Which LPG Front End?

[EViS]

After much deliberation, I feel that getting my 2006 Romano installation fixed to cure the rough idle, power loss and EML just isn't worth bothering with and I may aswell just install a newer modern kit.

I undertake all my own servicing and maintenance so am relatively clued up. Hence, I wonder whether I can follow in some of your foot steps and undertake my own installation.

Firstly, I'll need to choose my new system and am truly at a loss what I should be spending my money on. The vehicle in question is a 2004 Ford F150 4.6L which outputs around 250bhp.

I don't seem to hear so much about Prinz any more, and wonder whether they are no longer the daddy of the LPG world? But who is and which kit would suit me best?

[Gilbertd]

If you're fitting it yourself, forget Prins, it's only available to Prins approved installers. Plus the only real advantage it has over others is the Keihin injectors, but they are stupidly expensive. Hana make a Keihin substitute that are almost as good and considerably cheaper. Then again, a set of Valtek 34s would do the job too. As you have a Romano fitted now, I'd suggest going for another AEB based system. If you are really lucky you may find that the existing loom will still work so you'd only be looking at changing the hardware side.

[LPGC]

Evis,

I remember the recent discussion about your F150's problems, as said at the time I am sure I could fix your problems for a fraction of the cost of fitting all new, even if you were to do the work yourself...

Why remove everything? Most installers on the forum would advise fitting an AEB ECU and associated wiring loom on your V8 F150 anyway - wiring won't be your problem and any AEB 8 cyl ECU will slot into your Romano's socket (in the case the ECU is the problem) anyway, so why change wiring?

I understand you have visited other installers and got nowhere. I blame the installers you visited for this, from what you said I wouldn't have much faith in them.. I would be confident of fixing it while you wait, if I couldn't you could report back on the forum and tell people how I fared no better, and hence am no better, than the other installer(s) you visited... That wouldn't happen because it would be fixed.

Prinz is not the same as Prins, only Prins has a really good reputation but that reputation was earned thanks to the really good Keihin injectors that were always fitted with Prins systems, Prins earned it's reputation when injectors fitted with other systems were poor performers and not very reliable, in contrast the Prins system had a flying advantage in terms of injectors. The Prins ECU is featureless - if it had been fitted with ANY other injectors at the time it made it's reputation it wouldn't have a good reputation today, might be at the bottom of the list in terms of reputation... On top of that the Prins ECUs are hardly the most reliable. These days excellent performing and reliable injectors are available for a fraction of the cost of Keihin while AEB ECUs have always been better than Prins... Prins would have an even better reputation if it had used an AEB ECU instead of it's own Prins ECU, and better performing reducers are available than Prins reducers. Prins is available to anyone these days but would be daft to fit it given the above...

V34 injectors are well built but not brilliant performers, hence I get other well known pro installers from this forum phoning to ask me which injectors to fit instead of their (usual) V34s on demanding vehicles they get in their workshops to convert. Hana look like Keihin but are not Keihin and do not perform as well as Keihin - it is good advice not to fit Keihin though, given their expense and the fact that no advantage would be gained. MJ injectors out-perform both V34s and Hana and are less expensive but I suppose you need to be a techy and open minded installer that has fitted many types of injectors on a range of applications to know how to compare them rather than just repeating others comments... but on your F150 any of those injectors, and a lot more besides, will easily be up to the job. I convert mostly demanding vehicles, the F150 isn't particularly demanding but brings it's own challenges for an installer.

Supposing you remove the entire system and fit a system yourself doing a perfect job of installation - do you then calibrate the system yourself, visit another installer (wouldn't advise one of those who couldn't tell you what was wring with your existing system etc) to calibrate it or try to get somebody knowledgeable to talk you through the calibration process on the phone.. but who?

One F150 conversion sticks in my mind, a supercharged one owned by a Geordie. He used his own vehicle as transport for his job as a company rep so his company paid his fuel bills based on engine size and miles covered. He never told his company his vehicle was converted so made extra money out of his fuel claims! His vehicle had never ran properly on LPG until he visited me and I sorted it for about £50. Have lost count of the number of LPG systems on F150s, including supercharged models, that I have put right when apparently the owners have visited other installers (particularly in the case of owners in the area) who had failed - and gone on to quote ridiculous figures for removing the existing LPG system and fitting a different one.

Simon