Hey everyone,
ive got a bit of a problem with my LPG system. The cruiser is running fine on petrol, but when trying to run on LPG it just gets starved, it might run for a second or two but then just seems to be starved and stop. Does any body know much about LPG systems and why this might be happening? I was told by one person that the LPG sytem has a solonoid that controls whether gas can flow or not, so thats one thing to look into.any other bits i shd look at???
Sam
LPG
hello
It would be helpful to know what brand lpg regulator your using, as they are not all the same. most units have a solenoid that requires power to allow gas flow but normally they wont run at all if this is not powerd up. First of all I would check If your unit unit has a filter (usually either part of the regulator or a seperate unit) and sometimes they use a solenoid with built in filter,If the filter is blocked this can produce the symptoms you describe.
If you are using an Impco type gas carby (like a seperate carby normally mounted on top of original carby) these units have a smalll spring loaded plunger that can stiick if dirty and cause that fault.
Another common fault I've found is that when refilling bottles a small amount of oil from the filling compressors at gas station enters the system and over time this can build up up in the regulator and prevent the diaphragms from working ,some older type regs had drain bungs to remove and cure this put alot of new regs you have to strip and clean this out.
thats all I can think of at the moment
hope this helps, if not let me know the brand of reg your using and I should be able to help more.
cheers scotty
It would be helpful to know what brand lpg regulator your using, as they are not all the same. most units have a solenoid that requires power to allow gas flow but normally they wont run at all if this is not powerd up. First of all I would check If your unit unit has a filter (usually either part of the regulator or a seperate unit) and sometimes they use a solenoid with built in filter,If the filter is blocked this can produce the symptoms you describe.
If you are using an Impco type gas carby (like a seperate carby normally mounted on top of original carby) these units have a smalll spring loaded plunger that can stiick if dirty and cause that fault.
Another common fault I've found is that when refilling bottles a small amount of oil from the filling compressors at gas station enters the system and over time this can build up up in the regulator and prevent the diaphragms from working ,some older type regs had drain bungs to remove and cure this put alot of new regs you have to strip and clean this out.
thats all I can think of at the moment
hope this helps, if not let me know the brand of reg your using and I should be able to help more.
cheers scotty
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
If i have a diesel then id have lots of black smoke, clogged injectors, an engine that redlines at like 4000 rpm(wheres the fun in that!) and the sound of 100s of ball bearings rattling inside my engine when i started it:)id also have to wear ear plugs just to drive it:)got the old crackley ear you see kent:) Just jokes:)diesels have there merits, they definelty are not a waste of time:)might even get one in the next truck.maybe....diesel V8 hard. anyway....back to the LPG
The brand it has on the regulator.....im new to this lpg system stuff, first car with it in i have owned:)The regulator is the piece that has the radiator fluid running through it correct?It has the brand "Lovato Autogas" on it.
we believe from out testing that gas is getting to this piece but it isnt coming out of it. after disconnecting a few pipes and listening for the hiss and getting a whiff of that lovely smell or lack there of.
I can see 3 pieces that are related to the LPG system i think, there is a filter tied in to the system, but i thought it was the fuel filter, its so confusing having two fuel sytems!
but anyway.ill post some pics of the things i have spotted and are sure they are part of the lpg system, and ill go have a read about the systems and see if i can get more of an insight.
i guess the main question is , if im right and gas is getting to that regulator(thing with the radiotor fluid running thru it) but not coming out of it, then is it possible for me to strip apart that and clean it out?im not sure when i take it apart what will be inside you see. is this a very specialised area?
Cheers for your help, keep the ideas flowing:)ill do some research and come back:)
Sam
This is the regulator???you can see the radiator pipe on the right flowing into it.The gas pipe coming off the top going to the carby, and the small copper pipe which brings lpg to this piece.
Here is the regulator...and the other small thing which i dont know what it is, it has a small copper pipe coming from the tank i think, and then another small copper pipe coming out of it going to the regulator.
This had the writing on top telling me it was a solenoid.I havent checked that this has power to it yet through the wire connected to it, but that should be the next thing to do, but seeing as i have done a few flow tests and saw it gets to the regulator but no further i think it is ok.
picture of the carb set up.[/img][/img]
The brand it has on the regulator.....im new to this lpg system stuff, first car with it in i have owned:)The regulator is the piece that has the radiator fluid running through it correct?It has the brand "Lovato Autogas" on it.
we believe from out testing that gas is getting to this piece but it isnt coming out of it. after disconnecting a few pipes and listening for the hiss and getting a whiff of that lovely smell or lack there of.
I can see 3 pieces that are related to the LPG system i think, there is a filter tied in to the system, but i thought it was the fuel filter, its so confusing having two fuel sytems!
but anyway.ill post some pics of the things i have spotted and are sure they are part of the lpg system, and ill go have a read about the systems and see if i can get more of an insight.
i guess the main question is , if im right and gas is getting to that regulator(thing with the radiotor fluid running thru it) but not coming out of it, then is it possible for me to strip apart that and clean it out?im not sure when i take it apart what will be inside you see. is this a very specialised area?
Cheers for your help, keep the ideas flowing:)ill do some research and come back:)
Sam
This is the regulator???you can see the radiator pipe on the right flowing into it.The gas pipe coming off the top going to the carby, and the small copper pipe which brings lpg to this piece.
Here is the regulator...and the other small thing which i dont know what it is, it has a small copper pipe coming from the tank i think, and then another small copper pipe coming out of it going to the regulator.
This had the writing on top telling me it was a solenoid.I havent checked that this has power to it yet through the wire connected to it, but that should be the next thing to do, but seeing as i have done a few flow tests and saw it gets to the regulator but no further i think it is ok.
picture of the carb set up.[/img][/img]
Hello again,
The small thing in the second photo with the copper pipes coming out is the lpg solenoid/filter if you turn the main gas valve off at the tank and unbolt the small bowl you should find the filter I metioned in the last post.
I would also chek that your getting power to that solenoid and also the blue soleniod on the front of the regulator,usually the positive supply to these solenoids comes from a saftey relay that will switch on when the ignition is pulsing,just check the solenoids with a test light.
Another thing to check is that the regulator has a good flow of water through it as the internals in the regulator will freeze up inside.
To answer your question about stripping down the regulator,they are very basic inside just diaphragms and valves and seats,but if it requires rekitting I would take it to a specialist (note sometimes a complete new reg can work out cheaper than rekitting if your paying for labour)
the other piece in the last photo with tartarini written on it is the petrol shut off solenoid check this with test light also it should only be powerd when running on petrol,but I would also remove the line running from this to the carby and make sure the petrol isn't flowing when your swiched over to lpg.
keep me posted on ya progress
cheers scotty
The small thing in the second photo with the copper pipes coming out is the lpg solenoid/filter if you turn the main gas valve off at the tank and unbolt the small bowl you should find the filter I metioned in the last post.
I would also chek that your getting power to that solenoid and also the blue soleniod on the front of the regulator,usually the positive supply to these solenoids comes from a saftey relay that will switch on when the ignition is pulsing,just check the solenoids with a test light.
Another thing to check is that the regulator has a good flow of water through it as the internals in the regulator will freeze up inside.
To answer your question about stripping down the regulator,they are very basic inside just diaphragms and valves and seats,but if it requires rekitting I would take it to a specialist (note sometimes a complete new reg can work out cheaper than rekitting if your paying for labour)
the other piece in the last photo with tartarini written on it is the petrol shut off solenoid check this with test light also it should only be powerd when running on petrol,but I would also remove the line running from this to the carby and make sure the petrol isn't flowing when your swiched over to lpg.
keep me posted on ya progress
cheers scotty
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
Cheers for that Scotty, are you an LPG technician or something?haha.
Ill go have a fiddle with it all with what you have suggested to test and ill let ya know about how i get on with it!
Cheers Scotty.
Sam
Ill go have a fiddle with it all with what you have suggested to test and ill let ya know about how i get on with it!
Cheers Scotty.
Sam
I'm with scotty, but i would check the "safety relay" solenoid & wiring first. Had this prob with the rangie early in the piece and again when i fitted the bodged HEI. Would start run 2-3 sec's then stop. re ran the wire to the safety relay and all was good again. (Of course the temporary wire i ran to prove the fault is still there many months later, hey once it works.....)
Kevin
Kevin
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
Cheers, im gonna have a look at it this weekend sometime, so ill let ya know how i get on.
Cheers
Sam
Cheers
Sam
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
I looked into my LPG situation. and it looks like it is the solenoid on the side of the regulator. I pulled the regulator semi apartment and it had a bit of oil in there, it does have a drainage plug at the bottom of the regulator.I dont know if i should tell you all this.....haha...I took the solenoid valve thing manually without the solenoid on there and the car ran, although somewhat roughly, it ran on gas. Rangi gas certifed mechanics...cruiser beast and kent...for all your gas needs;)
So now im at the point of needing a new solenoid system for the regulator, can these be purchased for my current regulator, lovato autogas?
Sam.
So now im at the point of needing a new solenoid system for the regulator, can these be purchased for my current regulator, lovato autogas?
Sam.
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
Ordered a new Solenoid and spring for the solenoid valve which i lost, lol.
Arrived today so ill get that on and let you know how it all goes.
Sam
Arrived today so ill get that on and let you know how it all goes.
Sam
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
Ok. I put the new solenoid on, and the solenoid definelty works now.tested that.but it still doesnt run on LPG. Im at a lose of what to do next, it gets power everywhere, it gets gas to it. but no vroom vroooommmm!!!!
i guess maybe something inside the regulator is shot then???With the solenoid though is it meant to only be on, or have power to it when i first turn the key to the on position and while im crankin it over to try and start it, because this is when it only seems to get power.
I took off the pipe that goes to the carby and it comes out of there with a slight hiss, but nothing to much.
It seems to if you leave it sit for awhile then crank it over it will start and then stop for like 2 seconds of running time. Could this mean maybe the settings(tuning) on the regulator is out and it just isnt getting enough to run but if you leave it it builds up and gets enough to fire for a breif moment.
Please help me.
Sam.
i guess maybe something inside the regulator is shot then???With the solenoid though is it meant to only be on, or have power to it when i first turn the key to the on position and while im crankin it over to try and start it, because this is when it only seems to get power.
I took off the pipe that goes to the carby and it comes out of there with a slight hiss, but nothing to much.
It seems to if you leave it sit for awhile then crank it over it will start and then stop for like 2 seconds of running time. Could this mean maybe the settings(tuning) on the regulator is out and it just isnt getting enough to run but if you leave it it builds up and gets enough to fire for a breif moment.
Please help me.
Sam.
Hi sam,
It sounds to me like you may have a problem with a gas saftety relay,Usually
when you turn the ignition on this relay supplies a power feed to the blue solenoid on your gas reg then shuts off after a few seconds.Once the engine is running (ie the relay is getting an input from either the negetive side of the ignition coil or from a sensing wire wraped around a ht lead)it then supplies a permanent power feed to the blue solenoid. The gas safety relay is normally a little black box with 5or 6 terminals or some times the petrol lpg change over switch and relay are together in one unit.try connecting a positive ignition wire to the solenoid directly and it should run. I am sure that is how your unit operates but when I get to work on monday I'll drag out some lovato info and let you know.
(note the safety relay is there to shut of the lpg if the engine stalls to prevent fires if it is fauly replace it.)
cheers scotty
It sounds to me like you may have a problem with a gas saftety relay,Usually
when you turn the ignition on this relay supplies a power feed to the blue solenoid on your gas reg then shuts off after a few seconds.Once the engine is running (ie the relay is getting an input from either the negetive side of the ignition coil or from a sensing wire wraped around a ht lead)it then supplies a permanent power feed to the blue solenoid. The gas safety relay is normally a little black box with 5or 6 terminals or some times the petrol lpg change over switch and relay are together in one unit.try connecting a positive ignition wire to the solenoid directly and it should run. I am sure that is how your unit operates but when I get to work on monday I'll drag out some lovato info and let you know.
(note the safety relay is there to shut of the lpg if the engine stalls to prevent fires if it is fauly replace it.)
cheers scotty
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
Ok. So i take it to the mechanic, and i say, its not running on LPG, it only runs on petrol. So he goes, oh ok, lets have a listen. I tell him, ive turned the gas supply off at the tank to stop any leaks i might have with this faulty LPG system. So he goes, ok, goes and turns it on. Then he flicks it to LPG and starts it, tells me he started it with a petrol and LPG mix and the roar i heard after he started it was the petrol being dumped. Looks at me and says, its running on LPG. And i go, ok.hahaha.
It ran fine, he didnt even need to do anything to it. We were both puzzled as to what would have been stopping it from starting for the last few weeks.
Told me it sounds quite ruff though, so hes gonna do the timing and tune it better to LPG, so it will run sweeter on LPG. Tells me if he tunes it like this ill hav to run on 96 petrol, when i run on petrol (that will be briefly!) becasue if i use 91 with the timing he is going to give it you risk blowing the head gasket. Dunno why but who am i to question.lol
Cheers for the help.
Im sure all the time i spent trying to fix it helped in someway, yea right.
Sam
It ran fine, he didnt even need to do anything to it. We were both puzzled as to what would have been stopping it from starting for the last few weeks.
Told me it sounds quite ruff though, so hes gonna do the timing and tune it better to LPG, so it will run sweeter on LPG. Tells me if he tunes it like this ill hav to run on 96 petrol, when i run on petrol (that will be briefly!) becasue if i use 91 with the timing he is going to give it you risk blowing the head gasket. Dunno why but who am i to question.lol
Cheers for the help.
Im sure all the time i spent trying to fix it helped in someway, yea right.
Sam
True Story
Well there you go a.
I'm sure that solenoid was still skrewed though
Sweet
Kent
I'm sure that solenoid was still skrewed though
Sweet
Kent
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cruiser_beast
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LPG
Yea true that.
Go on msn kent.lol
Sam
Go on msn kent.lol
Sam