P38A LPG issue Resolved

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Ah OK. My previous P38 was a diesel and the ecu was by the battery, that's why I didn't even think to look there.
I have found the software online just need to get a cable for my laptop to plug in, I am assuming it's accessed via the obd port?
 
kermit_rr said:
It will most likely be via a custom cable directly out of the lpg ecu
Click to expand...
That was my thought too but the lpg ecu doesn't have any ports or plugs other than the big one on the top. As sure I read somewhere that some systems are accessed via the obd port. I have emailed tinleytech.co.uk to see whats available.
 
So I have spoken with tinleytech, what a fantastic mine of information. They have all the parts I need in stock, injectors, filters, service kit and interface cable. I found the diagnostic plug hidden down between the fuse box and the battery box.
IMG_20220301_165029.jpg
 
So the parts all arrived at the weekend and today I have begun to strip it down. What a pain in the bum having the injector rails under the upper intake manifold.
The pipework is really knackered and brittle, there is enough cable to mount the injector rails above the manifold but I am not sure on how long the pipes to the injection ports can be. It would certainly look a lot neater if it was possible. Here are some pics so far, used my own numbering system to make it simple to put back.
 

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Andy Burrell said:
So the parts all arrived at the weekend and today I have begun to strip it down. What a pain in the bum having the injector rails under the upper intake manifold.
The pipework is really knackered and brittle, there is enough cable to mount the injector rails above the manifold but I am not sure on how long the pipes to the injection ports can be. It would certainly look a lot neater if it was possible. Here are some pics so far, used my own numbering system to make it simple to put back.
Click to expand...
Is that bosch or gems? Looks nothing like nine
 
Bosch. I have spoken to a couple of specialists and they say I can mount the injector rails in a different place so I won't have the problem again. Will do some more pictures as I go.
 
I have run LPG for years and do all my own stuff on them........with the help of LPG shop, ring them and tell them the make of the ecu and send a picture of the OED lead and they will sell you a lead that will connect to the ecu.
Next find a filter inline of the LPG supply to the injectors, it will have 2 jubelie clips one on either end order a filter that looks the same about 6 quid, it will either have 1 in 1 out or 1 in 2 outs.
When you get the lead go onto LPG shop, software downloads and instal the correct software FREE on a laptop, take out to car swap filter connect lead and go into calibration settings, most have an auto calibrate function on them.
Servicing a LPG system is a filter change and even after this it will need calibration change every 6k, if the battery is disconected the ecu will reset to factory settings hence why you are getting the lumps !
Running rich is a valve with a bit more wear than the other ones but a calibration will sort her out mate.
 
dazer200 said:
I have run LPG for years and do all my own stuff on them........with the help of LPG shop, ring them and tell them the make of the ecu and send a picture of the OED lead and they will sell you a lead that will connect to the ecu.
Next find a filter inline of the LPG supply to the injectors, it will have 2 jubelie clips one on either end order a filter that looks the same about 6 quid, it will either have 1 in 1 out or 1 in 2 outs.
When you get the lead go onto LPG shop, software downloads and instal the correct software FREE on a laptop, take out to car swap filter connect lead and go into calibration settings, most have an auto calibrate function on them.
Servicing a LPG system is a filter change and even after this it will need calibration change every 6k, if the battery is disconected the ecu will reset to factory settings hence why you are getting the lumps !
Running rich is a valve with a bit more wear than the other ones but a calibration will sort her out mate.
Click to expand...
 
I have serviced the vapouriser, the diaphragms were really worn and there was a small water leak. So new seals and diaphragms done and all the pipework was very brittle to so replaced. Didn't get any pics as my hands stunk so much from handling everything thing didn't want to pick up my phone. Did find my tank has a manual shut off valve as a backup to any solenoid in the system. Just working out the best place to mount the injector rails without making the inlet pipes too long. Looking at the whole setup it's not been maintained for ages by the look of it. Will carry on with it Monday and see how far I get.
 
Andy Burrell said:
I have serviced the vapouriser, the diaphragms were really worn and there was a small water leak. So new seals and diaphragms done and all the pipework was very brittle to so replaced. Didn't get any pics as my hands stunk so much from handling everything thing didn't want to pick up my phone. Did find my tank has a manual shut off valve as a backup to any solenoid in the system. Just working out the best place to mount the injector rails without making the inlet pipes too long. Looking at the whole setup it's not been maintained for ages by the look of it. Will carry on with it Monday and see how far I get.
Click to expand...
I hope your write-up inspires others to service their LPG set up Andy. I was motivated reading Kermit's experience with his. I've bought an additional, used 90ltr tank to supplement the doughnut one, as I burn a gallon of fuel each way when I travel to Hull to tank up. That'll give me about 150lts of useable LPG storage capacity. I just need to get my arse into gear to get it plumbed in.
 
Andy Burrell said:
I have serviced the vapouriser, the diaphragms were really worn and there was a small water leak. So new seals and diaphragms done and all the pipework was very brittle to so replaced. Didn't get any pics as my hands stunk so much from handling everything thing didn't want to pick up my phone. Did find my tank has a manual shut off valve as a backup to any solenoid in the system. Just working out the best place to mount the injector rails without making the inlet pipes too long. Looking at the whole setup it's not been maintained for ages by the look of it. Will carry on with it Monday and see how far I get.
Click to expand...

I had the same issue on my E53 X5 mate, the vapouriser/reducer to buy new is not that much so I fitted a brand new one theold one had done over 130k !
 
Andy Burrell said:
I have serviced the vapouriser, the diaphragms were really worn and there was a small water leak. So new seals and diaphragms done and all the pipework was very brittle to so replaced. Didn't get any pics as my hands stunk so much from handling everything thing didn't want to pick up my phone. Did find my tank has a manual shut off valve as a backup to any solenoid in the system. Just working out the best place to mount the injector rails without making the inlet pipes too long. Looking at the whole setup it's not been maintained for ages by the look of it. Will carry on with it Monday and see how far I get.
Click to expand...

Alot of the new reducers have a seperate selionoid as i found out ! if the reducer has 2 pins on its internal if not its external.
 
So finished the strip down, loads more brittle pipework. All the pipes from the injectors to the inlet nozzles just broke up as I started to pull them out. The inlet nozzles have been fitted close to the Bosch petrol injectors so a right pain to get the broken tubing off. All the inlet nozzles came out OK except one which came half out and then snapped off leaving a bit of brass behind. After a bit of swearing and thinking the whole lot would have to come off I I came up with a cunning plan, I hope... After working out which inlet at the top corresponded to that at the nozzle I got the workshop vacuum and pushed the hose end in the inlet and created a seal, fired up the vacuum at maximum suck to a point where the suction was causing the broken one to whistle. I then slowly and carefully used taps increasing up to M6 1.0 the thread size and cleaned the hole out. The vacuum seemed to do the job and the new nozzle went in perfectly.
Hope to put it back together tomorrow.
 
Andy Burrell said:
So finished the strip down, loads more brittle pipework. All the pipes from the injectors to the inlet nozzles just broke up as I started to pull them out. The inlet nozzles have been fitted close to the Bosch petrol injectors so a right pain to get the broken tubing off. All the inlet nozzles came out OK except one which came half out and then snapped off leaving a bit of brass behind. After a bit of swearing and thinking the whole lot would have to come off I I came up with a cunning plan, I hope... After working out which inlet at the top corresponded to that at the nozzle I got the workshop vacuum and pushed the hose end in the inlet and created a seal, fired up the vacuum at maximum suck to a point where the suction was causing the broken one to whistle. I then slowly and carefully used taps increasing up to M6 1.0 the thread size and cleaned the hole out. The vacuum seemed to do the job and the new nozzle went in perfectly.
Hope to put it back together tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Nice job!
 
So have put it all back together with the injectors mounted on top of the upper manifold rather than underneath it. Much simpler to access now and it runs perfectly on lpg now. However it now runs rough on petrol, its not firing on all cylinders, as it runs OK on lpg it has to be a fueling issue on petrol. Plugged it into my diagnostics and it is telling me injector 8 has a wiring fault. What a pain in the bum, at least I know how it all comes off now. Will have to leave it until the weekend to do though. Don't you just love them... my wife just said another job, isn't that why you bought it to tinker with.




IMG_20220315_104212.jpg
 
looks good!
i would suggest its running too rich on LPG, pushing the trims ways off so when you switch back, it runs rough on petrol while it tries to sort the trims out again

can you see live trim data on both? do you have software to watch the pulse times of both sets of injectors?
 
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