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Had my LS430 (2001) converted back in March but the consumption is pretty terrible compared with petrol. I decided to run the gas empty and check what the car does on a run on petrol (teesside down to London via A1). I got 31.8mpg which incidentally was better than the fuel computer was saying. This contrasts with the 21.3 mpg I got on LPG on a trip to cardiff and 21.7 on the return.

Round town I am definitely getting about 17mpg on gas and the fuel computer was previously showing 22.3 mpg on petrol.

The garage that fitted the LPG have had it back two or three times for 'recalibration' but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

I think the LPG mapping is out - particularly as the engine warning light comes on with LPG but not if I revert to petrol.

The garage want to remap but say that this would not be with anything provided from Romano. Does anyone know where I could get suggested maps for an LS430 to suit the Romano multipoint?

I'm nervous about them leaning it off and wrecking the engine.

Mike

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Is your cooling system working well and getting up to temperature quickly and staying there.The LPG has to vaporises at 30C I think. There are or were LPG fitters at Sunderland on Durham Rd,one at Fencehouses on Lumley pit site,Meadomley or is it Meadowfield and at Dunston near the Metro Centre. I have no connection with any nor have I used them. Just hope this helps.It seems your conversion has not met expectations since getting your 430 done. Just dug this out. Dave,Autogas Conversions,DH4 6DU. 01913852961 / 07946299718. ?,St.Johns Rd,Meadowfield, DH7 8RE. not sure who they are.

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Had my LS430 (2001) converted back in March but the consumption is pretty terrible compared with petrol. I decided to run the gas empty and check what the car does on a run on petrol (teesside down to London via A1). I got 31.8mpg which incidentally was better than the fuel computer was saying. This contrasts with the 21.3 mpg I got on LPG on a trip to cardiff and 21.7 on the return.

Round town I am definitely getting about 17mpg on gas and the fuel computer was previously showing 22.3 mpg on petrol.

The garage that fitted the LPG have had it back two or three times for 'recalibration' but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

I think the LPG mapping is out - particularly as the engine warning light comes on with LPG but not if I revert to petrol.

The garage want to remap but say that this would not be with anything provided from Romano. Does anyone know where I could get suggested maps for an LS430 to suit the Romano multipoint?

I'm nervous about them leaning it off and wrecking the engine.

Mike

There appears to be some serious issues with the way your LPG system was installed. I would certainly not advise having a tinker yourself.

In all the 16 years I have had LPG on my cars I have never had any difference in MPG from what I originally got from running on petrol and thats despite everyone saying you will loose some power and about 10% MPG.

I think you know what I'm going to say but its got to go back to them.

Can I ask how you paid for it? CC DC Cash Cheque etc.

Mike

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Thanks Bluesman. The guy is genuine and will sort the problem if there is one. He even lent me his own LS430 to go down south when a wheel bearing went recently and we couldn't get a new bearing in time. But that's how I know that mine is worse consumption than it should be - his was returning 25mpg for a similar motorway trip (and even 23mpg with a hang-glider wing on a roof rack.

I wasn't going to tinker myself - I was just hoping that there might be on here some experts who knew where we/he could download some proven maps for the LS430. I used to have a Powercommander for a motorbike, and as well as the official powercommander maps you could download others that people had tweaked for different exhauasts and air filters etc.

There doesn't seem to be a Romano website.

Mike

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Thanks Bluesman. The guy is genuine and will sort the problem if there is one. He even lent me his own LS430 to go down south when a wheel bearing went recently and we couldn't get a new bearing in time. But that's how I know that mine is worse consumption than it should be - his was returning 25mpg for a similar motorway trip (and even 23mpg with a hang-glider wing on a roof rack.

I wasn't going to tinker myself - I was just hoping that there might be on here some experts who knew where we/he could download some proven maps for the LS430. I used to have a Powercommander for a motorbike, and as well as the official powercommander maps you could download others that people had tweaked for different exhauasts and air filters etc.

There doesn't seem to be a Romano website.

Mike

Is this any good. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Romano-LPG-CNG-Programming-Interface-Tuning-Kit-usb-/370513229287

I meant to say that none of my cars have ever produced error codes.

Mike

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I had my LS400 done in April, I'm getting at most 300 miles from a 71 litre tank (that's probably about 55-60 litres, or £35ish, full of LPG).

So I reckon, about 27mpg on LPG. If you match the price with petrol, that's an equivalent of between 45-50mpg.

I think your system needs looking at. Mine triggers no engine codes, and is a doddle to use.

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Sorry Mike can't help with the LPG issues but when you travelled back with a hang Glider wing attached to the roof of your LS430 did you get up to 90 knots pull back on the steering wheel,say "V1,rotate,positive rate of climb" then "gear up" :whistling:

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Sorry Mike can't help with the LPG issues but when you travelled back with a hang Glider wing attached to the roof of your LS430 did you get up to 90 knots pull back on the steering wheel,say "V1,rotate,positive rate of climb" then "gear up" :whistling:

Good point Steve - the wing was probably producing loads of lift and will have reduced fuel consumption rather than increased it eh :-)

Mike

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Had my LS430 (2001) converted back in March but the consumption is pretty terrible compared with petrol. I decided to run the gas empty and check what the car does on a run on petrol (teesside down to London via A1). I got 31.8mpg which incidentally was better than the fuel computer was saying. This contrasts with the 21.3 mpg I got on LPG on a trip to cardiff and 21.7 on the return.

Round town I am definitely getting about 17mpg on gas and the fuel computer was previously showing 22.3 mpg on petrol.

The garage that fitted the LPG have had it back two or three times for 'recalibration' but it doesn't seem to make any difference.

I think the LPG mapping is out - particularly as the engine warning light comes on with LPG but not if I revert to petrol.

The garage want to remap but say that this would not be with anything provided from Romano. Does anyone know where I could get suggested maps for an LS430 to suit the Romano multipoint?

I'm nervous about them leaning it off and wrecking the engine.

Mike

Mike

Do you know what engine fault is being triggered when the engine warning light comes one? Is it a ‘lambda’ sensor fault or fuel mixture ‘rich’ fault? Your excess fuel consumption would indicate it is running rich on gas.

The software on the modern sequential multi-point systems should configure itself and map the petrol/gas conversion factors automatically. If the installer has tried to re-map the system a few times and it hasn’t cured the problem then there is something wrong with the installation.

To start with the fuel input of the gas system has to be a reasonable match to the fuel input of the petrol system, or the software won’t be able to compensate for the differences.

My initial suspicion is that the new gas injector nozzles may be over-sized for the engine. If they are the system may set-up and run fine at small throttle settings, but when you put your foot down it will go rich and the engine management system can’t correct the fuel/air ratio enough to stop the engine warning light tripping.

John N

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This is a problem i have, my GS430 LPG is doing 15mpg on gas on a run, no booting it at all, just steady driving, which equates to 25mpg which is the same as my GS430 thats on petrol. LPG here is £0.80.

I am having the LPG system serviced today, and will get them to look at the fuel maps.

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Thanks John - I will relay those comments to the engineer. Just as a matter of interest can anyone tell me whether after they have had an LPG conversion, they have had the engine warning light come on like this. Engineer has suggested it often happens and is just one of those things.

Mike

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Thanks John - I will relay those comments to the engineer. Just as a matter of interest can anyone tell me whether after they have had an LPG conversion, they have had the engine warning light come on like this. Engineer has suggested it often happens and is just one of those things.

Mike

Hi Mike,

In all the 16 years and many cars we have had converted never once has there here been any warning lights of any kind.

I know you say the guy who has done your conversion is a really nice guy and always listens to your complaints but this doesn't hide the fact that there is a problem with the installation.

To say this happens often is total rubbish.

Do hope you manage to get the system sorted somehow or other.

Mike

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Thanks John - I will relay those comments to the engineer. Just as a matter of interest can anyone tell me whether after they have had an LPG conversion, they have had the engine warning light come on like this. Engineer has suggested it often happens and is just one of those things.

Mike

That's not right, never happens on my older Mk2, and shouldn't be happening if the system is set up to suit the engine. It's saying its not happy, and that is just plain wrong.

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Well had my lpg serviced, they checked the fuel maps and it running very slightly lean, but not enough to worry about, he told me that if it runs lean on gas the engine check light will come on.

They could not help me with the economy though... :crybaby:

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Well had my lpg serviced, they checked the fuel maps and it running very slightly lean, but not enough to worry about, he told me that if it runs lean on gas the engine check light will come on.

They could not help me with the economy though... :crybaby:

Running lean would cause overheating (possibly not enough to tax the LS400 system) and, if anything, better economy than the correct mixture. FWIW, there is no level of "slightly lean" that isn't worrying... too lean a mixture promotes detonation (aka pinking), particularly if you give it a bootfull. Even if you don't drive it like you stole it, then you might find it pinking on hills, particularly on hot days.

I guess what I'm saying is, lean is BAD - worse than a touch too rich.

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Yes you are right bud, i cant ever hear it pinking, but then again, cant hear the engine really. ye should be better on on fuel but its the equivalant of petrol.. The silver gs430 i am selling is actually better on fuel now its had a brand new exhaust from lexus than the lpg one !!?? i can get over 20mpg easy, driving it around town, its unreal, the lpg one struggles to do that on a run on petrol and lpg. would a new exhaust make that much difference ?

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If the O2 sensors in the exhaust are naff then that would equate to bad fuel useage.

usual suspects would be water temp sensors (there is 2 or more iirc?) , O2 sensors and possibly air flow/temp sensor.

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This is why I never had my 430 converted to LPG. Too many differing opinions from too many "expert" installers. When it would all go inevitably wrong then your left with problems like this.

Sorry your having these problems.

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This is why I never had my 430 converted to LPG. Too many differing opinions from too many "expert" installers. When it would all go inevitably wrong then your left with problems like this.

Sorry your having these problems.

Yes so am I.

But not all LPG installers are bad.

The trouble with this country is we allow cowboys to set up business and spread grief wherever their greasy little mits go and get everybody a bad name.

This could easily be sorted with the government setting up the same system that covers household gas fitters but no that would be to easy.

This countries government and commerce runs on causing maximum grief to ensure maximum profit. Think on it next time you have a problem with anything and you have to ring an 089 number at a squillion £'s a minuite.

LPG is a great technology and its cheap and there isnt a car out there that if converted properly will run without all these problems.

Here endeth the lesson for today.

Mike

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So Bluesman - where are you - and can you sort an existing Romano installation if asked?

Thanks

Mike

Hi Mike.

I Live on the borders of Hampshire/Berkshire. I couldnt fix any LPG system, apart from being disabled I just dont have the knowledge.

I do know on a new install such as yours you should not be having this trouble.

There is a guy I know in Peterborough who is a wizard with these systems by the name of Salvatori and has businesses in the UK and Italy and what an Italian engineer dosent know about LPG systems is not worth knowing.

I am not aware if Profess are into sorting other peoples installtions out I just know they a brilliant when it comes to their installations.

I asked earlier in this thread how you paid for it but never gave an answer. There is a good reason for asking this. PM with the answer if you like.

Regards Mike

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Hi Bluesman - sorry I thought you said in an earlier post that you had done 16 conversions but I must have misinterpreted. I think I know why you are asking about how I paid for the conversion, but please remember this engineer is a mate. He's done quite a few conversions on LS's including a couple at least for himself. He's a one man garage trying to survive in difficult times (LPG is part of his business but not his main stuff which is generally looking after luxury cars when tight sods like me don't want to continue paying Lexus prices). I think he's stumped but he's still willing to keep trying to sort it. He's been in touch a few times with Romano technical people. My next suggestion is going to be that a technician from Romano visits his place to take a look. If that can't be done, I'm considering paying a different Romano authorised place up here to see if they can diagnose the problem. I did a search on Google for Romano LPG places up here. Google maps is amazing in'it? A posh looking website gave an address that I was able to look up on Maps and then see street level photos. Let's just say the frontage was less than impressive, so I am really hoping there is someone on here that can point me to a Romano place that is doing this as their main business.

I know I could stamp my feet and jump up and down with my guy, but I hope the above explains things a bit better.

Thanks

Mike

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Hi Bluesman - sorry I thought you said in an earlier post that you had done 16 conversions but I must have misinterpreted. I think I know why you are asking about how I paid for the conversion, but please remember this engineer is a mate. He's done quite a few conversions on LS's including a couple at least for himself. He's a one man garage trying to survive in difficult times (LPG is part of his business but not his main stuff which is generally looking after luxury cars when tight sods like me don't want to continue paying Lexus prices). I think he's stumped but he's still willing to keep trying to sort it. He's been in touch a few times with Romano technical people. My next suggestion is going to be that a technician from Romano visits his place to take a look. If that can't be done, I'm considering paying a different Romano authorised place up here to see if they can diagnose the problem. I did a search on Google for Romano LPG places up here. Google maps is amazing in'it? A posh looking website gave an address that I was able to look up on Maps and then see street level photos. Let's just say the frontage was less than impressive, so I am really hoping there is someone on here that can point me to a Romano place that is doing this as their main business.

I know I could stamp my feet and jump up and down with my guy, but I hope the above explains things a bit better.

Thanks

Mike

I have had many cars converted over 16 or so years.

I dont know where you are based Mike.

I understand what you say about being a mate, you have got yourself into a difficult situation innocently but you have paid out a large wad of money to have work done on your car by somone who has sold themselves to you as knowing what they are doing and its come unstuck.

So often these friendly relationships end up with tears as the moment you start to force the situation its going to end up in a row with you seeking redress either by them sorting it once and for all or you start asking for money back and I would have done that after the second time of failure.

This was a business deal between you and him and friendship should have no place in it.

Dont forget should you now want to sell your car you are going to have big problems because of the warning lights, so your not talking just about the price of the install.

I wish you all the luck in the world and will keep my fingers crossed that you manage to get it sorted. If I was in a position to sort it myself I wouldnt hesitate to help even if it meant a journey to yours or you down here.

Mike

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