NewHilux.net

Any feedback on lpg conversions for 4.0l petrol SR5 dual cab ? Tank location, range, economy, problems ?

Diesel

ground hog day....oh yeah Petrol

Hi
Got a quote the other day $5050 (11/06 dual cab )then you get $2000 rebate, tank is 55 litres under the tub so spare must be relocated , they said approx 250-300 kms from tank, not going to worry about $3000 is a hell of a lot of fuel let alone spare wheel be in tray

Drew

Toyota don't recommend it....

No one I have spoken to does....

Basically, the HiLux runs the same 4.0ltr V6 as the Prado. Knowing some Prado's that have had it done, they've pretty much all blown pistons and valves.

According to Toyota, the Toyota engines simply aren't designed to run LPG as it runs at a hotter tempreture and they melt the valve seats as they are not hard enough. Even if the valve seats are hardened prior to the switch, they can still fail, and many have.

There is the IMPCO Sequential System that I was (am) looking at, and this can add the additional lubrication the engine needs to run on the hotter temps that LPG produces, however, I don't have enough faith in it to have had it installed as yet.

NRMA supposedly run their whole fleet of HiLux's on the IMPCO Sequential System - I have not heard them having any problems, but than again, I doubt they'd advertise it. Might be worth a try contacting the bloke who manages the fleet to find out how he's gone with it.

It's very much touch and go with info you can find, as far as my own research goes, if I can't full heartedly depend on it, I won't go for it.

I've attached some links that I've looked at whilst researching it, see what you think.

Hope this helps...

ExploreOz Forum
http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Topic/488 ... Hilux.aspx

NRMA on IMPCO article
http://www.lpgautogas.com.au/index.cfm? ... 116&Type=R

Ok, so I've contacted NRMA's Fleet Manager, and got the following email in response.

AGRMGT wrote:As per you email enquiry our Toyota vehicles are the current style V6 4.0L auto hilux fitted with the Impco injected gas system. We have taken out extra engine coverage from an external insurance provider for the valve train on each vehicle. Impco can assist you with this enquire. Maybe the best alternative is contact the GASMAN at Alexandria and speak to them.

We haven’t had any complaints so far but we have had five vehicles suffer with valve guide issues and we fitted flash lube kits to these vehicles which seems to have solved our problems.

Hope this helps.

I hope this helps everyone considering going to LPG in the tough economic times. I myself am revisiting the idea.

Good luck

So is anyone running their V6 4Ltr on LPG?

Mine is starting to get thirsty on 31's, and hate to think how much more it'll chew when I put on 33's...

AGRMGT wrote:So is anyone running their V6 4Ltr on LPG?

Mine is starting to get thirsty on 31's, and hate to think how much more it'll chew when I put on 33's...

Hinestly, should have thought about that before buying a V6 hilux.....Its why I bought a diesel.

I had an 03 V6 and with 32's, driving like a grandpa, I was getting 13.5 per 100km on average.....offroad...forget about it, 3 jerry cans extra on a weekend away would barely help......

The thing made my alcohol problem look tame....LOL

thats why I went the diesel, I learnt me lesson, with all the mods and the auto I am getting 11-11.5 per 100km.

anyway, back on LPG, it was my understanding that Toyota valve seats on all the newer engines were the hardened variety anyway, and that with any LPG system fitted, you should run a drip fed lube into the intake anyway.

mmaaxx wrote:Hinestly, should have thought about that before buying a V6 hilux.....Its why I bought a diesel.

I had an 03 V6 and with 32's, driving like a grandpa, I was getting 13.5 per 100km on average.....offroad...forget about it, 3 jerry cans extra on a weekend away would barely help......

The thing made my alcohol problem look tame....LOL

thats why I went the diesel, I learnt me lesson, with all the mods and the auto I am getting 11-11.5 per 100km.

anyway, back on LPG, it was my understanding that Toyota valve seats on all the newer engines were the hardened variety anyway, and that with any LPG system fitted, you should run a drip fed lube into the intake anyway.

I did, after having a Diesel Pootrol, I would never go back.

When I got the Lux, Diesel was thru the roof, and it hasn't come down much. That, and the fact that you need to service them every 5000K's swayed me to buying a petrol. I don't regret it. I just want to put it on LPG.

I know all about the valve seats, and lube kits. Just wondering if anyone is running that set up now.

Diesel services are every 10K... just fyi...

Toyota recommend 5000kms. As with all diesels, they recommend an oil, filter change etc, etc.

Quinny23 wrote:Diesel services are every 10K... just fyi...

Only in the service books, I always service mine every 5K and always have and always will.......

Have had my 4x2 4.0 auto on the Impco SVI system for 7 weeks now and couldnt be happier. I average 450kms for 60 litres out of the donut tank that replaces the spare under the back. At the current gas prices that less than $30 for 450kms. No difference in performance either unlike my old AU with the factory mixer ring system. For my use I wouldnt consider a diesel until the initial purchase price and effective running cost can match this.

Thanks LPGSR5.

Did you get your valve seats hardened?

And just a general question, I know Toyota can do the work to harden the valve seats, but what other places can do this? Does it have to be a specialised LPG joint, or can it just be a mechanic?

All toyota valve seats have been hardened for years, the issue has more been varying quality of valve material used. Speaking to colleagues in the reconditioning business one of the worst offenders is the 2.7lt 4cyl engine. As per a previous post the main issue with the Prado/Hilux 4.0 is the valve guides binding up due to varying clearance tolerances and gas being a dry fuel. I have fitted a flashlube drip kit and will hope for the best. At least with SVI every start is on petrol which helps. If I were heavy towing I would probably flick back to petrol for the long nasty hauls on certain hills eg Ourimbah or Mooney on the Pacific to give the exhaust valves every fighting chance of keeping cooler and not torching themselves.

lpgsr5 wrote:All toyota valve seats have been hardened for years, the issue has more been varying quality of valve material used. Speaking to colleagues in the reconditioning business one of the worst offenders is the 2.7lt 4cyl engine. As per a previous post the main issue with the Prado/Hilux 4.0 is the valve guides binding up due to varying clearance tolerances and gas being a dry fuel. I have fitted a flashlube drip kit and will hope for the best. At least with SVI every start is on petrol which helps. If I were heavy towing I would probably flick back to petrol for the long nasty hauls on certain hills eg Ourimbah or Mooney on the Pacific to give the exhaust valves every fighting chance of keeping cooler and not torching themselves.

In terms of power i dont really notice, i read somewhere the system i use (landy Renzo) on the dyno went from 116kw to 109kw, i dont feel the torque is any different.

Found the article
http://www.lpgautogas.com.au/index.cfm? ... =69&Type=R

The only thing i truly notice with gas is when i go to the petrol station i hand over two red notes rather than two red notes and a yellow one.

I put some pics in my profile to show the tank location. Went the cylindrical tank over the donut as it sits higher. The tank could have gone 50mm higher, they didnt install how i unstructed. Was too lazy too complain.

85L tank; get about 370kms city and 400-430kms on open highway.

As an LPG installer i can recommend for anyone interested, newest generation liquid LPG injection. Far superior to SVI/vapour injection systems. Direct liquid LPG injection, no converter, no contamination issues which we have a lot of with any vapour system, NO POWER LOSS.....most cars actually gain a very small amount of power and certainly have torque gains with a much improved torque curve, with better low down response. The LPG liquid has a temperature of -40c so it cools incoming air as it is injected which also improves performance. LPG is extremely clean burning fuel which leaves little or no carbon deposits and hydrocarbons which contaminate the engine oil. Economy is also improved when compared to vapour injection and the fully automated starting on petrol and switching to LPG is enough to keep fuel system clean and lubricated as well as provide lubricant for valve seats. In todays engines almost all manufacturers fit hardened valve seats and Toyota's are one of them. Flashlube Valvesaver is a very cheap and worthwhile investment if this worries you.
The Orbital Liquid LPG injection im pretty sure will be soon available for new Hilux and comes with extended engine warranty to add to the manufacturers warranty on the product itself.

Ive got the JTG ""liquid injection"" on my ss gen 3, 180,000kms on the clock and its been fitted for about 12 months now, 60,000kms, definately no complaints at all, still goes extremely hard, i cant pick the difference in power or when its idling, still runs smooth. Not really relivant to a hilux but the economy of gas even in the v8 is unreal, usually around $36 to $40 takes us about 520kms, around half the cost to run! already paid for its self. Not sure about the Orbital system but the JTG one wont switch from petrol to gas untill its reached a warmer temp, which has to be better for the engine. I also run pure propane gas from a taxi depot down the road, much cleaner gas (so i keep getting told atleast). I think any liquid inection system is the way to go, shits all over the vapour systems, toyboata is right on the money!

Mitch

That's the petrol engine, can this liquid LPG be applied to diesel engines as a liquid sequential injection?

Sorry if this is OT from petrol, but there are many owners of diesel that would like this option due to the dirty diesel combustion. I've been curious of this for some time now and considering it.

TIA,

Shaker.