LPG turbo conversion - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

hot_XD_falcon · 05-31-2002, 04:01

I am planning a turbo conversion and after seeing an LPG set up that goes hard i have decided this is the way to go. i am doing a lot of the work myself, such as getting the gas installed and then doing all of the manafolding and getting the turbo mounted and lubrication ect. and then getting the profesionals to simply finish the job and tune it to make sure it is all done properly. however before i start making manafolds i have to decide what type of set up to use, i would have prefered a blow through set up but i have been told they are a bit harder to set up and a bit more costly, (ie you need a rising pressure regulator to increase the gas pressure under boost) i have seen up close a suck through system and they are very simple in their design, but i wanted to know which set up is the best for performance, if there is no real performance differences then i think the much simplier suck through option will be the way to go....

but any help would be greatly appreciated, i am newcastle based so even a push towards someone else that can help me would be appreciated

cheers fellow ford fanatics..........

bdave351 · 05-31-2002, 04:14

In newcastle the only bloke who had any idea (a few years ago anyway) was a engineer by the name of Andy Shenkerenko (no idea on spelling the last name)

He had a place out at Gateshead near G-Force.

He did a twin turbo clevo jag back then and was doing mine till I put it in the to hard basket and went for a blower.

I think his bussiness was called Newcastle Automotive Engineering or something. He was very helpful and talkative , seemed very knowledgeable to my limited mechanical brain on all things auto and LPG.

hope that helps.

Dreders · 05-31-2002, 04:27

Gas research products are pretty good. The actual Gas Research shop (which is in melbourne) does installations for around $2200, which is a straight gas setup. After that you just have to plumb in your turbo/intercooler and get it tuned. The gas research throttle body is just placed at the front of the plenum like an efi throttle, so the turbo blows through that. Its a good setup and can make a LOT of power. Theres a bloke in Melb with 350rwkw and running 11 flat in an XE using the above $2200 setup with an extra line.
Some guys dont use gas research stuff because of its price but as far as Im concerned the results are on the board.
Good luck with it mate!

tonyk · 05-31-2002, 04:30

http://www.autospeed.com/A_0024/page1.html

Propane is a great boosted fuel as it has a higher RON and scavenges heat from the intake charge.
Blow thru IMPCO 425 is apparently very easy as they are already setup with boost referencing plumbing points for mixer and convertor etc.

hot_XD_falcon · 05-31-2002, 04:37

i think the guys i was going to get to fix up the rest of the turbo like i said, use a different brand to gas research but they say it is just as good and not quite as expensive, and so far with the whole job, the dearest thing will be to simply put my car on gas (so far quoted around $1750) as for the rest of the turbo install, i have some mates who have been able to find me some cheap parts, turbo etc, so as for the mechanical stuff, that shouldn't be a prob with the install and the cost, as i can do most of it, but the actual gas part is the part i dont know much about so that is the parts that the pros will have to do, but to mount the turbo i need to decide on a set up, and the cost will play a fair part in my decision because i am a student so obviously on a limited budget

any more info would be great and thanks for the speedy replies guys.... and i will get in contact with them to see if they can help me some more too...

hot_XD_falcon · 05-31-2002, 18:42

IMCO was the brand the guys were going to use and they say that it is just as good, so thats what they recomended, but is there any performance gains from going the blow through design, and what do you need to do for the mixer and the converter to allow them to handle the increase in pressure once it comes under boost

also do you think it is at all possiable to get a good 2nd hand gas system installed, because i think $1750 for a gas tank and the lines up to the bonnet was a bit pricey, so i was thinking of reducing the costs of the install a bit by installing a GOOD 2nd hand gas system, any comments....???

tonyk · 05-31-2002, 19:33

You just put a cap on it and reference the mixer to the convertor via one of the ports. Because the 425 mixer is vac controlled on the power circuit the mixer needs to get it vac signal from another place rather than at the throttle plate.
I have not done it myself but have been told it is very very easy.
Tuning is exactly as if it was not boosted. Same process, EGA in tailpipe and read the meter. A guy who knows everything about IMPCO and turbo stuff is Franz Hoffmann in Texas.
He was very helpful to me when I set up my twin 425's on my 460.
His email is franzh@texas.net. You can tell him Tony Kuiper with the 460 Ford from Adelaide South Australia said he may be able to help. He is a good guy seriously. He is a lecturer in alternate fuels for Texas Uni.
There is also a book by SA Design called "Propane Fuel Conversions" It is book number SA12. It is in libraries so you can have a read. It has a lot of stuff from the 70's but goes into a lot of detail about turbocharging.
Impco themselves could probably tell you too, but they arent too interested.
There is also this independent IMPCO forum.
You will get a hit from Franz if you post there.
http://www.ibuild.ws/Talk_frm.htm

Prices?? My mixers cost 100 bucks each and the covertors were about 75 from memory. The mixers have new idle diapragms at 15 bucks each but thats it.
I did a lot of porting on them to get them to flow more but with boost you dont need to.

tonyk · 05-31-2002, 19:34

Theres actually a post on the ibuild site now about turbo lpg
http://www.ibuild.ws/Talk/00000071.htm

hot_XD_falcon · 06-02-2002, 03:33

Does anyone think that putting in a 2nd hand gas tank and lines would be a big problem, it will reduce my costs of the conversion by heaps, i can get a tested 2nd hand tank and lines installed for about $800 which is restamped to last anouther 10 yrs, compared to the $1750 for the brand new system, obviously i want a good set up to be able to handle the fuel requirments of the turbo, but i dont think that the gas conversion being 2nd hand would cause any problems??????

tonyk · 06-02-2002, 03:49

Gas systems (other than coolant passages) dont really wear out as such from what I' ve seen.
Most installs include a filter under the lockoff valve at the convertor so most crap doesnt get into the convertors.
Even if the mixer and convertor needs an overhaul it will still be cheaper than 1750.
I dont know how much fuel you will need but you should invest in a larger (1/4" I think) primary tank to lockoff line to give scope to run two convertors. The standard line is 3/16" I think.
I dont think you will have any need for more than one model L convertor if you go IMPCO.