Omega Owners Forum - lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater

Cliffo B Omega Baron Offline Posts: 2754 Leeds West Yorkshire Gender: Drives: '03 elite 3.2 estate	lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater 19. Jan 2011 at 13:28 I'm going to do a lpg conversion on miggy and would be gratefull for advice on what spec kit is best to get for her a 3.2 V6 Omega. I understand from reading info already posted that Stag is the front runner. Also does anyone know if haveing a Kenlowe engine preheater fitted needs any special consideration?
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tunnie Over Active Poster Offline Posts: 22520 London, W3 Gender: Drives: 2.2 CD (LPG'd) & BMW R1200 GS	Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater Reply #1 - 19. Jan 2011 at 16:14 why has it got a engine pre-heater? Is it really needed in the UK Stag kit has been trouble free for most part, lots of miles clocked up without issues. Huge experience of it here too How exactly is the pre-heater plumbed in?
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chrisgixer

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Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater
Reply #2 - 19. Jan 2011 at 17:15

LPG coolant plumbing only really affects the section from rear of block to hbv, ie coolant exit rear of block to vaporiser to hbv. That's it.

Although usually the winter heater on the inside of the drivers wing is removed, as it does bog all anyway, to site the vaporiser instead.

Guessing you'll know more than us about how the pre heater is plumbed in.....?

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chrisgixer Omega King Offline Black ones are faster. Posts: 14570 Wokingham Gender: Drives: "Omega Black" 3.2 Elite. Thanks to Joshwyatt.	Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater Reply #3 - 19. Jan 2011 at 17:18 Ps, the 3.2 is far easier to convert due to the lack of emissions gubins and throttle cables of the non DBW cars, so space is a bit more available.
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2woody Omega Knight Offline Posts: 1402 Northumberland Drives: '02 MV6, '99 Elite, '99 MV6 estate, '92 Evo 500, Commodore SS	Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater Reply #4 - 19. Jan 2011 at 17:23 pre-heater is great for LPG - it means that you don't need to start on petrol if the coolant is pre-warmed.
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chrisgixer Omega King Offline Black ones are faster. Posts: 14570 Wokingham Gender: Drives: "Omega Black" 3.2 Elite. Thanks to Joshwyatt.	Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater Reply #5 - 19. Jan 2011 at 17:32 2woody wrote on 19. Jan 2011 at 17:23: pre-heater is great for LPG - it means that you don't need to start on petrol if the coolant is pre-warmed. Yeah, i see why they employed you! I never thought of that at all.
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chrisgixer Omega King Offline Black ones are faster. Posts: 14570 Wokingham Gender: Drives: "Omega Black" 3.2 Elite. Thanks to Joshwyatt.	Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater Reply #6 - 19. Jan 2011 at 17:35 Although I wonder of the stag software allows starting on gas straight off ? Certainly if warm switch over time can be set to minimum .
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Kevin Wood

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Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater
Reply #7 - 19. Jan 2011 at 18:21

chrisgixer wrote on 19. Jan 2011 at 17:35:

Although I wonder of the stag software allows starting on gas straight off ?

Certainly if warm switch over time can be set to minimum .

It will start on petrol and switch over after the timeout. You can start on gas but it's grumpy due the the enrichments required on petrol.

It's really only a matter of finding space to mount the components. No reason why it wouldn't work with a kenlowe as long as coolant flow is strong enough to provide adequate circulation through all the components.

Kevin

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zirk

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Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater
Reply #8 - 20. Jan 2011 at 00:25

The Kenlowe pre heaters work well on lpg in the winter and on petrol for that matter, they bring the engine temp up to near normal running temp, hence a saving on petrol cold start ups and allowing the lpg to switch over on drive away. The down side is that the commercial versions run on either 110 or 230 volts so there pretty much home based applications (they have there own internal pump fitted).

There are some 12 volt versions around but cost the earth and mainly designed for Track / Race applications.

Switching lpg to force start up when cold should be done with care, as any miss fire or blow back can cause problems with the Maf / intake sensors.

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« Last Edit: 20. Jan 2011 at 00:37 by zirk »

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Cliffo B

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Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater
Reply #9 - 20. Jan 2011 at 02:45

Hello,all the preheater heater unit is a 3" wide by 6"high cylinder mounted on the side of the offside suspension turret in the engine bay the heated coolant output from it goes via a 12v auxillary pump mounted on the hose to the upper heater matrix supply on the bulkhead. The return pipe to the cylinder comes from the rear of the engine. I believe it circulates the coolant round the full engine till it reaches 80 degrees, but there are optional heater stat's available and also optional wattage heater eliments. I would think the pump is powerful enough with an impeller that won't restrict coolant supply if it suffers a power loss as obviously it's not powered up when engine is started and running normal. Can I say there are some real advantages and it's been great during the recent cold spell, but I use it all year round mainly because the engine starts are less stressfull to me as theres far less mechanical noise and no fast tickover. I would'nt even consider a diesel without one.So it looks as if it won't interfere with the LPG system could even help it on start up,although I'm takeing on board a petrol start will still apply but could get a quick change over,Ill post up about it when I try it out. Thumbs Up!

Thanks for your helpfull replies next hurdle is getting a front end kit I believe its called, and sorting the inlet manifold and injectors

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Kevin Wood

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Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater
Reply #10 - 20. Jan 2011 at 13:18

I think your only challenge will be finding somewhere for the vapouriser to go, as it sounds like you've got the Kenlowe in the preferred spot already. No reason why it couldn't go in the "loop" that feeds the Kenlowe. You will need to take a look round the back of the engine and make sure that that part of the system is fed straight from the coolant bridge and not after the HBV, as the aux. pump normally would be, as the vapouriser would then go cold when the HBV closes.

Kevin

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Cliffo B Omega Baron Offline Posts: 2754 Leeds West Yorkshire Gender: Drives: '03 elite 3.2 estate	Re: lpg kit for my 3.2 estate with engine pre-heater Reply #11 - 21. Jan 2011 at 00:34 Thanks Kevin,think I can follow your logic,I will have to make sure this vapouriser is in the same coolant loop as the engine preheater so long as the HBV is not able to close the loop,so I need to trace back where the return pipe to the preheater comes from. Once again thanks for spotting this
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