Cheap6
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In no particular order:
I would suggest getting the largest tank that you can, subject to you being willing to give up the boot space and access to it through the rear seat. You will use ~30% more LPG than petrol and the extra fill ups will get old very quickly (although you do get to avoid the "discount day" ques with LPG). The extra fuel use should be the same proportionally highway and urban. Set up as it is meant to be (not how I actually run it) I get something like ~16L/100 km urban, ~10L/100km highway.
Keep asking the questions about what you actually get with any conversion in detail. In my opinion it is hard to go past the factory approved kit. At the very least it means that any problems will certainly be with the install rather than the kit or components.
The factory kit uses Impco components. It includes a MemCal that has a seperate ignition timing map for LPG, petrol start assist and a "valve saver" mode that adds petrol at high engine loads to control exhaust valve temperature. It also maintains the anti-theft functionality, something not all kits do. The current fuel gauge will read whichever fuel is being run on. The lines are pre-made (= neat) and stiffer rear springs included.
The upper cylinder "lubes" are a waste of time and money. Exhaust valve damage is an issue of heat and only then on sustained high speed (load) conditions. Correct ignition timing (on LPG) and the petrol cooling with the factory MemCal avoids most of it.
In considering the economics of LPG, note that the supermarket discount coupons are worth ~30% more because you still get the 4 cents per litre discount but buy more litres (= more $$$ saved).
You will have to change spark plugs every 20K km - so + ~$20 per year.
Used parts can be OK - I did my own car using used parts, plug and play, without even putting kits through the mixer or converter, but you might want to check the rules regarding the government rebate. I think that you have to provide written evidence of the provenance of the parts used in the conversion. This might be problematic with used parts. The copper lines and the rubber parts have to be new with any new install regardless.
I would suggest getting the largest tank that you can, subject to you being willing to give up the boot space and access to it through the rear seat. You will use ~30% more LPG than petrol and the extra fill ups will get old very quickly (although you do get to avoid the "discount day" ques with LPG). The extra fuel use should be the same proportionally highway and urban. Set up as it is meant to be (not how I actually run it) I get something like ~16L/100 km urban, ~10L/100km highway.
Keep asking the questions about what you actually get with any conversion in detail. In my opinion it is hard to go past the factory approved kit. At the very least it means that any problems will certainly be with the install rather than the kit or components.
The factory kit uses Impco components. It includes a MemCal that has a seperate ignition timing map for LPG, petrol start assist and a "valve saver" mode that adds petrol at high engine loads to control exhaust valve temperature. It also maintains the anti-theft functionality, something not all kits do. The current fuel gauge will read whichever fuel is being run on. The lines are pre-made (= neat) and stiffer rear springs included.
The upper cylinder "lubes" are a waste of time and money. Exhaust valve damage is an issue of heat and only then on sustained high speed (load) conditions. Correct ignition timing (on LPG) and the petrol cooling with the factory MemCal avoids most of it.
In considering the economics of LPG, note that the supermarket discount coupons are worth ~30% more because you still get the 4 cents per litre discount but buy more litres (= more $$$ saved).
You will have to change spark plugs every 20K km - so + ~$20 per year.
Used parts can be OK - I did my own car using used parts, plug and play, without even putting kits through the mixer or converter, but you might want to check the rules regarding the government rebate. I think that you have to provide written evidence of the provenance of the parts used in the conversion. This might be problematic with used parts. The copper lines and the rubber parts have to be new with any new install regardless.
