Thinking of LPG again

capt jack · Nov 15th, 2019, 21:22

Well it's been two weeks since I started my new job, and I hope I'm not tempting fate by saying so far, so good, and I'm really enjoying it all.

BUT....I'm going through a tankful of petrol week - and at £75 a fill that's £300 a month. The frustration is that as the crow flies the office is 20 miles away, via the motorway it's 28 miles. Whichever way I go the journey takes about an hour each way and I reckon it's costing £15 a day in fuel. A 1997 S90 (3 litres, 6 cylinders and 204bhp) isn't the most economical of commuting chariots, especially in slow and heavy traffic!

I have previously had great success with an LPG'd p1 V70 and so now I'm wondering if perhaps it'd be worth getting the S90 similarly converted. A back of an envelope calculation suggest that I'd recoup the installation cost in around 12 months.

I know that the whiteblock engine in my S90 is essentially the same engine as the 5 cylinder 2.5 in the old V70. I did 250,000 trouble free LPG miles in the V70 so LPG holds no fears.

In the V70 of course the LPG tank went into the spare wheel well, and I just carried the spare in a special nylon bag in the boot. Tank options in the S90 would be either the toroidal "donut" tank in the spare wheel well, or possibly a cylinder tank in the boot behind the back seat, although I'd then lose the ski hatch of course. The S90 doesn't have a folding rear seat so nothing would be sacrificed there.

I'd be really interested to know if anyone on here has a 960 / S90 LPG conversion, and to know how it's worked for you.

The alternative would be to swap the car for a diesel S80 or S60, but to be honest I'd far prefer to keep the S90 - it just is such a beautiful car to drive.

Thanks

Cheers

Jack

Laird Scooby · Nov 15th, 2019, 23:07

I think you've answered your own questions Jack!

The way forward has to be LPG, i'd go for the donut/toroidal tank in the spare wheel well, keeps the centre of gravity down and doesn't alter the immediate appearance of the boot or compromise your load carrying space.

Oh yeah, you get to keep your ski hatch for when the weather gets really cold!

As for the diseasel idea

All the indications are the price of diesel fuel will go up a lot and with it VED on DERVs, especially cars. Not to mention the fact the fumes are carcinogenic..........

I've heard (through unconfirmed reports aka rumours) diesel is set to hit £3/L in the not too distant future, whether right or wrong i don't know but if it does go anywhere near that figure, any saving you might get will soon be offset by the increased cost of the diesel. Not to mention the fact diesels are now becoming as socially unacceptable as they should always have been.

classicswede · Nov 15th, 2019, 23:21

In my dads limo I fitted a 95ltr spare wheel tank in for him. It is a tight fit but does just fit in. He needed the load space and the limo has a rear heater that would be in teh way of a cylinder tank. With a normal saloon they will take a 120ltr cylinder over the axle.

Having run LPG before you know the score and what the savings can be

capt jack · Nov 16th, 2019, 09:48

Yeah, I do think that LPG is the way to go. When I think of diesel and DPFs, and the possibility of price hikes, and the emissions the notion of an oil-burner has zero appeal. I did have a diesel car once, a Saab, and although it wasn't a bad car I never felt comfortable with the diesel. DPF regens made it stink like a knackered old Routemaster bus and I do have a bit of a social conscience - certainly enough to make me want to be a bit cleaner and greener!

I'm going to give the new job a couple of months to see how things go, but I reckon in the New Year I'll be going for the gas conversion.

The one thing about the old V70 that I wished I'd done differently was the size of the LPG tank. I had a 60litre donut tank in the wheel well - which of course had a real fill capacity of 48 litres. This did mean fill-ups every 275 or miles. If I can get a bigger tank into the S90's boot somehow, and leave room for my fishing gear then that'd be my preference.

Watch this space - if it does all go ahead then I've no doubt that the story will be appearing here!

Cheers

Jack

Laird Scooby · Nov 16th, 2019, 10:26

If memory serves the standard tyres on the S90 are 205/55/16 which gives them a diameter of 634mm so you should be able to squeeze a 650mm diameter tank in the spare wheel well. If it'll take a 270mm high tank, that gives a total capacity of 70L or 56L fill.
Even at 220mm which is about the same width as the spare wheel, that's just under 60L so a similar size to what you had before.

Whether the extra 8-9L would make enough difference to you on a weekly basis is down to you and your distance/economy. but the options are there. You could make a false floor from marine ply or similar to protect the top of the tank and give you a smooth surface to put the boot carpet on and your fishing kit - the ski hatch will come in useful for your rods and perhaps that big fish one day!

capt jack · Nov 16th, 2019, 14:01

Awesome insight and tyre size knowledge there Dave!

I've just spent a happy but cold hour doing an oil change, so that's as much attention as I'm prepared to lavish on the old girl for one day.

But yes, if I can get a decent sized donut tank in it will be better I think. I'd like to try to limit the number of visits to fill up simply because the nearest LPG garages to me all require a specific trip, rather than being on my regular route to and from work - and I'm getting lazy in my old age!

Anyway, trusting that the job works out OK I think I'll aim to get the conversion done January / February next year. It'll give me a chance to save up a few bob too.

Cheers

Jack

ANDTWENTY · Nov 16th, 2019, 22:04

Im just finishing up my second LPG conversion, the first was on my V40 and the second on my 940. I do 42 miles a day for work so get through fuel fairly quickly and due to the gas station not being that close I wanted the biggest tank I could get. I didn't want a cylinder tank in the boot so went with a toroidal one. Only difference however is I went with a "full toroidal" meaning the valve is on the outside of the tank and the hole in the middle is extra tank space, meaning for the same size tank space as a donut style one you get more litres! For me it worked out 3 gallons larger (without taking the 10% into account) the only difference to one of these tanks is the valve has to either be outside the car or in a gas tight box with vent hoses to the outside, on both mine I just drilled a hole in the wheel well and stuck it outside.

capt jack · Nov 17th, 2019, 09:25

Ta. That info about the valve arrangement facilitating a bigger tank is really helpful. If I can tip the range over 300 miles that’s comfortably just one fill a week.

My DIY skills fall short of this sort of work so I’ll be entrusting the installation to an LPG fitting company. I’ll certainly discuss this with them.

First port of call will be the firm that converted my V70. They did a great job on the installation and then looked after everything really well for the 8 or 9 years I owned the car.

Jack

ANDTWENTY · Nov 17th, 2019, 10:14

My V40 used to have an 84L tank giving me around 400miles to a tank, this ones a 74L I believe but will see what milage I get.

If you did fancy giving it a go yourself or want to find good installers have a visit to http://www.tinleytech.co.uk that's where I got my kits which has everything you need, they're also extremely helpful when it comes to installing it if you get stuck on anything, the kits do come with an instruction manual/guide which is very good.

barkster1971 · Nov 19th, 2019, 19:00

I am selling mine with lpg already installed.

Nov 15th, 2019, 21:22	#1
capt jack VOC Member Last Online: Apr 20th, 2024 18:56 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Selby, North Yorkshire	Thinking of LPG again Well it's been two weeks since I started my new job, and I hope I'm not tempting fate by saying so far, so good, and I'm really enjoying it all. BUT....I'm going through a tankful of petrol week - and at £75 a fill that's £300 a month. The frustration is that as the crow flies the office is 20 miles away, via the motorway it's 28 miles. Whichever way I go the journey takes about an hour each way and I reckon it's costing £15 a day in fuel. A 1997 S90 (3 litres, 6 cylinders and 204bhp) isn't the most economical of commuting chariots, especially in slow and heavy traffic! I have previously had great success with an LPG'd p1 V70 and so now I'm wondering if perhaps it'd be worth getting the S90 similarly converted. A back of an envelope calculation suggest that I'd recoup the installation cost in around 12 months. I know that the whiteblock engine in my S90 is essentially the same engine as the 5 cylinder 2.5 in the old V70. I did 250,000 trouble free LPG miles in the V70 so LPG holds no fears. In the V70 of course the LPG tank went into the spare wheel well, and I just carried the spare in a special nylon bag in the boot. Tank options in the S90 would be either the toroidal "donut" tank in the spare wheel well, or possibly a cylinder tank in the boot behind the back seat, although I'd then lose the ski hatch of course. The S90 doesn't have a folding rear seat so nothing would be sacrificed there. I'd be really interested to know if anyone on here has a 960 / S90 LPG conversion, and to know how it's worked for you. The alternative would be to swap the car for a diesel S80 or S60, but to be honest I'd far prefer to keep the S90 - it just is such a beautiful car to drive. Thanks Cheers Jack

Nov 15th, 2019, 23:07	#2
Laird Scooby Premier Member Last Online: Today 18:08 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Lakenheath	I think you've answered your own questions Jack! The way forward has to be LPG, i'd go for the donut/toroidal tank in the spare wheel well, keeps the centre of gravity down and doesn't alter the immediate appearance of the boot or compromise your load carrying space. Oh yeah, you get to keep your ski hatch for when the weather gets really cold! As for the diseasel idea All the indications are the price of diesel fuel will go up a lot and with it VED on DERVs, especially cars. Not to mention the fact the fumes are carcinogenic.......... I've heard (through unconfirmed reports aka rumours) diesel is set to hit £3/L in the not too distant future, whether right or wrong i don't know but if it does go anywhere near that figure, any saving you might get will soon be offset by the increased cost of the diesel. Not to mention the fact diesels are now becoming as socially unacceptable as they should always have been. __________________ Cheers Dave Next Door to Top-Gun with a Honda CR-V & S Type Jag Volvo gone but not forgotten........

Nov 15th, 2019, 23:21	#3
classicswede Trader Volvo in my veins Last Online: Today 08:21 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Anglesey	In my dads limo I fitted a 95ltr spare wheel tank in for him. It is a tight fit but does just fit in. He needed the load space and the limo has a rear heater that would be in teh way of a cylinder tank. With a normal saloon they will take a 120ltr cylinder over the axle. Having run LPG before you know the score and what the savings can be __________________ http://www.classicswede.org www.classicswede.co.uk

Nov 16th, 2019, 10:26	#5
Laird Scooby Premier Member Last Online: Today 18:08 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Lakenheath	If memory serves the standard tyres on the S90 are 205/55/16 which gives them a diameter of 634mm so you should be able to squeeze a 650mm diameter tank in the spare wheel well. If it'll take a 270mm high tank, that gives a total capacity of 70L or 56L fill. Even at 220mm which is about the same width as the spare wheel, that's just under 60L so a similar size to what you had before. Whether the extra 8-9L would make enough difference to you on a weekly basis is down to you and your distance/economy. but the options are there. You could make a false floor from marine ply or similar to protect the top of the tank and give you a smooth surface to put the boot carpet on and your fishing kit - the ski hatch will come in useful for your rods and perhaps that big fish one day! __________________ Cheers Dave Next Door to Top-Gun with a Honda CR-V & S Type Jag Volvo gone but not forgotten........

Nov 19th, 2019, 19:00	#10
barkster1971 VOC Member Last Online: Yesterday 16:56 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Swineshead/Salford	940 estate with lpg I am selling mine with lpg already installed. __________________ new engine! new car!

Nov 16th, 2019, 09:48	#4
capt jack VOC Member Last Online: Apr 20th, 2024 18:56 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Selby, North Yorkshire	Yeah, I do think that LPG is the way to go. When I think of diesel and DPFs, and the possibility of price hikes, and the emissions the notion of an oil-burner has zero appeal. I did have a diesel car once, a Saab, and although it wasn't a bad car I never felt comfortable with the diesel. DPF regens made it stink like a knackered old Routemaster bus and I do have a bit of a social conscience - certainly enough to make me want to be a bit cleaner and greener! I'm going to give the new job a couple of months to see how things go, but I reckon in the New Year I'll be going for the gas conversion. The one thing about the old V70 that I wished I'd done differently was the size of the LPG tank. I had a 60litre donut tank in the wheel well - which of course had a real fill capacity of 48 litres. This did mean fill-ups every 275 or miles. If I can get a bigger tank into the S90's boot somehow, and leave room for my fishing gear then that'd be my preference. Watch this space - if it does all go ahead then I've no doubt that the story will be appearing here! Cheers Jack

Nov 16th, 2019, 14:01	#6
capt jack VOC Member Last Online: Apr 20th, 2024 18:56 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Selby, North Yorkshire	Awesome insight and tyre size knowledge there Dave! I've just spent a happy but cold hour doing an oil change, so that's as much attention as I'm prepared to lavish on the old girl for one day. But yes, if I can get a decent sized donut tank in it will be better I think. I'd like to try to limit the number of visits to fill up simply because the nearest LPG garages to me all require a specific trip, rather than being on my regular route to and from work - and I'm getting lazy in my old age! Anyway, trusting that the job works out OK I think I'll aim to get the conversion done January / February next year. It'll give me a chance to save up a few bob too. Cheers Jack

Nov 16th, 2019, 22:04	#7
ANDTWENTY Senior Member Last Online: Mar 25th, 2024 20:09 Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Norwich	Im just finishing up my second LPG conversion, the first was on my V40 and the second on my 940. I do 42 miles a day for work so get through fuel fairly quickly and due to the gas station not being that close I wanted the biggest tank I could get. I didn't want a cylinder tank in the boot so went with a toroidal one. Only difference however is I went with a "full toroidal" meaning the valve is on the outside of the tank and the hole in the middle is extra tank space, meaning for the same size tank space as a donut style one you get more litres! For me it worked out 3 gallons larger (without taking the 10% into account) the only difference to one of these tanks is the valve has to either be outside the car or in a gas tight box with vent hoses to the outside, on both mine I just drilled a hole in the wheel well and stuck it outside.

Nov 17th, 2019, 09:25	#8
capt jack VOC Member Last Online: Apr 20th, 2024 18:56 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Selby, North Yorkshire	Ta. That info about the valve arrangement facilitating a bigger tank is really helpful. If I can tip the range over 300 miles that’s comfortably just one fill a week. My DIY skills fall short of this sort of work so I’ll be entrusting the installation to an LPG fitting company. I’ll certainly discuss this with them. First port of call will be the firm that converted my V70. They did a great job on the installation and then looked after everything really well for the 8 or 9 years I owned the car. Jack

Nov 17th, 2019, 10:14	#9
ANDTWENTY Senior Member Last Online: Mar 25th, 2024 20:09 Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Norwich	My V40 used to have an 84L tank giving me around 400miles to a tank, this ones a 74L I believe but will see what milage I get. If you did fancy giving it a go yourself or want to find good installers have a visit to http://www.tinleytech.co.uk that's where I got my kits which has everything you need, they're also extremely helpful when it comes to installing it if you get stuck on anything, the kits do come with an instruction manual/guide which is very good.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)