My CNG conversion

[Furrynadz]

someone should convert one of those van cars like fiat paranoma/kangoo/berlingo

 

i think rear can lup in 6 tanks with room to sit 3 on beanbag

[Genie47]

Eh the World CNG challenge VW Caddy came to SG in Jan I think. Used the whole cargo compartment to load up with cylinders. Carries 200kg worth! Can travel to Bangkok and no need to stop and fill up.

 

But lup cylinders behind and cover with soft cushion become sofa not bad.

[Pnut]

Wow you really got it done! I am seriously considering this option as well, thanks for the report.

[Genie47]

More CNG adventures.

 

By now, I am already super fed up with the jerks and hesitation from the engine when it hit the 1.5-2kRPM range. I have experienced this before on someone else's Starlet. This is clearly an ignition system fault.

 

So instead of waiting for the tune up at Melchers workshop that is due maybe next week, I went ahead with my spark plug change.

 

Off came the 104k old double platinum spark plugs. They were dry and rusty looking. Guess I pushed them really to the limit.

 

Took out the NGK BKR6E-11 and gapped them to 0.9mm with the gauge courtesy of airesdirect (Yeobh). Would be nice if I had a wire gauge but this will do. Took the high temperature grease and coated the threads. This is not a preference. CNG operation requires grease coated threads on the spark plugs.

 

Set torque wrench to 25Nm and in they went.

 

The result is like heaven and hell! Previously was hell and now the car is heavenly!

 

I applied my same old driving style. Taylor fuel economy driving with 2kRPM shifts. Kept speed low at all times. Resist lowering gear to control speed instead used the brakes for turns.

 

In Jeremy Clarkson language. ASTONISHING!

 

At 4th gear and let the car go as low as 800RPM as I power off slowly from left slip roads and it still pulls. Not that low end torque has improved, the torque felt like it was still on petrol. No more hesitations but the best thing is that the RON130 of CNG is evident here. The engine does not vibrate and languish. It feels so.....automatic transmission at 4th gear!

 

Now I will shop around for a used MSD unit.

[Huggable]

Can Huggable get a CNG sticker from you, please? +5HP!

[Karebu]

really random here, but will it work if you were to fill the tank with nitrous?

 

 

and ps: i think you are a cool dad.

Edited May 1, 2007 by Karebu

[Genie47]

It's a controlled item.

[Genie47]

If it is filled with nitrous, there is no fuel to burn! When the CNG ECU takes over, the petrol is cut off.

 

Anyway, since changing the spark plugs, the car gave in Jeremy Clarkson language, PHENOMENAL mileage!

 

I squeeze a little more and the final km on CNG is 240km from 12kg.

 

I will do the next fill up, use my driving style fully to unleash the fuel saving potential even more.

[EventH]

Wow.. I drive a altezza BEAMS 3S-GE ... the 130ron sounds interesting.

[Hsiao]

If i drove a honda hybrid, will it b compatiable? guess saving could be greater???

[Genie47]

The hybrid already saves so much and you want to push costs even lower with CNG?!

 

Anyway, the Civic Hybrid actually has the best $/100km economy even when compared to the Civic GX (pure NGV). However the GX beats the hybrid in emissions.

[Dwoon]

Any idea if there's any FI engines that have been converted locally? The last i ask a couple of months back is that they do not ahve any kits for it.

[Trex101]

Shouldn't have any problem. Read alot of Turbo Falcon in Aussie are running LPG, higher RON thus giving better power.

[Genie47]

The SGI kit that I have loh!

[Dwoon]

I'm afraid of the switching between the petrol and gas..... if the timing is vastly different.... it might cause issues.

 

Imagine if I was boosting away at 1.5 bar and the swithcing occurs (probably worse if from gas to petrol).... I wonder if it'll blow my engine with the sudden ignition retard.

[Trex101]

There should be another mapping with CNG or LPG. The SGI kit comes with a separate ECU running parallel to the original petrol ECU.

Edited May 2, 2007 by Trex101

[Genie47]

The CNG ECU feeds off the data from your existing sensors. At the same time, it hijacks signals to the petrol ECU and tells it everything is fine but in actual fact the petrol injectors stopped working and the lambda signal is false.

 

I have switched from gas to petrol. No problems. I have already highlighted my main problem. It is the ignition using the old plugs. I have since changed them. Beautiful!

[Liquidh]

Genie, is the Aveo in the gallery yours? haha

 

http://www.cng.com.sg/gallery.php