LPG Cobra

[sumoboy]

Would you consider a LPG conversion for your Cobra?

[craggle]

I think it all depends on how many miles you intend to do in it.

I run my everyday runabout on LPG (4.6 Range Rover) and it cost £2K to convert to gas. This has paid for itself now as I used to do fairly high millage in it. It also has the option of going back to the standard petrol system if you run out.
If your Cobra only manages 4-5K miles a year then it would take a long time to make back the cost of converting it to gas.

Other things to consider are the size of the tank and where to put it, Lack of gas filling stations if you go for a long run, You can't take it to LeMans unless you use the ferry and a gas tank is made of far thicker material than a petrol tank so will weigh more.

Not trying to put you off, But think if it's really worth it.

Craig.

[kevchard]

Hi Craig
We have just ordered a new complete 4 cylinder LPG kit off a dealer for £630 inc VAT, delivery, but self fitting. V8 kits are approx £100 dearer. Rough cost of £50 to £100 to get certified (car not me ).
Cheers
Kevin

[dingocooke]

I dont do enough cobra miles to justify it, and I also suspect that a certain grabbing scotsman living in exile in westminster will scupper the LPG advantage sometime soon (just as they did with diesel), so no....

[KevinW]

I reckon this will have 'mileage' in the future - arent LPG cars excempt from the congestion charge?

So, based on say 2500 miles a year in the cobra, at £5 a gallon, and on average 18 mpg (thumb in the air average, BB vs SB etc) your petrol cost per year would be just shy of £700.

if you keep the car for 5 years that £3500, ignoring any fuel escalation.

if you keep the car for 10 years, thats £7000, ignoring any fuel escalation.

Conversion costs £800-900, but I have no idea on mpg from a V8 LPG cob. Can someone else do the rest of the sums to find the break even point?

[craggle]

Originally Posted by kevchard

Hi Craig
We have just ordered a new complete 4 cylinder LPG kit off a dealer for £630 inc VAT, delivery, but self fitting. V8 kits are approx £100 dearer. Rough cost of £50 to £100 to get certified (car not me ).
Cheers
Kevin

Hi Kev

Is that for a carb engine or EFI? The system I have in my Range Rover is a Tartarini 8 point fuel injection kit. It has 8 separate injectors on the manifold and has sequential fuel injection. The gas ECU also controls the ignition system adjusting the timing to make the most of the fuel.
It is a very complicated bit of kit and I wouldn't fancy fitting it myself. The place I got it done is fully certified as an LPG installer.

I did have a single point injection system on my old 4.2 Range Rover and although it worked OK it was nowhere near as smooth and powerful as this latest one. That cost about £900 fully installed.

Craig.

[kevchard]

Hi Craig
Ours is sequential to fit on a mondeo.

LPG System AFC Fully Sequential 4cyl FULL kit autogas on eBay, also, Other Vehicle Parts Accs, Other Vehicle Parts Accs, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 22-May-08 13:20:35 BST)

It has an electronic controller and is for EFI.
The running costs are approx 3/5 of petrol. It is 10% less effiecient than petrol but just over 1/2 the price.

Cheers

Kevin

PS If you can build a kit car, there is no reason why you cant fit one of these mothers

[slogger]

As Craig said! These single point 'cheap' systems are really for the cost conscious who are not interested in performance be it horse power or the general sophistication of how the car performs. Cheap is the word!!

My mate has the multi point system on an EFI Range Rover and it is a work of art. It even switches to petrol if the gas is too cold to ensure constant performance as well as for starting. Also still a pain to find gas.

This engine and gas system could still be for sale if somebody wants to build a gas Cob with a Rover V8.

[craggle]

Looks a good kit for the price.

My Range rover seems to do the same miles per gallon on petrol or gas so running costs on that are about half price. Well worth doing if you intend to keep the car a while or do high millage.

Don't think my Cobra does the millage to justify the conversion though.

Let us know how it goes when you get it fitted.

Craig.

[Dutch Paul]

I thought at the time of rebuilding my engine (chebby) about designing the build (mainly CR and cam profile) to suit LPG and petrol, being able to switch between the two, having a large LPG tank and a small petrol tank.
But I have always had that niggling feeling (as was the case with diesel 15-20 years ago) that the government would feck the job up by increasing duty on LPG.
I never really found much info about tuning an old fashioned engine to do this though and decided it could be a very expensive way to save a few quid if not done properly.
I think if your engine is fairly standard it`s probably a good idea - but whether a tuned chebby would run ok on LPG - I`m not sure.

I`ve recently been reading up on building a still to make ethanol from corn - watch out for news reports of combine harvesters being TWOC`d come the harvest time in September.