Tank removal for strange reason, refit after 8 months..

[LPGC]

I was contacted in May - 'I am a Yorkshire taxi driver and have a job coming up where I'll be driving a little old lady to Scotland with lots of bagging soon, I wouldn't feel comfortable driving that distance without a spare wheel but won't have space to carry one, will need all the available luggage space.. Can you remove my tank and refit on my return in a week or so please..?'.

Very strange methinks.. 'If you're doing that mileage, surely you want to do the journey for half price fuel.. Surely in terms of car (Astra) capacity, a spare wheel doesn't take much space when there's the entire boot and back seat available.. You know about instant tyre repair? You could buy a space saver spare? There's the back seat for luggage?

I discussed the above with the customer but he was adamant this is what he wanted to do.

Removed the tank in May 2015. No word until December 2015, then he phoned me to arrange refitting! I have advised - although I expect no problems, it is possible solenoids have seized, reducer has developed a problem (gummed up), maybe similar for the injectors... expensive bits on a factory fit install.

Kind of beggars belief that a taxi driver would go without running on half price fuel for the above period - I queried and was told he'd been living abroad for a while... ahh that explains it!

I still have all his bits that I removed, will be seeing how re-instatement of the system goes very soon, due to be refitted over the next few days.. If the system was well serviced (filter changes etc) before I reckon there's a very good chance all will be OK, if not then it might be 50/50, we will soon see!

Simon

[LairdScooby]

I would have MADE room for the spare, even if i had to fit a roof rack for it! Granted the roof rack would hit the economy somewhat but even so, half price fuel Vs full price fuel for 7 months????

Something fishy going on there methinks!

Good luck with the re-install, hope it all works well from the off!

[LPGC]

Hmmm, yes now I'm thinking to myself - was it running well when it came in, etc...

!

Simon

[rich r]

'Living abroad' and wanted LPG tank removed? Could it be because he wanted to use the Channel Tunnel rather than a ferry, and thought he could get round their restriction on LPG by having the tank removed?

Does seem strange. It's not as if there aren't breakdown companies and tyre shops between here and Scotland either...

[LairdScooby]

Precisely the first thing to go through my mind! Has he already got a problem and was pulling a fast one saying that it was fine but now doesn't work? Could be entirely innocent and it can all be taken at face-value but wouldn't be surprised if he tries to blame you for a subsequent running problem and demands you put it right at your expense.

[LPGC]

As I remember - Been living abroad for a while since little old lady, been back in the country a long time but had a few things to sort out.. Could be the case regards chunnel but I'm not sure if the car went abroad..

Not re-fitted yet so still to see how it works now. Looked at many vehicles in 8 months and can't remember if this one ran OK on LPG.. I don't think there's any dodgy motive though.

Simon

[joshnosh]

Lpg was also banned on the last ferry I went on. Dose anyone actually submit to the no lpg rules? As I'm coming back via the tunnel in about 4 months time

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[hitman]

LPG isn't allowed through the tunnel

expect a mighty fine if caught going through - they will not look kindly on it

[Gilbertd]

Lpg was also banned on the last ferry I went on. Dose anyone actually submit to the no lpg rules?

What ferry was that then? I use the Dover-Calais ferries about 8 times a year and have never seen anything regarding LPG except that it must be turned off. With a caravan with a gas bottle in it, you are expected to close the gas valve, on a car, the tank solenoid turns it off as soon as you stop the car. I've used P&O, DFDS and MyFerries (never again!) and never had a problem. The tunnel is different in as much as well as saying that gas bottles on caravans must be turned off, it specifically mentions the ban on LPG fuelled vehicles. A friend got stopped a number of years ago when he had a converted Jeep. They let him on but only after he had managed to convince them that the gas system didn't work and the tank was empty.

[Brian_H]

I've used the ferries to Ireland - both Stenna and Irish ferries, Stenna said nothing about it, their website says "Even when your car runs on LPG, you can travel by all Stena Line vessels.", Irish ferries just say to switch it off whilst onboard and tanks must be switched off. so switching to petrol when ready to board would be ample to satisfy their requirements as Gilbertd has said above..

Given that the fill point is going to be visible in some way if not the tank itself, then your not likely to get away with it anyway on the train. Their policy can be found here > http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/site-information/lpg/. You might find yourself stuck being unable to board and not being able to get a refund for the ticket either.

Back to the original point though, it sounds suspect as surely you'd either put up with the ferry crossing if the tunnel was the reason, or find some other way of solving the problem. Friend with second vehicle with the tyre on standby if nothing else?

Is it being a taxi possibly something to do with it though? needing something in place for taxi test maybe that wasn't possible with the tank in place being one idea?

[joshnosh]

DFDS was the one i went with

went there in October. wasent told before but i saw info when i was loading


my tank is in the spare wheel bellow the carpeted floor. the filler cap is behind the number plate. i cant see them being able to tell to be honest

[Gilbertd]

What info was it that you saw? This is what the DFDS terms and conditions say about LPG powered vehicles:

• any motor vehicles propelled by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or
natural gas, compressed or refrigerated (LNG) will only be accepted
if the vehicle is a recognised manufactured model with standard
specification; and
• electric cars are not allowed to be connected to the ship’s electrical
system for charging.

and under the heading of Dangerous Goods, it says this:

Vehicles with permits are allowed to carry a maximum of 47 kg
of gas bottles. During the crossing the gas bottles will need to be
disconnected and turned off.

which I assume means that these people that will insist on towing a small 3 bed detached around behind them should have a permit (but I bet most aren't aware of this) and must turn the gas off while they are on the ferry.

I just checked and the P&O T&C's state much the same:

iv. Lock your car and leave in gear with the handbrake on. All car alarms must be switched off and disabled when parked on the vehicle deck. Cars powered by LPG should have tanks switched off when on vehicle decks. Do not carry fuel cans on board - full or empty. Do not overfill your tank.

So the tanks must be switched off which they will be by the tank solenoid as soon as you turn the engine off.

[LPGC]

Pleased to see this thread has evolved a bit.

Agreed with Gilbert - Far as I know ferries allow LPG converted vehicles on.

I'd probably risk attempting the chunnel in a converted vehicle where fill point and tank weren't obvious.. Plenty LPG goes through the chunnel daily, though in camping gas cylinders rather than vehicle tanks. Other than 'not allowed or else', what would the concerns be that don't apply equally to bottled gas? Especially considering the Chunnel allows vehicles with single fixed gas tank of capacity up to 93L (or 99L over multiple tanks) through if the tank(s) is/are for domestic appliances (figures seem to be water capacity so working capacity at 80% would be 73L and 79L respectively).. Would take bigger than most RangeRover sized tanks to hold more gas than that so it would seem it isn't the quantity of gas we're likely to carry that Chunnel is against, so would likely be the valve arrangement or maybe something else.. I'd bet a large proportion of vehicles with fitted domestic tank(s) go through without the stop taps being turned off - In our favour, like Gilbert said ,gas is shut off automatically on LPG tanks that fuel the engine.. But maybe not in the case of CNG tanks (that fuel the engine), because they may only have a reducer solenoid, not a tank solenoid... Case of one brush tars all?

Rules and regs seem full of above type of contradictions... E.g. Child not sat in correct car seat / not properly strapped in a vehicle / vehicle failed MOT for structural reasons.. What a terrible parent, through the book at them! Child loosely strapped into a plastic trailer towed behind a push bike for school trips - Good parent participating in a cycle to school scheme!

On the original subject - I advised the owner that although I expected no problems, lack of use for 8 months could make for a seized solenoid etc. Had arranged with him for his return but he cancelled that appointment because the car is currently having another problem repaired.

Simon

[joshnosh]

Ahh you reminded me. It said lpg cars must be factory fitted. Obviously I ignored that

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[LPGC]

Ahh you reminded me. It said lpg cars must be factory fitted. Obviously I ignored that

I haven't seen anything on that, just saw this page http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/site-information/lpg/

Simon