Smooth as silk

[andy evans autogas]

Here's a link to a Lexus I did this week that had 253,000 on the clock still as good as the day it was built. Fitted a KME system with matrix injectors so good for another 250,000 now
http://youtu.be/ByiN2DJh9qM

And here it is again
http://youtu.be/Wmv7LpmMaLo

[Stuzewheels]

Having finally got fed up with the rust on my S320 ('96) I've just bought at arms length a Lexus LS400 which is even older but doesn't have anywhere near the 220k miles that the Merc has on the clock.

Having said this, and watched your video I am hoping that the engine will sound a lot sweeter than the one you have converted. The old cup of water on the engine still plays true as to vibration as it did when seen on the intro of these cars (what a memory) but the noise of that high miler rather surprised me.

I'm thinking of having the Lexus converted and would be interested in knowing if the Valves are hard enough or if a lube system is essential.

The Merc has run on LPG since 2001 albeit with a replaced head gasket seven years back (it hadn't blown but assume valves changed same time as precautionary measure) and the need to reset the system again to stop cut out on low revs (thanks to Gilbert for that a few years back! ) still runs well on the single point system, with only the occasional hiccup on changeover if started cold on gas. Noise wise, the engine is quieter than the Lexus shown, or certainly not so metallic sounding. Another 250k miles for that car might be optimistic, me thinks?

[mat_fenwick]

I can't look at the video now, but I've noticed before that recordings can often sound more 'metallic' than the engine sounds by ear - presumably due to the microphone being more sensitive to certain frequencies than others?

[classicswede]

I think the noise you can hear is the microphone picking up the sound of the injectors.

I have one customer who refuses Flashlube on his cars (all Lexus) but does not keep them long enough for VSR to start causing any problems. I would say for long term you do want the valve saver or face paying out on some head work.

[Stuzewheels]

I was thinking that single point closed loop which I beelive I have on the Merc would be adequate and less trouble to install. So many stories about multipoint.

Just looked at Tinley tec and read that S-P-C-L only suitable for cars pre 1999 with Metal inlet manifolds. Query this, as the Merc has plastic, but I did install a blowback valve when I bought the car as it did have an idling problem and the MAF to manifold conduit was almost destoyed and bound up with Duct tape. Nice lump in the bonnet. In six years only once did I have a blowback when climbing a hill in France when gas was very low and it did no damage.

What do most people go for on these V8 Lexus of the nineties?

[andy evans autogas]

Here's another one I did about 7yrs ago it's only done about 70k on gas with no valve saver fitted. I've done lots of them both with & without valve saver and none have had problems ... This one I now own as it came up at the right price and has an excellent service history ....
http://youtu.be/Fa_T_NLxp_U
Also check here for a few more pics of them done !!
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=287906527891196

[classicswede]

Multi point will give a lot less trouble than a single point system - just get the right system and installer.

[Gilbertd]

Just looked at Tinley tec and read that S-P-C-L only suitable for cars pre 1999 with Metal inlet manifolds. Query this, as the Merc has plastic,

Stu

I suspect at the time your Merc was converted, that was all that was available. Much like my Range Rover, nobody would fit a single point these days but multipoints were still in their infancy when it was done so whoever did it stuck with what they knew. I must admit when you bought the Merc to me to get it set up properly, I was a bit surprised to see a plastic manifold (I think I commented on it at the time). I think you've just been lucky or Merc use a slightly stronger type of plastic than other manufacturers.

[Stuzewheels]

Hi Richard

Yes could be! The car has run great ever since your tuning it. must be about twelve trips to the Charente and one more trip before I part with it having got sick of the sight of the rust. Not helped being outside on the sea front. Someone else can enjoy it as I've moved back to a V8 which I've thought of doing for a long time, but this time not a Merc. I've paid less for this unblemished Lexus with under 130k miles on it than the cost of replacing the two front wings and bodging other rust patches would cost, so looking forward to enjoying a new experience.Discovered this morning that there is an LPG installer just three miles away from me which will save a horrible trip to South Essex . Egas is the conversion. Don't know how hard a job or what the cost would be. Anyone got egas experience?

Thanks

Stu
ps how was that Cigar?

[Gilbertd]

The cigar was wonderful and used on some special occasion, the precise nature of which I don't remember but I saved it for something. I've actually got experience of e-gas in as much as I bought another Range Rover a few months ago with an e-gas system fitted. Andy Evans and Classicswede and a couple of others are familiar with them. Apparently they can die if a solenoid coil goes down which takes out the ECU outputs so the advice is to put a relay with a low value fuse in the output wire. Other than that, it seems to be a pretty good system. I must admit I haven't done it on mine yet as I'm still using the original white one at the moment as this new one still has a few niggling faults that need sorting. Then I'll have to decide which one I'm going to keep.....