P38A Is it time to jump to LPG ? (4.6l Gems)

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awkwardbob

awkwardbob

Well-Known Member
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578
Location
Glasgow
So.... with petrol rapidly approaching £2 per litre and LPG around £0.80 is the time right now to bite the bullet and opt for an LPG conversion ?

I've a late '97 4.6L Gems which returns between 13 and 24 mpg. The petrol prices alone are emptying my wallet and the 'payback' for an LPG conversion seems shorter than ever.

I've been quoted around £2k for a Prins Multipoint system from an approved installer who seems to know his way around the Rover V8. I'm kinda tempted as the sums below show, but having read a lot of threads on this, I wondered whether there was any sage advice form anyone who has gone down this route and would recommend it or avoid it -and if there are any questions I ought to be asking.

Thanks again for your help

Bob

Petrol
2.00 per litre *4.54 = 9.08 per gallon. 18mpg @ 9.08 = £0.50 per mile

LPG
0.80 per litre *4.54 = 3.63 per gallon. 16mpg @ 3.63 =£0.23 per mile

Cost of conversion £2000 / 0.27 = 7408 miles to break even (If prices stay at current rate -which, of course they won't !)
 
awkwardbob said:
So.... with petrol rapidly approaching £2 per litre and LPG around £0.80 is the time right now to bite the bullet and opt for an LPG conversion ?

I've a late '97 4.6L Gems which returns between 13 and 24 mpg. The petrol prices alone are emptying my wallet and the 'payback' for an LPG conversion seems shorter than ever.

I've been quoted around £2k for a Prins Multipoint system from an approved installer who seems to know his way around the Rover V8. I'm kinda tempted as the sums below show, but having read a lot of threads on this, I wondered whether there was any sage advice form anyone who has gone down this route and would recommend it or avoid it -and if there are any questions I ought to be asking.

Thanks again for your help

Bob

Petrol
2.00 per litre *4.54 = 9.08 per gallon. 18mpg @ 9.08 = £0.50 per mile

LPG
0.80 per litre *4.54 = 3.63 per gallon. 16mpg @ 3.63 =£0.23 per mile

Cost of conversion £2000 / 0.27 = 7408 miles to break even (If prices stay at current rate -which, of course they won't !)
Click to expand...
It's okay and eventually you'll save . But and a bigger but LPG gas supplies are shrinking as support with garages. Your source possible might get tight. The push for forecourts to adapt to Ev charging could effectively make fuel shrink.
 
In my opinion, no it isn't.

Firstly, search on here for opinions on the advisability of running 94mm bore (3.9/4.0/4.2/4.6) RV8's on LPG.
Secondly, from what I've read in the motoring press many outlets intend to cease selling LPG over the next couple of years, Demand for the fuel has dropped to the point where it's no longer sustainable & space is needed for EV charging points.
 
awkwardbob said:
So.... with petrol rapidly approaching £2 per litre and LPG around £0.80 is the time right now to bite the bullet and opt for an LPG conversion ?

I've a late '97 4.6L Gems which returns between 13 and 24 mpg. The petrol prices alone are emptying my wallet and the 'payback' for an LPG conversion seems shorter than ever.

I've been quoted around £2k for a Prins Multipoint system from an approved installer who seems to know his way around the Rover V8. I'm kinda tempted as the sums below show, but having read a lot of threads on this, I wondered whether there was any sage advice form anyone who has gone down this route and would recommend it or avoid it -and if there are any questions I ought to be asking.

Thanks again for your help

Bob

Petrol
2.00 per litre *4.54 = 9.08 per gallon. 18mpg @ 9.08 = £0.50 per mile

LPG
0.80 per litre *4.54 = 3.63 per gallon. 16mpg @ 3.63 =£0.23 per mile

Cost of conversion £2000 / 0.27 = 7408 miles to break even (If prices stay at current rate -which, of course they won't !)
Click to expand...

On the continent, yes. Or if you have LPG heating or are member of a hot-air balloon club. Otherwise, missed the boat, mainly on availability.
 
awkwardbob said:
There seem to be quite a few outlets still available round here, but I take the point...

Now checking out symptoms of cracked liners. !
Click to expand...
Liners don't crack, but they can become loose. Blocks can crack behind the liners where the coolant jacket is because LR in their infinite wisdom didn't engineer the liner to seal against the fire ring of the head gasket, which would have prevented all the issues you hear about
 
It will be fazed out by 2024 as a road fuel apparently in an article in a motoring magazine.
IMG-20220520-WA0007.jpg
 
In your financial calcualtions you also need to factor in the servicing costs of the system and the extra mileage you will do to find lpg. On my old 3.5l kia sorento, lpg kept poisoning the lambda sensors.

Col
 
Well, there are still a fair few around Glasgow but, as you say, it looks like it’s days may be numbered…. And there’s no saying it will continue to be taxed at a lower rate or that petrol will remain this high in the long term…

maybe I just need to sit on my hands and swallow the £200 for a tank of fuel
 
Its a shame that the supply is getting difficult. We used to run a V8 on LPG in the UK and it was fine.
Admittedly we only run the 90 on LPG here but it is available in pretty much every fuel station, there are also LPG only stations as many use LPG for cooking purpose so they fill bottles, (you own the bottle here).

If you just buy a secondhand front end system (engine bay and brain) then get the supplier to fit tank and lines and certify it, I am sure the 2k price could be halved or more.

J
 
awkwardbob said:
Well, there are still a fair few around Glasgow but, as you say, it looks like it’s days may be numbered…. And there’s no saying it will continue to be taxed at a lower rate or that petrol will remain this high in the long term…

maybe I just need to sit on my hands and swallow the £200 for a tank of fuel
Click to expand...
Or do what I've done and do away with unneccessary trips,and fu¢ them all, fuel companies and the government,I'm still on the£80 of diesel I put in before my last trip away, meant to say petrol had gone up to €1.61 a litre in the Canaries:eek::mad::mad:
 
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