Converting to Gas - any advice?

[jfmika]

Folks,

I'm seriously thinking of converting my VYII Wagon to gas (for obvious reasons!). Are there any tips, gotchas or other bits of advice or experience that anyone can pass on.

For instance...

I've been quoted about $3500... that sounds a bit steep.. but is that normal?

Is there such a thing as using "Holden std parts"? Do any Holden dealers actually do this conversion, or is it always 3rd party outfits?

I'm told that the std place for the tank is in the spare wheel well... is that normal also?

Will this give me a dual-fuel car, or will the petrol tank then be redundant?

Thanks for any and all input.

Joachim.

 

[oxleigh]

lpg Vy11

Gday mate, about your VY wagon and LPG, I have converted My VY11 exec sedan to lpg, it has a complete Holden kit fited by a company in Sydney approved to do Holden kits, I think the dealers send the cars to him, there might be someone in Vic who does the same thing. the Kit is all holden with Holden compliance plates and part numbers, this cost me $2,800 fitted, this is for a sedan of course, this included all the bits with new rear springs and complete air filter assembly, the computer has to be flashed with the software from Holden, the fuel gauge is used for both Gas and Petrol, the computer screen tells you when the gas is on, it also tells you when you are low on gas or petrol, even if you run on gas all the time you need to keep 1/4 tank of petrol and use some each week, I run about half a day each week to keep injectors and pump running ok. It is a duel fuel system, the standard tank is used, the switch for the gas is a holden part and is fitted into the consul behind the elec window switches.
the tank you refered to is called a donut tank and it replaces the spare wheel, the spare is fitted beside the rear side window on one side, the tank is the one used in taxi wagons.
It is the best thing I have done, its paid for itself in lot less than 30,000 km. contact me if you reqiure any other answers. good luck, you wont regret it.
Ian

 

[bennzy]

for wagons they generally put the gas tanks in where the spare wheels is. I am thinking about putting the gas on my vx commo v8 5.7 gen3 apparently there is a aftermarket holden one the gas mechanic who fitted gas to my old car. Most likely they will install duel fuel since thats what people want. very rarely is there a straight gas been done. i was quoted between 4,000 to 4,500 for my gen3 mechanic wasnt 100% sure on my price, but i would look around price has gone up because parts are becoming more expensive because of the demand of gas systems

 

[holdensupporter2005]

can the donut gas tank be fitted to a VY Sedan???
I was going to install gas in my car, but was a bit reluctant because I didn't want my boot space taken up.

Get rid of the spare wheel altogether. If I need it will call RACV, thats what I pay them for :yeah:

Also where do they put the Gas Filler / Cap. Do they drill a hole in the back quater panel, or can they put it in next to the fuel filler???

 

[bennzy]

i dont think you can get it done in the spare wheel area in a sedan but these days the tanks are that far up against the back seat u still get good room in the boot, like my old car still had plenty of space, and they put the gas filler in next to the petrol filler

 

[jfmika]

More thoughts / questions

Thanks to everyone for their input. It seems like it's important to get the "holden genuine" bits. $3500 seems like a lot to pay, but I guess they're operating in a supplier's market at the moment <grin>. This is a mob that was recommended to me by the Holden dealer. It's a bit strange, I think, that the dealers don't do this themselves - I would have thought that it would be a good money-spinner for them.

As for the donut tank... it certainly sounds like what was described to me. How much does it hold? I can't imagine that it's very big.. but then estimating volumes can be difficult sometimes.

I'm pleased to hear that I'll end up with a dual-fuel system - that would give me heaps of flexibility. Given that the price difference is at least 80c / litre at the moment, even $3500 would pay for itself in less than 2 yrs at my normal annual mileages. The question about filler's is also interesting.. I didn't think of that.

I'd also heard that parts take a while to get, and was told that it would take some weeks before it could be done.

Are there any downsides at all (other than loss of space)?

Joachim.

 

[holdensupporter2005]

i dont think you can get it done in the spare wheel area in a sedan but these days the tanks are that far up against the back seat u still get good room in the boot, like my old car still had plenty of space, and they put the gas filler in next to the petrol filler

I have 2 12" subs with boxes at the back seat. Plus a gas tank would be practically no room. thats why the donut tank sounded good.

 

[Stevie C]

Gday mate, about your VY wagon and LPG, I have converted My VY11 exec sedan to lpg, it has a complete Holden kit fited by a company in Sydney approved to do Holden kits, I think the dealers send the cars to him, there might be someone in Vic who does the same thing. the Kit is all holden with Holden compliance plates and part numbers, this cost me $2,800 fitted, this is for a sedan of course, this included all the bits with new rear springs and complete air filter assembly, the computer has to be flashed with the software from Holden, the fuel gauge is used for both Gas and Petrol, the computer screen tells you when the gas is on, it also tells you when you are low on gas or petrol, even if you run on gas all the time you need to keep 1/4 tank of petrol and use some each week, I run about half a day each week to keep injectors and pump running ok. It is a duel fuel system, the standard tank is used, the switch for the gas is a holden part and is fitted into the consul behind the elec window switches.
the tank you refered to is called a donut tank and it replaces the spare wheel, the spare is fitted beside the rear side window on one side, the tank is the one used in taxi wagons.
It is the best thing I have done, its paid for itself in lot less than 30,000 km. contact me if you reqiure any other answers. good luck, you wont regret it.
Ian

Hi Oxleigh,
Did you take it for the gas conversion after delivery? Can you adivse of the name of the company you went to? I would like the same kit for My series II. I am keen to have the LCD display integration as well. Is it only the holden kit that allows for this?

Steve

 

[calaiscruise]

lpg gas injection for GenIII 5.7L

Guys,

I am also looking to put my 5.7L Gen III Calais onto lpg. My previous car was a 4.2L v8 carby Kingswood on LPG and I used to enjoy filling my tank for $30

I dont want to put on an "lpg vacumm carby" setup on my GenIII, this would be like converting my engine with advanced fuel injection, back into a carby dinosaur (less power/economy).

I had heard about gas injection or "sequential vapour injection" systems, that gas injectors and run a parallel ecm computer, but then I dont think you'd keep the things like traction control etc. and you lose power, I heard they can cost about $3000 or more

Last year (?) on the ABC Inventors show I saw a guy who invented the "GTi Stealth Injection System" http://www.abc.net.au/newinventors/txt/s1345083.htm
which uses the cars existing ecm, therefore keeping traction control, etc. and lean burn functions.. it just runs special lpg injectors, that sit in parallel with the petrol injectors.

I checked the guys website http://www.gas-injection.com/
, because it had been a while, but seems it's not in production yet.. :bang:

Perhaps if people start harrassing him ( in a nice way) maybe it will get into production, because its seems like such a great way to lpg to a fuel injected car.

btw. I have no connection with the guy or his site, I just wish he would start production, because I want to put one on my car :whistling

 

[bennzy]

calaiscruise, im in fact getting a holden factory system fitted to my vehicle in 2 weeks on my vx 5.7L fuel injected system it costs around the $4000 mark i was lucky to get it $4000, but a guy with his monaro is pay 4200 so im happy about that, ive been told they are a really good system and have been tested on many fleet cars and all and have all passed with flying colours.

do it through the injectors shouldnt loose power but if it did it would be min.

if you like i can let you know how it goes once its done.