Anyone thinking of ditching their LPG?

[Irish]

With the price of gas these days (90c +) I'm starting to wonder if it's still worth having a gas system at all on the Mav, considering the fact that power and economy is pretty much compromised on one in favour of the other, I'm thinking it might be more economical to just go straight ULP.

Anyone else thinking this or am I just being a doom&gloomer?

[threedogs]

Isn't the excise on gas being lifted soon so the real price will be closer to $1.30 a ltr.
Joke isn't it my first dual fuel 4x4 gas was only .15c a ltr

[NP99]

While the price of LPG is painful at the moment it will drop again. We get lied to all the time why it goes up. In the new year it will start to drop slowly down again. If you could view a price trend chart it shows the yearly cycles. I'm staying with LPG, it still cheaper than $1.60 plus...

[Clunk]

it may be cheaper but I reckon it'll cost ya in the long run

[NP99]

My vapour injection gives me better economy the petrol, so I find it cheaper. The price will drop soon enough, we went through this last Xmas!

[Clunk]

I'm talking about the cost of wear and tear, not the cost of the fuel

[taslucas]

My TB42 (carby) had a serviced and perfectly tuned gas system on it when I got it. Even came with receipts for the overhaul. I tested out both fuels in different circumstances.
In the end I disconnected the gas and fitted a pertronix electronic ignition module, flamethrower coil, and tuned timing and carby to suit petrol. This set up has more power and is more economic in all driving situations apart from easy flat highway driving where the gas was cheaper.

[threedogs]

Yeah with Clunk gas kills engines with the temps it can generate, Can show you heaps of holley carbs with the venturi melted off.
But vapour or sequential injection even diamond Gas research system should see no loss in power.lack of range with gas as well
You need gas in places like Birdsville and Cooktown but prices would be OFF the Scale

[menace 2]

I took the gas off mine as soon as I got it home...for a few reasons...it has more power now ,(having said that , there are straight gas systems they are racing with but major cost to get that happening)..one less mechanical thing to have to consider ( and usually can be a pita at the wrong time)...more room to fit a long range tank under the back and will give me about 240 ltrs of fuel , between the two tanks , availability when touring around ,etc etc ...each to their own with gas ....if you take it off , you will still have to get it inspected and get a de-commissioning certificate for it and remove the compliance plate for it....for me it was like buying a boat , if you cant afford the fuel for it , dont buy it .

[NP99]

I took the gas off mine as soon as I got it home...for a few reasons...it has more power now ,(having said that , there are straight gas systems they are racing with but major cost to get that happening)..one less mechanical thing to have to consider ( and usually can be a pita at the wrong time)...more room to fit a long range tank under the back and will give me about 240 ltrs of fuel , between the two tanks , availability when touring around ,etc etc ...each to their own with gas ....if you take it off , you will still have to get it inspected and get a de-commissioning certificate for it and remove the compliance plate for it....for me it was like buying a boat , if you cant afford the fuel for it , dont buy it .

Just like women, if you can't afford one..............

[mudnut]

A relative has just rebuilt his V6 Jackaroo engine (I know, it ain't a Patrol) that had a gas system on it. He had never ending dramas with the gas system, like cutting out, diaphragm replacement and dodgy workmanship. It was wrong fitment of the piping to the diaphragm that caused it to fail. He liked the extra range that petrol and gas gave him, but the cost of the gas was very uneconomical in the heart of our beautiful country. He has purchased an auxillary petrol tank and will be putting a new long range tank in, after the gas system is removed.

[lhurley]

I have injected gas, so my power is similar to petrol and my economy is slightly better. It does hurt paying $130 for 450km but it would be closer to $200 for petrol, and I pay that every week.

My car has been on gas for nearly 150 thou and it still runs great. I replaced the gas injector a little while ago and got it tuned, it was great.

I think I'll stay with gas for a little while longer. If I'm spending the time/money to get rid of the gas, I'm getting rid of the 4.5 too.

[Bloodyaussie]

Pete this has been playing on my mind also.....

One thing I do like about gas is river crossings I dont get any trouble on gas but as soon as its on petrol and I cross a river it runs like shit????

I am sick of the compromise also.

[gaddy]

I would be interested to see a petrol vs petrol gas vrs deisal do a trip side by side with same weight set ups do a real world comparison over a 10 000 km taking into account serviceing etc , all doing the exact same trip , personally I would not convinced the difference would be as dramatic as people think , I've had petrol cruisers and a 2.7 petrol lux and now the 4.2 tdi troll
Or maybe I don't think about economy , if ya can't afford the fuel . Ya can't afford the toys lol

[Irish]

I can afford the fuel, thats not the issue at hand. I'm not a high roller like some of you lot though, so it just seems pointless to me to have both if the cost saving doesn't outweigh the compromise :/

[taslucas]

I can afford the fuel, thats not the issue at hand. I'm not a high roller like some of you lot though, so it just seems pointless to me to have both if the cost saving doesn't outweigh the compromise :/

Yeah for me it wasn't about cost saving. The power of petrol is better for off roading especially in mud. I didnt like the idea that I wasn't getting the most out of the petrol because I had a compromise tune. Im far happier with the power and response now im tuned to petrol only. I forgot to mention before but I also changed the spark plugs to petrol only.
In the future I will fit a second petrol tank where the gas tank is (it's still there lol).

[Winnie]

Mate of mine bought a TB42 carby Patrol not long ago, is just petrol and tuned for it, it goes a little bit better than my old injected TB42 on gas. I mean only a little bit, but it's noticeable.

[Bigcol]

it all depends on how it is tuned, my old GQ TB42 was carby (with elect ignition, extractors and 2 3/4" system)
tuned to performance gas,
I was getting 93Kw in gas and 96Kw in Petrol
yes, I realise that if it was properly tuned for petrol, it would have been over the 100Kw (by how much, not sure) but as a daily driver, the gas felt better for around town
and was heaps cheaper on the open road - gas was way better - plenty of power to overtake road trains etc (would get to 7 and some times 8 score in years)
I could get 400Km out of a 80L tank of Gas around town - but only 200 - 220Km out of the 50L petrol

on trips, towing my Jayco Flamingo -( Gas sucked dogs you know whats) - 200-220Kms out of the gas - so my range was very limited

in the end - to do the petrol only and other things I wanted to do to it - was almost the same price as the GU TD42 I brought

cheers

[taslucas]

in the end - to do the petrol only and other things I wanted to do to it - was almost the same price as the GU TD42 I brought

cheers

Hey col, i dont get this bit? Are you saying that to convert to petrol only and tidy up a few other things it was going to be $20k or so?? Not having a go, just wondering what ya ment

[93patrol]

if you want economy get a prius. if you want to have fun go either dedicated gas with a turbo, dedicated petrol (with a turbo) or dedicated diesel with a big f-off turbo

just my opinion

[Clunk]

if you want economy get a prius. if you want to have fun go either dedicated gas with a turbo, dedicated petrol (with a turbo) or dedicated diesel with a big f-off turbo

just my opinion

Eggsackery!!!!!!

[Bigcol]

Hey col, i dont get this bit? Are you saying that to convert to petrol only and tidy up a few other things it was going to be $20k or so?? Not having a go, just wondering what ya ment

well,
the long range thought was to set it up as the best touring rig for me

I had ally bar & side steps and scrub bars - wanted steel for winch etc
I wanted more horses for towing - either 351 or 350 dropped in - or a TD42 turbo'ed
needed more internal room - I had already moved the back seat back 60mm as far as it would go and needed more..... we are not small-ish people
needed a new lift kit - 2" was sagging
wanted longer range - TD42 or rip out gas and put in long range tanks
wanted to upgrade the front seats for more comfort

and the list went on and on and on...............


cheers

[taslucas]

well,
the long range thought was to set it up as the best touring rig for me

I had ally bar & side steps and scrub bars - wanted steel for winch etc
I wanted more horses for towing - either 351 or 350 dropped in - or a TD42 turbo'ed
needed more internal room - I had already moved the back seat back 60mm as far as it would go and needed more..... we are not small-ish people
needed a new lift kit - 2" was sagging
wanted longer range - TD42 or rip out gas and put in long range tanks
wanted to upgrade the front seats for more comfort

and the list went on and on and on...............


cheers

ahhh ok so it wasnt just the petrol/gas. It was a vastly different vehicle you wanted:)

[Bigcol]

sort of, maybe not - - -
when I first brought her, twas for to and from work - and long weekends & Holidays north of Geraldton with family

then, when I brought the Flamingo, and we were doing more and more touring, the limitations of the GQ were starting to get obvious - mind you this is 6 nearly 7 years after I got her.
we do a lot of "Exploring" when away, and we are usually on our own - so a winch was on the want list - but with an Ally bar - had to have that changed - and the scrub bars & side steps were all in one, so not a simple cheap swap over
carry a second spare - roof rack or twin rear wheel carrier?
that lot alone is nearly $5K
more power for towing - thinking V8 petty or put in a TD42 and turbo it - not much change out of $10K there - which ever way you go, still have to strip & re-build the motor plus adapters etc
the Suspension (was 2nd hand to start with) was 4 yrs old, and was starting to look like it did before I swapped it in, so new suspension was on the cards
then the interior, front seats needed something better - buy new Stratos or re-build original - or even putting crummydoor seats in
really need more room between the seats for my Daughter when touring, we did a mod to the seats and moved them back as far as we could, but, still not quite enough room - more mods - buckets in the rear maybe?

so it wasn't because I wanted a newer / different vehicle
just that a '99GU TD42 came along at the right price - had the steel winch bar, had the roof rack, had more room in the back, had better seats (but they do need work to them) was lifted
mmmeehh
what do you do

still took me 18months before I ended up selling the GQ, 'cause I love her............ and it wasn't for the cash that I sold her, she just wasn't being used and sitting there all forlorn

bottom line, with the OP thread
if your doing day to day running and only use it off road every couple of weeks, keep the gas, get it tuned as best as - (took me 3 years to find someone who would do what I wanted, not what they wanted, and had her running like clockwork)
if not - take it out for sure.


cheers

[Bloodyaussie]

Passed a $1.05 for lpg today... wanted to vomit!!!!!!

[taslucas]

Passed a $1.05 for lpg today... wanted to vomit!!!!!!

nah that was from the two beers you had, girlfriend!

[Bigcol]

reminds me of when over here it went from $0.25 to $0.32 per Litre.
it didnt matter what you said, people just went, " well, we are paying $0.85 for Unleaded, whats your problem???"

as there is currently NO excise on Gas
and it costs less than $0.10L to drill, ship to the Burrup Peninsular, process and store. and then sell to Japan for $0.25L

geeeezzzzz whats the problem.......??????
are you saying we (the People of Australia) are being ripped off, by the companies and by the Gov.??

surely NOT.!.!.!.!.!

cheers

[Drewboyaus]

My TB42e is petrol only. It's not my daily so I don't care about the price. Gathering all the bits I need to add a second tank that will give me 240L of ULP and that will get me almost anywhere.
Definitely no gas going on my ride. Just adds complexity where it's not needed in my view. Never had any dramas with river crossings either on ULP. Given the efficiency of gas is about 70% that of Petrol, if the price is getting upwards of $1/L it makes even less sense IMO.
Pete, if you can deal with the higher price of fuel, take it off. I think you'll be happier.

[NewDan]

Not that it happens every day but I'm sure glad I had the gas when the fuel pump on my TB42e sh!t itself. And to me it still seems cheaper to run it on gas as its my daily drive now. But horses for courses, I think everyone uses their truck differently so they are all set up differently.
Dan

[lucus30]

How much would it cost to remove a gas mixer system and put a standard ULP tank back in?

[BigRAWesty]

How much would it cost to remove a gas mixer system and put a standard ULP tank back in?

Would be quite easy once gas was drained an not under pressure.
You would need to source the intake pipes, and a main tank if that's what's missing.
Would think a stock main would be sub $100 and the intake pipes $20 maybe a bit more.
Most of its removing it all, which should be quite easy if you are hand On the tools.
Also a tune to get the most outta the petty once done.