'm afraid, there are several places I need to go that have massive traffic calming humps. I'd struggle to get over at that height.
I should be picking up the car late next week/weekend. Wondering now if I could maybe twin tank it. Much measuring is required I think.
That's too low for me I'm afraid, there are several places I need to go that have massive traffic calming humps. I'd struggle to get over at that height.
I should be picking up the car late next week/weekend. Wondering now if I could maybe twin tank it. Much measuring is required I think.
I’ve been over lots of speed bumps and so far I’ve not grounded out at all, ZRory