Lpg Some Issues

[mikesands]

Just had Romano single point sequential fitted, and have one or two issues to iron out .... or not if you guys tell me they aren't issues.

The engine malfunction light is on now permanently (whether I run on gas or switch it to petrol). Anyone else had this?

The noise from the 'pump' just under the bonnet in front of the driver is quite intrusive - a buzzing noise

I'm sure I can smell gas ... and if I can smell it my wife is going to hate it.

From cold it seems to be about 5 minutes before it switches to gas. My journey to work is only about 10 minutes, so I'm nervous that I'm still going to use lots of petrol.

Are all the LPG pumps as slow as the one I used today?

Thanks

Mike

[steve2006]

There is no such thing as a single point sequential? Do you mean a multipoint sequential?

If you've just had it fitted and you had no EML on before take it back to the LPG fitting company and yes others have had the same problem,it was concluded that most LPG fitters have little idea about complex engine management systems fitted to modern cars and in general are unable or unwilling to either investigate or sort such problems as a result of their installation,dealers also take a dismissive view when an after market LPG system has been fitted.Chances are the O2 sensors are being confused by the LPG and if you read and clear the codes the EML will come back on after a short while

As far as I am aware there is no "pump" in an LPG system the gas is pressurised and therefore a pump is not required,what you could be hearing is the evaporator or a leak but having said that my old Rover 825 had LPG and didn't make any noises on gas.

If it is a multipoint system it should switch to gas almost straight away the single point systems take a little longer.

Finally if you can smell gas DON'T DRIVE IT ANYWHERE and leave it outside in a well ventilated area, we are talking possible serious consequences here as you should not be able to smell gas in a sealed failsafe LPG system so if you can it only needs a spark!!!

Get the fitter to come out to you don't ask,demand!

Did you get a certificate for the installation?

PS yes all LPG pumps are slow due to the pressure required to fill the tank,the fill rate falls as the tank fills up,and they are also very noisy,don't forget to release the fill nozzle slowly or you get a face of LPG

[Feckless Mancunian]

Hi Mike

My engine light is on permanently since I had a gas installation a few months ago. I took it to a couple of garages who plugged it in, couldn't find any problems, reset it and within a day it was back on. I stopped worrying about it.

Mine switches over after 4 minutes first thing in the morning, slightly quicker if I leave it in the heated garage. I had the same worry as you, I work from home so only do a short school run and I worried it wouldn't switch over in time for me to benefit but by the time I've got the kids in the car and locked the house it's running on gas.

For the rest of the day it switches to gas within a minute.

The petrol gauge drops as if it were running on petrol all the time, then suddenly, after a few days it seems to recalculate and realise it hasn't used any petrol and the gauge pops back up to full.

I use a quarter of a tank of petrol every month so should be filling up about 3 times a year. My neighbour who has a piddly little 1.4 litre Golf on LPG, fills up twice a year so I reckon I'm on target there.

It's not the most economical engine for the short runs I do but that doesn't matter because I'm only spending £40 a month on gas - compared to the £80 I was spending on my last car, a 3 litre V6 petrol.

And I paid considerably less for the LS430 than I would have paid for a brand new Panda. So it's just win win win.

Good luck.

[Bluesman]

Take it straight back you are driving a bomb.

You should never smell gas apart from when releasing the nozzle when filling.

If you dont take it back you can forget the other problems as they will sort themselves out easily once its exploded.

Mike

[Bluesman]

Just had Romano single point sequential fitted, and have one or two issues to iron out .... or not if you guys tell me they aren't issues.

The engine malfunction light is on now permanently (whether I run on gas or switch it to petrol). Anyone else had this?

The noise from the 'pump' just under the bonnet in front of the driver is quite intrusive - a buzzing noise

I'm sure I can smell gas ... and if I can smell it my wife is going to hate it.

From cold it seems to be about 5 minutes before it switches to gas. My journey to work is only about 10 minutes, so I'm nervous that I'm still going to use lots of petrol.

Are all the LPG pumps as slow as the one I used today?

Thanks

Mike

There should be no warning lights on other than the normal ones you had before,

There should be no extra noise.

There is no pump the system works under pressure.

The journey to work is probobly not long enough to get the engine up to working temp for the gas to cut in and you will therefore run on petrol thus not saving a great deal.

I have run on LPG for the last 16 years but living in the middle of no where means mine cuts in in about 3 mins.

It also depends on the outside temp. Always takes longer to cut in in the winter.

It takes 74 liters to fill mine and that takes about 3 to 4 mins.

PLEASE TAKE THAT CAR BACK THOUGH BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS.

Mike

PS How did you pay for the installation ??

[volvo2lexus]

If you dont take it back you can forget the other problems as they will sort themselves out easily once its exploded.

Mike

LOL!!!

I don't think I've ever seen so many Mikes in such a short space of time :P

[mikesands]

Thanks for the comments.

No smell of gas this morning. I suspect it was the face-full of gas that I got at the pump that was clinging to my clothes yesterday.

It is the Romano N type sequential - so that would indeed be multipoint.

The 'pump' is probably the evaporator - I think the fitter said the water system is connected to it.

I have a funny feeling the engine malfunction light might actually be connected with a longstanding suspension issue I have had. Once when I put a trolley jack in the boot the engine warning light came on, and went out when I removed it. I am suspecting that the extra 50 kilos of toroidal tank and gas is causing the same problem. Also the engine malfunction light comes on anstays on even before the engine is started - would it do this if ite were an O2 sensor issue?

Thanks

Mike

[39buss]

The E39 V reg BMW 528 I had a couple of years ago(which was replaced with my 1st LS400)went onto gas within half a mile of running.The cooling system must be spot on as I think the gas evaporates at 30degrees so the quicker the engine heats up the better. It may be worth changing the thermostat.Did you have it done local as there is a couple of long standing installers in Co.Durham.

[Thunderchild]

Hi Mike,

As said before in here, there should be no noise from the gas installation at all. Gas running is silent except for when the system initially cuts over from petrol to gas and then you might hear the click of the solenoids as they release the gas flow to the evaporator. You should not be smelling gas on your clothes a day after filling up either.

Having fitted 2 of my cars with an LPG conversion in the past 8 years, I have to agree with the folks on here who said take it back to the installer and have it checked out. You are indeed driving around in a timebomb if you have a leak. LPG/air mixtures are much more explosive that petrol/air and a smell of gas should NEVER be ignored.

Tc

[mike213735]

If you dont take it back you can forget the other problems as they will sort themselves out easily once its exploded.Mike

LOL!!!I don't think I've ever seen so many Mikes in such a short space of time :P

Thought I'd best drop in and say hi then :)

Glad the smell of gas was you and not the LPG system!!!

Thanks

Mike

[mikesands]

Before I go back to the fitter and/or Lexus, I would like to pin down the likely cause of the engine malfunction light. As I mentioned before, it could be suspension related (it came on months ago when I put a heavy load in the boot, and now of course there is a permanent heavy load in the boot), but it could be something to do with the LPG fitment. What is inclining me towards the suspension is that the malfunction light comes on and stays on even before the engine is started whilst all the other check lights go out as normal. What do people think?

Thanks

Mike

[Bluesman]

Before I go back to the fitter and/or Lexus, I would like to pin down the likely cause of the engine malfunction light. As I mentioned before, it could be suspension related (it came on months ago when I put a heavy load in the boot, and now of course there is a permanent heavy load in the boot), but it could be something to do with the LPG fitment. What is inclining me towards the suspension is that the malfunction light comes on and stays on even before the engine is started whilst all the other check lights go out as normal. What do people think?

Thanks

Mike

I can fill my Toridaltank with 74 litres of LPG also have 3/4 tank of petrol and not forgetting the spare wheel and mine dosent show any warning lights.

How is the smell of gas?

Mike

[mikesands]

it's gone thanks bluesman.

I know a heavy weight in the boot should not cause a suspension malfunction (which strangely would be indicated via the engine malfunction light).

But I'm interested to know if (say) an O2 sensor problem would cause the engine malfunction light to come on and stay on even before you'd actually started the engine.

Mike

[Dale_V]

But I'm interested to know if (say) an O2 sensor problem would cause the engine malfunction light to come on and stay on even before you'd actually started the engine.

Mike

no a faulty o2 sensor wouldnt show the EML without the engine being started (unless its a stored code). Have you had the car plugged into a diagnostics machine to read the codes?

[TigerFish]

There are more than likely level sensors on the suspension aren't there? For hids or self levelling suspension? Maybe one of those is up the duff and causing the EML to come on when there is exta weight in the boot.

[ManicMark]

Hi Mike the extra sound you are getting could be the lpg injectors they do make a distinct ticking sound, normally only audible from outside the car, I would check to make sure that the plastic engine cover is not touching the injectors as this would amplify the sound.

[steve2006]

I'd have the codes read first before coming to possible causes,the only noise I heard on a converted LS430 were the injectors clicking.

[mikesands]

Good stuff chaps. I've contacted my LPG fitter who happens to be an ex Lexus servicer and he can read the codes so we'll take a look at it tomorrow.

And yes I wondered about something touching the evaporator and amplifying the sound. It's definitely more than ticking - it's a whirring bordering on a buzz.

That's the problem with these LS 430s - any other car and you'd probably not notice it :-)

Mike

[John N]

Thanks for the comments.

No smell of gas this morning. I suspect it was the face-full of gas that I got at the pump that was clinging to my clothes yesterday.

It is the Romano N type sequential - so that would indeed be multipoint.

The 'pump' is probably the evaporator - I think the fitter said the water system is connected to it.

I have a funny feeling the engine malfunction light might actually be connected with a longstanding suspension issue I have had. Once when I put a trolley jack in the boot the engine warning light came on, and went out when I removed it. I am suspecting that the extra 50 kilos of toroidal tank and gas is causing the same problem. Also the engine malfunction light comes on anstays on even before the engine is started - would it do this if ite were an O2 sensor issue?

Thanks

Mike

[John N]

Thanks for the comments.

No smell of gas this morning. I suspect it was the face-full of gas that I got at the pump that was clinging to my clothes yesterday.

It is the Romano N type sequential - so that would indeed be multipoint.

The 'pump' is probably the evaporator - I think the fitter said the water system is connected to it.

I have a funny feeling the engine malfunction light might actually be connected with a longstanding suspension issue I have had. Once when I put a trolley jack in the boot the engine warning light came on, and went out when I removed it. I am suspecting that the extra 50 kilos of toroidal tank and gas is causing the same problem. Also the engine malfunction light comes on anstays on even before the engine is started - would it do this if ite were an O2 sensor issue?

Thanks

Mike

(I'll get the hang of posting replies one day!)

Mike

I had an intermittent problem with an inlet manifold valve last year, nothing to do with LPG, but when it happend the engine malfunction light would come on. The light would always be on immediately the next 3 times I turned the ignition on, but if the fault hadn't recurred during those 3 runs the light would not come on until the fault happend again. It appears the system stores a fault such as an O2 sensor, but if it doesn't reoccur for 3 runs it clears the fault light. So a malfunction light coming on with the ignition doesn't mean the fault is there at that moment, it may have happend one or two trips ago.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

John N

[mikesands]

Thanks John, that makes sense. When he read the codes it was the O2 sensor, so he reset it. The light stayed off for about 6 hours but is back on again.

His converted LS430 does not make the noise we can hear, so he is going to investigate at the 1000 mile service.

Mike

[steve2006]

Thanks John, that makes sense. When he read the codes it was the O2 sensor, so he reset it. The light stayed off for about 6 hours but is back on again.

His converted LS430 does not make the noise we can hear, so he is going to investigate at the 1000 mile service.

Mike

I said

it would be that in my 1st reply

[mikesands]

update:

The evaporator (?) was still making a lot of noise - sounded like a deisel at idel and whined like a distant buzz saw at round town driving. Engineer agreed and since he also has an LS430 he swapped the evaporator over - what a difference - absolutely quiet now, so he's going to send my unit back to Romano and fit the replacement on his car.

By the way - first tank(s) of fuel gave 20.2 true miles per gallon (88% of time on gas 12% on petrol). Since the Lexus calculator was previously giving 22.3mpg on petrol only, I'm happy with that as the calculator is probably optimistic

mike

[Bluesman]

update:

The evaporator (?) was still making a lot of noise - sounded like a deisel at idel and whined like a distant buzz saw at round town driving. Engineer agreed and since he also has an LS430 he swapped the evaporator over - what a difference - absolutely quiet now, so he's going to send my unit back to Romano and fit the replacement on his car.

By the way - first tank(s) of fuel gave 20.2 true miles per gallon (88% of time on gas 12% on petrol). Since the Lexus calculator was previously giving 22.3mpg on petrol only, I'm happy with that as the calculator is probably optimistic

mike

Welcome aboard luxuary motoring at Bargain Basement Prices. Dont smile to much at the pumps, other motorists may take offence.

Mike.