Advice on buying an 80 with LPG conversion

[Ryan Thomson]

Hi there,

I'm looking for an 80 series landcruiser and am keen on the petrol/LPG models. I have a few questions with regards to this that hopefully you guys can answer.

1. I have read the LPG conversions can suffer from burnt valves, is there any way to check this without pulling the head?
2. Also how would i know if it has a flashlube system in place?
3. Is there anything else i should look out for with regards to the LPG in particular?
4. Also if the LPG conversion isn't done very well is it possible to remove it or is the damage already done?

Any advice on what to look out for with regards to LPG conversions would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Ryan

 

[Andrew Prince]

Hi Ryan,

Welcome! Good to see you made it over to this side
Don't have any experience with LPG so can't add much - maybe on point 3, look out for where the tank is located. Sometimes it's located underneath the boot where the spare normally is, so you want to be sure it's not overly exposed. Or the tank is occasionally put in the boot itself, which obviously eats up space there and may disrupt any plans to put a cargo barrier or drawer system in...

Cheers,

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I'm new to LPG but here's what I think:

1. only by checking if it runs ok really but see 2.

2. there would be a container with Flashlube written on it in the engine bay. There are a couple of different options they do but they're all basicly a translucent container full of Flashlube with a little pipe going to the throttle body and some wiring. My research suggests Landcruisers definately need it so if you come across a conversion without I would assume it will have some valve seat ressesion. If it has Flashlube then you should be ok on that score.

3. You shouldn't be able to smell LPG except for maybe the tiniest faintest sniff of it when the engine is not running - the small amount that will have been in the inlet manifold but not sucked in and burnt when the engine was switched off. I would also want to see an current annual inspection certificate to show it's ok which really just covers safety i.e. no leaks not how it runs.

4. Installing LPG isn't terribly invasive so within reason a bad install should be able to be removed without any problems.

Like Andrew said, think about where the tank is and how that will affect your use of the truck.

 

[Ryan Thomson]

Hey Andrew,

Thanks for recommending this forum. There is some really good reading here. I have seen a pretty low mileage (approx 75k miles) 80 series with an LPG conversion. The seller doesn't seem to know too much about the vehicle but figured it's worth a look. So just trying to do some homework before i go have a look.

Good point about the tank. The photo's i've seen show the boot empty which is good, on the list of mods to come a drawer system is pretty high. However i'm not sure how big these tanks are generally. I'll have to have a look when i view it. Not the kind of thing you'd want to snag on rocks!

Jon, with regards to point 1 above, do you know what kind of symptoms may point to valve issues

Thanks for the replies, it's much appreciated.

 

[Ecky Thump]

However i'm not sure how big these tanks are generally. I'll have to have a look when i view it. Not the kind of thing you'd want to snag on rocks!

There are two common types of tanks. The most common is the donut which is roughly the same size as a spare wheel and is built to take up the space of a spare, usually hold about 90 litres of LPG. Maybe advertised as a 120 litre but you can never completely fill them so 90 is about the limit.
The other is the type I had on my Disco. Shaped much like a diving bottle and generally hold around 75litres of usable LPG.
I had two of these and they don't take up much more room than the donut. Problem with these is that if underslung, they hang down further, or are larger diameter than the donut.

The 80 has a huge space under the rear so either type should be quite safe.
There is a utube vid somewhere of a tank driving over a gas tank to prove how robust they are. Only problem I ever had off road was I shunted one of the tanks back about 2" which broke the feed pipe. There is a valve in each tank where if the gas suddenly starts to escape, these valves close making them very safe.

 

[joinerman]

What you have to think about is if the tank is underslung then it won't free up space in the back because you'll have to keep your spare wheel in there & that takes a fair chunk of space unless you have an imprt with the carrier on the back, my mate recently fell foul of this after buying an 80 with lpg & the underslung tank, few days later gets a puncture only to realise NO SPARE WHEEL !!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Jon, with regards to point 1 above, do you know what kind of symptoms may point to valve issues

Loss of power and economy and possibly getting hard to start.

 

[Ryan Thomson]

Not too fussed about spare wheel space being used up by LPG tanks, in fact i'd prefer that. Planning an replacing rear bumper with one of these bad boys http://www.hannaquality.com/products.html

Thanks for the tip Jon.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Have you priced up the shipping and import duty on that? I imported some Slee sliders in 2004 and getting them here pretty much doubled the price.

 

[Andrew Prince]

That's a beaut bumper, Ryan, but as Jon says, getting that work of art into your hands over here ain't gonna be cheap! You might find a kaymar from TBR, or whoever else stocks them, to be simpler to buy and the same £££. Definitely nothing wrong with the kaymar!

Have to say I like that Hanna bumper, other than the quarter-panel protectors which are a little OTT visually. Calling, Gav... come in, Gav - what can you and your man Col do for us here Some UK made ones would I'm sure be cheaper

 

[Ryan Thomson]

Damn, you guys are way too sensible.

It's great to get advice form people that have been there and done it. Much appreciated.

I haven't come across the Kaymar bumpers so will be doing some reading up on those.

Cheers

 

[Dave Burgess]

Trawling through IH8Mud, you'll find a good number of references to to Hanna Quality being just that, but don't expect to get it in 2010, you'll not get any change out of $1000 and then there is the shipping to add

It appears that young Mr. Hanna is a fireman who does these parts as a moonlight (fireman - moonlighting... who'd have thought) for the higher end of the market. They cost more than ARB/Slee/Kaymar etc and he does them on a batch system when not busy and he fights bush fires in the summer! He's also a biker that likes a to go on long (4000mile) trips...

He does some lovely cargo racks that fit over the top of the wheel arches and fix to the seat mounts...http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/303215-hanna-quality-interior-cargo-carriers.html



Sorry... that has nothing to do with LPG. There is a lot of info on Land Rover (sorry old habits...) forums about LPG systems. Needs sensible, secure tanks, a sequential system (for that engine) and emulator and, as JW said, a lubricator is best.

 

[thelal]

I had a 100L (usable qty) fitted to my USA FZJ 1996 80 as an under carriage system (2 tanks where spare tyre was) and moved the spare to a rear swing out carrier (cost GBP120).
Off-roaded quite a bit and no issues (had stout 'cage' protection for Lpg)

Don't have that truck anymore (has crash in 2009) but you can ping me for more info on running costs, startup in cold weather etc..
Have a 97 80 with 220K, 35 Toyo MT, ARB front bumper, Slee rear bumper, Hanna sliders...

Brendan