LPG insight?

[jonnyvtec]

Has anyone converted an insight to run on Liquid Petroleum Gas? I couldnt find anything and i imagine with the large user base primarily American where fuel is cheap LPG doesnt really exist as a forecourt fuel.

Im struggling to find a Uk manual so am considering that if I went for an Auto then LPG would serve to knock the effective MPG skyward over 100mpg Imp. MPG does take a hit with LPG but its alot cheaper hence 'effective'. Also avoids the complication of the manual NoX capture cat and lean burn. 30seconds from my house is a BP station that sells the stuff (58p against a current 114.9p for UL).

Would the lack of packaging space make a decent size tank impossibe?

Any discussion would be great. Thanks.

[IamIan]

can be done ... as far as I know no one has done it on the Insight.

Different fuels have different combustion characteristics , getting a engine to run on the alternative fuel is easy enough ... getting it to run on the fuel and pollute less than the fuel it was designed to run on is a very different animal.... you might also want to check the laws in the U.K. I know the E.P.A. in the U.S. as laws controlling such conversions.

Given the size of the gas tank area + the size of the rear cargo area you should be able to arrange it to get roughly ~200 mile range worth of volume to store fuel given both locations... maybe more maybe less depending on the efficiency of the conversion in use of space as well as use of fuel... but last time I checked LP was less energy per unit of weight and per unit of volume than gasoline is... so you will get less distance per unit of fuel.... you will need to take that into account when you try to figure out if it will cost you more to go the same distance on the different fuel... the question is $ per km or $ per mile ... not $ per unit of fuel ...

best of luck though... and if you go through with it please post your results as I know I for one will find it interesting.

[uhtrinity]

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7386

[jonnyvtec]

Well i dont actually an Insight yet.

I would plan to fit the LPG system as a dual fuel system so you can switch between fuels. LPG from what I have seen is about 10% worse than petrol in terms of MPG, but costs pretty much half so in terms of £/mile its certainly cheaper.

Getting a Insight imported from Japan and run LPG could work out a cheap way to commute (70miles a day), as Im struggling to get a manual UK model and with my drive being all A road/motorway lean burn would be possible for a good amount of the journey.

In that other thread it sounds like someone has a very heavy tank specified for them

http://www.lpg-kits.com/tanks.htm

The smallest tank there would be enough for atleast one day, (132miles @50mpg) and at current prices cost £7 to fill. 5.3p a mile.

Hmmm

[Berne]

Originally Posted by jonnyvtec

Has anyone converted an insight to run on Liquid Petroleum Gas? I couldnt find anything and i imagine with the large user base primarily American where fuel is cheap LPG doesnt really exist as a forecourt fuel.... Any discussion would be great. Thanks.

Are you still interested in persuing this project ?
Last year I did some research in Switzerland and Germany for my Insight. Years before Honda Motors Europe North/Offenbach, Germany had issued a statement and warned that all OEM gasoline combustion engines are not appropriate for being used for LPG conversion. This could damage the engine because the vealve seats might not resist during LPG combustion. A master mechanic from a specialized LPG conversion shop told me, he could not provide any warranty. He advised to have the valve clearence checked every 5000 km after LPG conversion.
BRC is said to be one of the leading LPG Drive technologies in Western and Eastern Europe.