BRC Conversion - Great Without a TowBar!!

[Johnny8718]

Hi All!

Apologies to a couple of people I have emailed directly with this one - I am desperate to find an answer!

I have a 53 reg 2.5 XC70 which I have had converted with a BRC system, including flash lube kit. When towing, the car has always smelt a bit hot even though the gauge reads fine and the car has never overheated. I just took this to be because the auto fluid is working hard and the engine and box is such a big lump, crammed into a small space (my caravan weighs 1900 kgs).

Now on gas, the last time I towed - the car surged like mad (petrol and gas) as though it was overfuelling. Once cool, it cured itself and ran normal again. At the LPG fitters, a codereader came up with 'running rich on idle' (not much help). Although a reputable firm which has converted a V8 Rover for me years ago and my friends Trooper 100k ago, he seems disinterested as he has ruled out his work as the problem?? (This does seem strange as the car has never surged prior to the LPG conversion).

I have since changed the stat and fan switch (fan still kicks in but only when really hot) and at that point you can take the top of the expansion bottle and it doesnt boil over which leads me to believe that the engine isnt overheating!

No oil in the water, no sludge in the oil etc. Any ideas? I have considered fitting a kenlowe fan, but I dont know if I have an issue to solve or not - yet!

Thanks, John.

[classicswede]

Hi John,

I don't think any addition fan is going to help with the problems.

If it was my installation I'd want to hook my code reader and LPG diagnostics to the car while it was towing.There could be issues with temperature compensation curves or issues with LPG temperature dropping under the high load. With the laptop connected the installer should see something. It could be as simple as a small adjsutment to the mapping.

The other consideration would be spark plugs. From memory the plugs to use are BKR6ES. If that number is correct they will be a simple copper core single prong plug. Platinum plugs are a no no. Iridium is ok but I'm not sure if they are worth the extra cost.

A spanner in the works is that it sounds like a problem range rover were having a few years ago with the auto boxes over heating. I can't remember the exact details but I'm sure a smell of oil surging and jurky gear changes were the reported problem. The cure again from memory was fitting a bigger auto transmision cooler and altering ducting. The only way to find out if the box is over heating would be to connect some kind of temp sensor to it and monitering the temperature.

bkr6es

[Johnny8718]

Thanks very much for that.

I will try a set of plugs this week as I am towing next weekend. I can then decide how to approach the fitter if this does not cure the problem.

I have often wondered if the smell was the transmission fluid. I take it from what you have said, a Kenlowe fan wouldn't make a difference to the oil temp?

John.

[classicswede]

Nope wont make any difference to the oil temp at all. Again the question is it engine or gear box oil temp that is getting high? Or possible something else?

Try the plugs but make sure that number is correct for your engine as it has been a few months since I last ordred any plugs for these so I could be out on the number.

Do that and then see how things go

[Johnny8718]

Dai.

The plug number is correct. Apparantly the 'S' means standard. However, nearly every motor factor wants to sell me Platinum plugs! Obviously standard means 'less profit'.

Putting a set in on Thursday morning and picking the caravan up from repair (long story).

I will let you know.

[classicswede]

Glad my memory worked.

Platinum are no use with LPG and factory fit car are never fitted with them.

[Johnny8718]

Fantastic! The plugs appear to have worked.

I towed the van on Friday and there were no issues. The car still seemed to smell a little on the warm side when I was reversing it into a space and shunting araund at the end of the journey, but other than that it was fine!

Thanks very much for your help - can you also thank your dad for his advice?

Cheers, John.

[classicswede]

Glad the plugs have done the trick.

It is all to often that installer overlook some of the most basic things.

[Johnny8718]

Having posted this thread and worried about the money I have spent and the shoddy work done.........

THANK YOU CLASSICSWEDE!

I emailed the LPGA - three times for advice. Not one reply was received. Is this a governing body or profit making nonsense? I furthermore emailed greenfuel.org via their website (they appear to have imported the equipment for the garage and supply the warranty). The delivery failed, the email address no longer exists!

Although classicswede has thankfully solved the issue (and I am extremely grateful to him), it doesn't half bug me to think that the garage isn't really interested, and not one 'governing body' out there, gives a **** either!

I have been given a guarantee and the fitter tells me that the system can be warrantied for a further number of years, provided that I ensure it is serviced by him every year! This is of little assistance to me when the car doesn't run properly to start with. I have been involved in a legal motoring wrangle in the past when I rejected a Mitsubishi L200 under the Trade Descriptions Act. 9 weeks without a vehicle, but with the help of my legal assistance scheme at work, I finally won, had the cars fault rectified and received compensation.

Although all seems well now, I hate the feeling that I could have wasted almost £2000 and the garage doesn't give a damn.

Not very comforting to say the least. Considering after having said all this, the garage has done a conversion for me and one for a friend in the past and all was well........

What is going on? Why do we receive all sorts of assurances, trust people, ask for professional assistance, spend thousands and still find ourselves relying on good natured people like ourselves - dare I say it, as a last and final resort! It makes my blood boil!

Rant over - Any thoughts anyone?

[classicswede]

Greenfuel and the LPGA used to be linked. The LPGA does have its uses but there is little they can do.

The responsibility is with the installer to make sure the car is running correctly. It is actualy nice to see the problem has come down to something simple with the car rather than poor istallation that I normaly see. I have had issues with the odd conversion in the past - one car took over a month to get sorted making a poor experiance for both me and the customer. The fault eventualy turned out to be with the wiring loom causing intermitant missfire.

The 2 things that make a good installer is both the quality of the install and the after sales support. Getting a combination of the pair is hard to find.

My question to you now is has this experiance put you off LPG or just using the installer?