What should we know about the autogas system?

What is euro gas? The price of petrol grows and comes to be a reason for drivers to search for alternatives. One of them - is autogas or euro gas system. If you decide to put gas equipment on your car, you need to contact an official or authorized service station. Otherwise, you will lose the insurance of your car. Always choose only the official Service Shops to eliminate any risks of the gas cylinder blowing up.

What is LPG/AutoGas??

LPG meaning is liquefied petroleum gas, also known as Auto Gas. It is a mixture of gases present in natural gas or dissolved in oil. This type of fuel is widely used in Poland, Italy. Ukraine and Turkey. Less popular, but still relevant, is Autogas for France and Germany. This alternative fuel is supplied, stored and produced in the Netherlands, the USA, Spain, France and the UK. However, the Netherlands and the UK have been favouring electric vehicles lately.

Is there an infrastructure where you can refuel? You can use an internet search to find out which petrol stations have LPG fuel tanks for the service.

Types of gas:

• Methane is expensive and stored in thick-walled cylinders. The equipment takes up a lot of space and pays off for a long time.
• Propane-butane is cheaper than petrol (petrol) but has increased consumption. For example, 1.9 litres of propane-butane = 1 litter of petrol.

What is LPG conversion?

The installed LPG fuel system does not completely replace the fuel system, and the driver can switch between the two. The driver will not feel any difference in driving. The system can automatically switch between the systems when the gas container is empty, but not in the case of diesel engines (the systems operate simultaneously and proportionally). To equip a car with an autogas system, special and high-quality equipment is required, which is installed by technicians and must be strictly standardised. Investments in this installation pay off in a year or six months, depending on the frequency of your trips.

LPG conversion kit prices range from €1,500 to €3,000. Such a large difference is due to the size of the car, the type and size of the engine, the market and the services of the installer. Undoubtedly, the bigger the car and the engine, the more expensive the service. Diesel, turbocharged or direct injection engines also require special maintenance. Therefore, calculate the fuel costs on classic fuel and decide whether such an investment is worthwhile for you. For the most part, gas cars are small passenger cars.

 What equipment needs to be installed to use LPG

We've answered the question "what is autogas?" and will look at the classic LGP system. The main element of the system, the reducer-vaporiser, delivers gas to the engine. When the driver switches the car to petrol, the LPG solenoid valve comes into play, which blocks the gas supply when the system is not active. When the driver selects gas, the fuel emulator is activated.  The electronic control module controls the amount of gas supplied to the engine by reading the oxygen sensor and throttle sensor. The code for the solution is required by the LPG tank itself. At first glance, the system does not have many components, but the LPG conversion kit shapes the quality of work and materials.

Is the LPG/autogas system reliable or dangerous? As we have repeatedly emphasised, the system is reliable and safe when installed professionally and operated carefully.  LGP has been used in cars since the 1930s, and for almost a century it has proven its effectiveness and consolidated its advantages.

What documents should a gas injection system have? The gas injection system must have the following documents: a certificate of conformity (confirming that the system meets technical standards), an installation passport (containing technical specifications, installation date, connection diagram), an installation certificate (issued by a certified service), and a note on the conversion.

Advantages and disadvantages of LPG systems for cars

Disadvantages of compressed gas equipment:

• Gas equipment takes up more space in the trunk, besides
• It impairs the aerodynamics of the car
• In winter it is more difficult to start the engine that runs on gas (to solve the problem, start the car on petrol, and then switch it back to gas)

Advantages of compressed gas equipment:

• Riding on the gas equipment saves oil, keeping the quality and preventing the wear of engine cylinders
• The composition of the gas doesn’t include catalysts destroying metal; therefore, car spares will last longer
• The gas mixture can almost completely be burned
• The cylinders filled up quickly, so your car will go faster and have a soft move

What maintenance is required for an LPG injection system?

Servicing and replacing the filters are two steps in the maintenance programm. It is recommended to change the gas filter every 15,000 km and the fine filter every 30,000 km. Neglecting to do so can lead to clogged injectors and unstable engine performance. The LPG fuel system is also recommended to be checked, adjusted and calibrated every 30,000 km.

The most spread problems with an autogas system, which you may face during exploitation:

• Wear or blockage of injectors
• Burnout of valves (cold start on gas)
• Some problems with electrical equipment and wiring

Which vehicles can be adapted to LPG? Almost all, and it's easier to tell which Vehicles are not suitable for the system.

• Electric vehicles

• Cars with diesel engines without conversion

• Vehicles with very complex electronics or firmware that is not suitable for software changes (some GDI/FSI engines)

We hope it is clear, what LPG car is. Whether or not to install such a system is up to you. Of course, it has nothing to do with OBD2, so it is impossible to record any autogas errors. However, as long as you are using autogas, you can still monitor the actual engine parameters