I heard the 380's do really well on LPG, the Impco System ( sequential vapour injection ) reckons no noticable power loss, 2 litres of LPG more per 100, Petrol starting and seemless change over, Hoping to cut my fuel bills in half.
Won't do in the factory warranty either.
Going to get it done on brisbane in the next few months.
Any thoughts, things to keep in mind or recommendations,
Thanks in advance.

I love burning petrol, but money is .....




http://www.lpgautogas.com.au/index.cfm?action=News&unq=115&Type=R

What 380 do you have? Not all 380's have lpg compatible heads on them, (as Type40 has discovered). From what I have been told, there is a rectangular landing on the side of the head, just above the exhaust manifold at the front of the motor. If it has one hole drilled into it, then its NOT LPG compatible. 2 or 3 holes is compatible.

Can't you convert any magna/380 to LPG even if it is not compatible from factory?

Dont forget you get $2000 back from the govt after the conversion :D

Can't you convert any magna/380 to LPG even if it is not compatible from factory?

I'm sure you can convert them, but the valves burn out when using LPG if they aren't the correct ones I believe. Anyone able to shed any light on the subject?

I'm sure you can convert them, but the valves burn out when using LPG if they aren't the correct ones I believe. Anyone able to shed any light on the subject?
The research i did awhile back says the only difference between "compatible" and "non-compatible" is the valve seals used. The non-compatible will still run LPG fine, but the valve seals will wear quicker, so when that happens you just need to replace the seals anyway, so at that point just chuck the lpg compatible ones in.

What does a valve seals looks like and their price to be replaced?

What does a valve seals looks like and their price to be replaced?
They don't cost much at all, they're only little rubber rings. In our motors we have 4 per cylinder, so 24 valves, i think they're about a dollar or 2 each, so you can get a 24 pack for around $50 max. It's labor that kills you, looking at around $500.

The research i did awhile back says the only difference between "compatible" and "non-compatible" is the valve seals used.

Valve seals, or Valve seats? Normally gas compatible engines run hardened valve seats. If it's just valve seals, I don't see why they would go through the trouble of fitting two different types...I"m sure the cost difference would be negligible.

I think its the seats not the seals. They need to be hardened like the valves?

Must be the valve seats then (could have misread it quite easily), and yeh they need to be hardened to resist the higher temps.

Make sure the engine is LPG compatible as Mitsu wont warrant the engine if a conversion is carried out on a non compatible motor. I called my local dealer today to suss this very fact out. If you are in doubt though give Mitsubishi a call just to make sure and cover yourself.

Apperently all auto's can go to gas, The VRX and GT model's ( being manuals ) wont.
I checked the VIN with MMAL and it comes up LPG ready. Harder valves and seats for higher temps.
I had Actually bought a 2005 tw Magna coz the salesman:rant: reckoned it was LPG ready, Expensive mistake for them:nuts:
Got a great deal on the 380, I told him what I would pay, or it was off to Fair Trading to get a full refund for 'misrepresenting the vehicle':badgrin:

Gettin the windows tinted on friday, along with some other goodies, factory Mats for floor and dash.
Would love to mod it a bit, with the import intake and a better exhaust. But I better wait for the gas man to do his job as the car must pass emmission standards.

Thanx for input, I will be sure to let you all know how she runs, and economy results as well.

You can get the $2000.00 grant from a Medicare Office.lol

BTW, the Impco Sequent MMAL approved system has only been avail from the later part of this year

Good work, mate.

The intake is not really a mod. It is the proper six cylinder intake for that size engine. MMAL changed it to a smaller one to reduce the db level. There won't be any afffect on emissions if you get it fitted.

Unless your car is a taxi, I can't see why you would want to ruin it just to save a tiny amount of money each week.

Must be the valve seats then (could have misread it quite easily), and yeh they need to be hardened to resist the higher temps.
Is it costly to harden the valve seats and is it a once off cost? What are the risks? Do I assume this be included in quotes given to convert? My TJ is not LPG compatible from factory so I am still researching possibilities.

Is it costly to harden the valve seats and is it a once off cost? What are the risks? Do I assume this be included in quotes given to convert? My TJ is not LPG compatible from factory so I am still researching possibilities.
you don't harden your valve seats, you need to replace them with hardened ones. I doubt this would even be in the minds of an lpg converter, you would need to get it done by a mechanic. If your car is in good condition, then you should be able to make your car lpg compatible for under $1k easily.

you don't harden your valve seats, you need to replace them with hardened ones. I doubt this would even be in the minds of an lpg converter, you would need to get it done by a mechanic. If your car is in good condition, then you should be able to make your car lpg compatible for under $1k easily.
Is this lpg compatible thing done at the same converter or by a different crowd?

The bad thing about taking the heads off your car and replacing the valves and seats is you have to take the head off your car. It will never be the same again, there is nothing as good as robot screwin down all your head bolts simultaniously with the correct torque.
It can be done, but you open yourself up to head gasket replacement down the track and worse still, an apprentice bolting it all back together.

Unless your car is a taxi, I can't see why you would want to ruin it just to save a tiny amount of money each week.
.:confused:
Reducing start up wear.
Prolonging engine life.
Long Plug life.
Longer oil life.
Reduced emissions.
Cheaper to run.
0 Kw Loss
6% torque Loss

But I lose a little Boot space and Gain Kerbside Mass.

.:confused:
Reducing start up wear.
Prolonging engine life.

how does gas do that?

LPG doesnt burn (wash) the oil on the side of cylinder walls and burns cleaner, leaving less carbon behind, cleaner oil and no sludging.

From what I have been told, there is a rectangular landing on the side of the head, just above the exhaust manifold at the front of the motor. If it has one hole drilled into it, then its NOT LPG compatible. 2 or 3 holes is compatible.
Here's a pic of what MagnaByDesign was talking about from my VRX which I know does not support LPG...

LPG does burn cleaner. I'll give it that. And you will save a little bit of money on fuel. Buggered if I'd be adding all that horrible bulk to a nice new car though!

Manul gearbox's don't take LPG, ummm the VRX's are Manuals(noob question).
I don't know why they did that, or specifically why they don't.

I have a Manual series 1 380 (Not VRX, just base model) and it says in the handbook that it is gas compatible.

Ummm, yeah good point. I stand corrected.
Is it just the the GT's and VRX's.

LPG does burn cleaner. I'll give it that. And you will save a little bit of money on fuel.

A little? My 380 has been on LPG since July this year, and I can happilly say that I only pay around $25-30 per tank (even less when I use the petrol shop-a-docket). Compared to say when I have to fill up my Petrol tank, I spend around $60-80 depending on which day of the week I fill up.

What the new Sequential Gas Injection system does is it starts your car up on Petrol, then when the car's computer says "I'm ready", it automatically switches over without you even noticing. (which is why you still need to fill up the petrol tank once every so often). I totally agree with the no noticeable power loss, the car feels the same and if you don't check your little gas LED lights, you wouldn't even know if you're running on LPG or Petrol.

The downside is of course, the amount of boot space thats lost. With the $2000 grant, plus the $50 I save each time I fill up, I'm more than happy to live with a little less than half the boot space.

Well, she goes in this morning, Carb n Gas (Brisbane) are doing the conversion, I had a few places to chose from and the places that didn't do it all recommended them. It was also the cheapest ( Maybe I dropped the right name). 3 weeks ago I paid a $500.00 dollar dep. so they could order the IMPCO Sequent 56 system in, I wont have for two days but can pick it up tommorow night.
It was a good feeling last time I filled her up, thinking this will probably be the last time I pay for a full tank of petrol in a very long time:cool:

More feedback and photo's to follow........

I wonder how long it take to get the $2K back from the Gov.

The Govt refund is quite prompt actucally and it takes about a week to get that $2K from Fed Govt. In WA state Govt pays extra $1k and it takes about 2 weeks.

You wont regret the conversion. Surely ll save heaps and no noticeable power loss. The GAS injectors are a bit noisier though.

Post some pics once done.



Well, she goes in this morning, Carb n Gas (Brisbane) are doing the conversion, I had a few places to chose from and the places that didn't do it all recommended them. It was also the cheapest ( Maybe I dropped the right name). 3 weeks ago I paid a $500.00 dollar dep. so they could order the IMPCO Sequent 56 system in, I wont have for two days but can pick it up tommorow night.
It was a good feeling last time I filled her up, thinking this will probably be the last time I pay for a full tank of petrol in a very long time:cool:

More feedback and photo's to follow........

I wonder how long it take to get the $2K back from the Gov.

Firts impressions, smooth, same power, will be off for a drive tomorrow to show our daughter some Ducks ( duckies ), will have daylight pics then too.

Apparently the Medicare office gives you the dough back in 5-7 days.

LPG doesnt burn (wash) the oil on the side of cylinder walls and burns cleaner, leaving less carbon behind, cleaner oil and no sludging.
Because it is a dry fuel it does burn oil off the cylinder walls. Completely. You will find your oil consumption will go up marginally because of this. However it does burn with less carbon deposits. The acid content of engine oil will be higher on LPG, this is the reason that V6 Commodores chew through cam bearings on LPG cars. So even of the oil looks clean don't neglect the oil changes.

Firts impressions, smooth, same power, will be off for a drive tomorrow to show our daughter some Ducks ( duckies ), will have daylight pics then too.

Apparently the Medicare office gives you the dough back in 5-7 days.

So how's it going?

Do you still have a strong top end?

So how's it going?

Do you still have a strong top end?

I was gonna give you a call and find out which Dyno Place you used, coz I reckon its noticably Quicker in the top end, things like fighting the TCL in second now with tyre chirping on a hill where its never done it before, perhaps its just me. You'll have to have a drive.
I will put it the same dyno though, perhaps i Might go down in flames. But god it drives so much faster, Oh and Cheaperlol

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/LPG380003.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/LPG380002.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/LPG380001.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/LPG380004.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/LPG380005.jpg

So is that purple thing in the last pic the LPG tank? My they are small these days!

So is that purple thing in the last pic the LPG tank? My they are small these days!

Bahaha!

No, that's the self destruct mechanism if SH00T gets outdragged by a 3rd Gen! :bowrofl:

That's excellent, Marty, particularly if you think you've actually increased power :shock:
Really neat and impressive installation job.

There are two places to dyno it that I used - and I would, because so many ppl are going to be interested - :

1. Bob Romanos at Lytton

2. Chip Torque at Nerang

Both will cost you $100.

Looks ok from what i can see. Any chance of removing the engine cover i want to see what they have done underneath since the bulk of the work is concealed under the cover.

Regards

Iam a fastidious prick by nature …. I guess its hard to tell in a picture … but the job they done on the inside of the filler looks crap... and even raw metal … sharp corners and not straight ….i would be screaming bloody murder if it was me … but that’s me lol

Its been while since I was in a workshop, but apart from a lack of paint:rant: , that steel, looks to have been heated then been dropped in oil, to prevent oxidization.(oil quenching?) But you've raised a good point, I will be sure to ask the the installer.

No pics of the boot yet. We had an outing and it was full of baby stuff.(will take the engine cover off to avoid a picsorban post)



And Knotched, I wanted to use the Ramano's, to keep things relative.

Cheers Guys, feed back appreciated. Sarcasism NOT:nuts:

After a big weekend at a LAN up the coast, with what I might best describe as spirited driving I returned
12.6 liters per 100km

380 kms
48.00 litres of LPG
@ 61.9 cpl
$29.75 - 4cpl voucher = $27.83 for 380 k's

I'm gunna have to attach a bungie cord from my belt to my right shoelol

Or $7.30/100km as opposed to petrol at (est) 10 lit. per 100km at $1.30 p/l = $13.00/100km.

looks very interesting .... fortunately i dont have to pay for fuel "PERIOD " ..so i dont have to even contemplate gas at all ... as i would hate to loose space and i have some very very bitter memories about running cars on gas ... 3 over the last 20 years and their all been total PIGS in every sence of the word

The GAS injectors are a bit noisier though.



What exactly do injectors sound like ??? Is it noticeable from inside the car?

Ollie

You can hear the gas injectors standing by the bonnet with it closed, especially after switching, but from the driving perspective, and idling, inside the car, I cant tell the diff.

Edit: its just noticable, but it doesn't sound wrong.

No pics of the boot yet. We had an outing and it was full of baby stuff.(will take the engine cover off to avoid a picsorban post)

*poke*

picsorban :D

Threw a 15" wheel cover in for a bit of scale.http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/380gastank.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/380Bootside.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/380bootfloor.jpg
Filler area after paint
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee217/SH00T/380filler.jpg

the only 380s that have a LPG engine in it is the LSs. they have a differant engine in it to suit LPG
its the same with magnas. the only ones you can really put on LPG is the LSs.

but the new conversions in the 380s are wicked. the start on Petrol then go to gas straight away, with out flicking a switch, then change back to petrol if you need the power

the only 380s that have a LPG engine in it is the LSs. they have a differant engine in it to suit LPG
its the same with magnas. the only ones you can really put on LPG is the LSs.

but the new conversions in the 380s are wicked. the start on Petrol then go to gas straight away, with out flicking a switch, then change back to petrol if you need the power
Really? Do tell me more!

Really? Do tell me more!

:bowrofl: :bowrofl:

Tell all of us, please!!

but the new conversions in the 380s are wicked. the start on Petrol then go to gas straight away, with out flicking a switch, then change back to petrol if you need the power

You can set any LPG up like that.. Up until a few weeks ago i had me a company car and never worried about fuel. I also brought me a Pajero so i learnt how much petrol is costing the hard way. its costing me $110 to fill the 3.0L V6 and just getting 400kms out of it around town. i put me a deposit on a LPG conversion on thurs and am awaiting on the kit now.

The way they set it up is the i will keep my petrol tank and throw a LPG tank in the boot. it is a 72Litre actual usage which is a 90 Litre tank. For the people that dont understand you can never fill a LPG tank to max, they have a valve that stops them at 80% full as they need the space to expand. My kit will be set up to run on petrol every time i start it for around 30 seconds and then it will automatically change to gas. Ive been told i wont even know when it does the change over. i can also switch from gas to petrol and back while driving..:)

The average sums for LPG to Petrol is with LPG you will use anout 20% more over petrol but will save about 40% of the cost of petrol. To get the kit done on the pajero i got myself a good deal of $3000 fitted. then i will get $2000 back in a rebate..:)

On the other hand i could of gone LPG injection. it would of cost more $2500. Didnt think it was worth the extra money. The guy fitting my kit has a VY SS ute he fitted LPG injection to and had a 20kw ATW gain in power for the setup.. He said more power and better economy..:)

My kit will be set up to run on petrol every time i start it for around 30 seconds and then it will automatically change to gas. Ive been told i wont even know when it does the change over. i can also switch from gas to petrol and back while driving..:)
As someone who have never owned or driven a LPG vehicle, I was wondering... what is the difference between the 2 fuels when driving? Is regular fuel better for blasting around, while LPG is better for calm cruising?

As someone who have never owned or driven a LPG vehicle, I was wondering... what is the difference between the 2 fuels when driving? Is regular fuel better for blasting around, while LPG is better for calm cruising?


Although arguable, that is the general consensus.....

The torque below 4 grand is better than you would believe, so around town its just a brilliant drive, better than petrol in my opinion, just a quarter throttle and you can feel the push in your seat, past 4 or so gas dies over that, But I think thats a lot to do with the program after looking at the screen dumps, plant it and you're burning the Kuwaiti stuff.

Thats with SVI Gas, it just pulls really well through the range left in auto LPG/Pet switching mode (default).