V9X on LPG

G'day
I've just had my STX550 converted to LPG.

Not the cheapest power upgrade on the market, especially if you add the cost of traveling 2800km one way, meals and accommodation for 10 days. The conversion cost around 4.3k with long range LPG tank.

The distributor is based in Adelaide, they think my vehicle is the first (V9X engine) that has been converted. I'll take it for a little trip this weekend as it needs to go back on Monday morning for a 1000km inspection.

I've had the nav for a little over 2&1/2 years, 39,900km on the clock.
One of the installers took it for a test drive and was extremely impressed with how well it went. That was without the gas on!

39k in 2.5 years you need to be doing lots more km's to make the cost of the installation worthwhile, but if you keep the rig long term it will pay off.

Not having a crack at you either mate if it sounds that way, it's good to see someone try something new and share it.

04HUG said:

G'day
I've just had my STX550 converted to LPG.

Not the cheapest power upgrade on the market, especially if you add the cost of traveling 2800km one way, meals and accommodation for 10 days. The conversion cost around 4.3k with long range LPG tank.

The distributor is based in Adelaide, they think my vehicle is the first (V9X engine) that has been converted. I'll take it for a little trip this weekend as it needs to go back on Monday morning for a 1000km inspection.

I've had the nav for a little over 2&1/2 years, 39,900km on the clock.
One of the installers took it for a test drive and was extremely impressed with how well it went. That was without the gas on!

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Hi.
Gotta say I'm very interested in hearing more about the system used and the conversion. I had a Chevy G20 5.7l day van converted in Belgium around 2001 and thought it was great. I realise there's differences between petrol and diesel conversions, but had mine done because I had the money to convert but was struggling with the 15 miles to the gallon on petrol. The other major factor was a cleaner burn and less emissions plus engine oil seemed to stay cleaner, great when it came to test and service time. Haven't seen much about diesel conversions in the UK, but will have a look into it, especially if you can tell me more about real world benefits.
Anyway best of luck and hope all goes well for you.
Dave

I take it this is a diesel gas setup? Not running on straight gas?
Does the govt still give rebates?

happy john said:

39k in 2.5 years you need to be doing lots more km's to make the cost of the installation worthwhile, but if you keep the rig long term it will pay off.

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I understand that it has low km for its age. If I didn't do any trips it would only have a 1/4 of that distance.
At Christmas I moved from Mt Isa onto a Station about 30km, I won't have the work ute to take home so the Navara will be doing 60+km each day.
When I do a road trip it would be at least 2000km, more like at least 5000km. A lot of that driving is in areas where the fuel prices are a bit higher than in higher populated areas. I got diesel at $1.75/Litre on this trip, I've seen Diesel below $1.00.
The addition of LPG has dropped my Diesel consumption to about 8.5L/100km. That is at a genuine 110kph and not being afraid to put my boot in to overtake.

LPG is the answer to your other thread, why you cant go over 180km/h. a friend of mine has his everyday (petrol) car to LPG and above 4,500 rps the engine has nothing to give, also when the tank is half empty the problem is a bit worse.

Stelianos said:

LPG is the answer to your other thread, why you cant go over 180km/h. a friend of mine has his everyday (petrol) car to LPG and above 4,500 rps the engine has nothing to give, also when the tank is half empty the problem is a bit worse.

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Wtf? Dieselgas is nothing like converting a petrol motor to lpg. It still runs on diesel, the lpg just gives it a bigger bang when the diesel is injected to give it more power...

bods said:

Wtf? Dieselgas is nothing like converting a petrol motor to lpg. It still runs on diesel, the lpg just gives it a bigger bang when the diesel is injected to give it more power...

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before you "wtf" quote me you should know better that a diesel can run 100% on LPG by lowering compression rate and drilling a spark plug hole where the glow plug used to sit. he doesnt mention anywhere in this thread (and since i am not a magician to know what he did) so even if he he went for the intake injection and he was complaining that he cant go fast at all, so yea seems like the LPG installation he went for is badly tuned.

In all fairness, diesel/gas is not a commonplace thing and not known about everywhere. But its a pretty safe bet its not what's holding our mate Fangio back at 180kmh.

The V9X is a very powerful diesel engine from factory and mated to a 7 speed auto it would go like a shower of shit. I would be more inclined to invest in a 3" exhaust and either an ECU remap or good quality module to gain more power if you so desire it. To me LPG injection is an out-dated performance upgrade commonly found on older diesels to gain more power. This was before the time of good quality aftermarket turbos and fuel pumps. Our new common rail motors are extremely powerful when compared to the old in indirect injection diesels.

G'day
How clear do I need to make the point that the LPG had NO influence on the top speed discussed in the other thread. That was done on an open speed road before the LPG installation was done.
If you actually read what was stated you would see that after the conversion the diesel consumption dropped to about 8.5L/100km, so it cannot be LPG only as has been suggested.
The LPG has reduced diesel consumption by around 20%. All the other upgrades combined won't do that. Besides, I can still do those.

04HUG said:

G'day
I've just had my STX550 converted to LPG.

Not the cheapest power upgrade on the market, especially if you add the cost of traveling 2800km one way, meals and accommodation for 10 days. The conversion cost around 4.3k with long range LPG tank.

The distributor is based in Adelaide, they think my vehicle is the first (V9X engine) that has been converted. I'll take it for a little trip this weekend as it needs to go back on Monday morning for a 1000km inspection.

I've had the nav for a little over 2&1/2 years, 39,900km on the clock.
One of the installers took it for a test drive and was extremely impressed with how well it went. That was without the gas on!

Click to expand...

Reducing consumption of diesel by adding another type of fuel do you get LPG for free? Your savings are difference between diesel saved and LPG added plus cost of the LPG injection install .

Converted to LPG generally means converted to run LPG only or as a dual fuel setup. In your case it is diesel LPG injection which injects LPG to air before turbo in most cases.
Economy of such modification is questionable - you are adding 3 or 4 l of LPG per 100km and saving some diesel. Extra complexity , extra weight of the LPG tank ,filling two tanks at your local servo. If more performance is required from V9X ( I am happy with mine) tune and exhaust is probably a better solution.

Stelianos said:

before you "wtf" quote me you should know better that a diesel can run 100% on LPG by lowering compression rate and drilling a spark plug hole where the glow plug used to sit. he doesnt mention anywhere in this thread (and since i am not a magician to know what he did) so even if he he went for the intake injection and he was complaining that he cant go fast at all, so yea seems like the LPG installation he went for is badly tuned.

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If you install spark plug , ignition system and lower the compression it is not a diesel any more

For what its worth my D40 has been on Diesel/gas from day Dot, as I'm about to change over to the newer NP300 with a single turbo as you can do more to it if needed v the twin set up, I doubt that I would be installing the gas system on it at all

I also have gas on my Landcruiser that is no where near as refined with the fuel system so more Bang for your Buck , I had been told many years ago that you will get the most out of a D/G system that is pre C/rail where the is more diesel wastage

Forward 16 years from my LC that is 1 stage before CR and you now have computerized everything where there is bugger all wastage in the burn , this doesnt mean that you cant get more from your CR diesel

I'm talking with my tuner utilizing a Unichip with a 5 stage program to give me a set up to suit my needs , this being constant load of 500kg , a little more torque and the rest will fall into place

Nowhere near as cheap as a ECU flashes around the 1.5k but nowhere near the 4.5k LGP set up either , with the end result , better power and economy

Marty