Zavoli DIY install

[billynoband]

I have taken the plunge and am installing a Zavoli sequential to my Zafira 1600. I paid full price for a pro install on our other car so am taking the plunge with this one. I reserve the right to mess up my own car /fit a kit seeing as I paid full price last time.
The uk importers Jaymic Systems have been very helpful with my questions even though I did not buy the kit from them. They are also very busy so I do'nt want to interupt them more than 10 times per day so I thought the good people on here may help with some of my first time fumblings , especially those who have fitted Bigas DIY or other AEB stuff.
On the install diagram there is three pipes going to the inlet manifold (not including the gas ones). 2 from the reducer and 1 from the pressure sensor. Which part of the manifold do these go? They seem to be near the throttle body on the diagram. Could the ones from the reducer be put on a Y connector so I reduce the number of holes drilled ? The reducer is the Zeta 67r. I presume the reducer needs to be fitted lengthways/upright like the car wheels.

[Active_Lad]

Your right is duly noted and supported Good Luck!

If you can, why not take a few photos as you go through the conversion then post them up here, so there's a record of the conversion. Then it will help others who reserve the same right.

[andyvee]

2 of them are to sense manifold presuure, the other is a vent from the reducer for excess gas.

You need to connect them all to a part of the manifold that will sense the overall pressure in the manifold - ie a 'common' part of the manifold. Just behind the throttle butterfly is fine for this.

According to my Zavoli instructions you shoul;d not use a Y piece, but my installer did use a Y piece on the 2 pipes from the reducer and a single run of pipe goes to the manifold. Apparently this is not 'best practice'.

The Reducer has to be fitted the correct way up.

Andy

[billynoband]

Thanks for the reply. Which Zavoli instructions do you have, I only have wiring diagrams and a schematic for the general placement of items in order. This does not give general advice unfortunately. My kit is new/unused but I am not the first owner so even though all the parts are there a few sheets of A4 may have gone missing when the first owner lost interest.
Which way up should the Zeta reducer go?

[jayc]

My AG centrum kit which uses AEB parts has a y piece to go between the manifold and the map sensor/vaporiser.

That said on my install it would have been just as easy to drill another hole as the manifold had a big boss cast into it with the original vacuum take off and there was plenty of room for more points to be drilled.

[billynoband]

Thank-you very helpfull.
I thought the wiring would be the most confusing but it seems very straightforward once you have sussed out the injector negatives and found a coil pickup.

[andyvee]

Zavoli documentation HERE

Andy

[billynoband]

Cheers. Very kind.

[lpgelite]

With regard to positioning of the MAP sensor take off point in the plenum chamber, it's good practice to drill and tap a dedicated connection for this important item.

I'd recommend that it's not too close to the throttle flap as the sensor can get false readings when the throttle is open a fair amount. 100mm (4") inward from the throttle plate is advised by some manufacturers.

Likewise it shouldn't be directly above a port or right next to the servo connection. I tend to drill midway between two ports to avoid vacuum pulses affecting the MAP sensor reading.

The MAP sensor is a very sensitive piece of equipment, hence the take off point needs to be clear of any source of vacuum interference. If the engine has a dedicated pipe to its own MAP sensor you may get away with inserting a tee piece into that line.

I've seen several Koltec Necam installations with the MAP sensor pipe tee'd into the balancing pipe from the reducer, also just checked the OMVL Dream XX1N on my Omega which is fitted the same way and runs fine.

This is a very similar (rebadged AEB) system to the Zavoli Alisei, so hopefully your installation will be as simple as mine was.

[billynoband]

I see what everyone means now when they say 6mm copper pipe is a pain to run under the car. It came with the kit though so I used the copper pipe. Its not very easy on your driveway either but 3 hours and many re-runs later I am happy with the job, if its for yourself then take it easy I say.
Can't say I would like to use it if under commercial pressure though.
The polyflex pipe looks tempting. I see you can get it for the filler pipe now. I shall use copper though.
I have put a 600mmx204mm 50lt Stacko torroidal in the spare wheel well under the car courtesy of Tinley Tech, very helpful they are too and used to fit Zavoli so put me right on a couple of issues.
The tank has 4 hanging brackets built in on top which take M10 bolts from inside the car, 2 in the tool compartment and one each under the 6th and 7th seats with huge 40mm M10 square washers courtesy of Wicks bracket selection. The spare wheel support still fits neatly under the tank with some rubber to stop it scratching as a second support. Some people have bigger tanks in Zafiras I know but if I can get someone to certify the job I don't want to risk the road clearance issues.
Rear filler next, but I'm taking it easy. By the time I am finished I could have probably have saved the difference in fuel if I had a install done at christmas. You can get a Zavoli install now from 2 companies with good references for £1200 for 4 cylinder cars. You will not learn anything though.
Total spent so far;
£250 for front kit, unused but not first owner.
Tank, multivalve and nozzles for Matrix injectors £215.
Just a rear filler and programming lead to buy. Plus certification and maybe set up.

[pjpj]

Hi,

A 200 mile range is going to drive you nuts.

Even if you live next door to a station, having to call in frequently, when it's open, always being nearly out of gas when you need it, queing, queing to pay. I'm talking myself into a diesel here.

Got yourself a cheap system though.

Good luck, take your time.

Best Regards

PJPJ

[billynoband]

I am struggling to find a spot to place the Zavoli reducer. I would like it just behind the engine as that is where it is on our other car on the bulkhead. This is the only place where it will fit anyway apart from near the rad.
How much do they vibrate, I have managed to make a bracket that goes from the relay box brackets and the power steering fluid bottle mounts in a V shape, and it will sit nicely on that near the heater hoses to make a short convienient connection to those and the injectors. I cannot get to the bulkhead to run a bracket I am afraid without removing the dash which is hard on these as the front end is very compact to make space for 7 seats .

[billynoband]

I have not bored you my first diy install for a few days so here's some bedtime reading.
I could put it off no longer, and the snow means my car is stranded at the bottom of our steep street, so I may as well drill the inlet manifold for the spuds.
After reading this and that about why you should and should not remove it for drilling (one installer who shall remain nameless told me it can cause more problems taking it off than its worth) I decided to practice on a old megane manifold I had hanging around (I had one for 7 years and I could probably write a book about the faults and build quality on those).
A 3.5 mm pilot hole followed by a 5 mil then the 6mm tap. The resulting mess inside the Renault manifold would have filled a level tea spoon. I could not bear to do that to my Vauxhall so off with the Zafira manifold it was. Good job I did not follow the Haynes manual, although it has been handy, the manifold splits in two and they say to remove the injectors from the part closest the cylinder head to be able to get the outer part off which was not necessary at all. Good job I did not rip the petrol injectors out because I would also have needed to order new seals for them as well as a inlet gasket on monday because the vauxhall parts person went home early today and I missed him.
So I drilled and tapped 1.5 inches from the petrol injectors, the ones on our other car are 2 inches away and that runs great.
I know aluminium swarf is soft but I would'nt like to think of it mashing away at the valve seats once it gets blown in if you left a load in the inlet runs.
So I still know very little about LPG installation but would I be out of order to call someone a BODGER if they leave the manifold on for drilling.
Success so far;
6mm copper pipe run. The Zafira is a relatively easy run.
Underslung tank install, 250mm clearance, just. Anyone who passes a tank deeper than 200mm on a Zafira is using a ruler with a bit cut off or putting lots of air in the tyres. I shall put it in for a cop 11 with hardly any fuel in and max air in the tyres.
Reducer/solenoid mounting in very limited space at third home made bracket attempt.
Cock ups;
Drilled the body mounted 90 degree filler 2" too high and had to have the gun filler retaining pins at north/south instead of horizontal because the rear light cluster and petrol flap mech is in the way inside. Will it matter?
I cannot pretend I wish I had not started some days. Anyone who has time to do this home must be neglecting other things, I am getting up at 6am so I can get 4 or 5 hours in at the weekend before the kids get up as we adopted 2 older ones Too late to give up now.

[junkcatcher]

This is good to read ---- nice to see a DIY install so well documented.
Just think of the satusfaction first time it runs on gas.

[billynoband]

My first attempt at a photobucket link. Some photos of my endless diy install. I have done every job 2 maybe three times before I have been happy with it.

http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/ ... lpg052.jpg

If this link does not work I am giving up. I do not get computers and need to be explained about them like I am 6 years old.

I am stuck now because a manifold gasket had to be ordered from Vauxhall Germany 10 days ago and is still not here.

[Gilbertd]

If you put (or just copy the link that photobucket gives you to the right of the picture, it will display like this



By the way, I needed an inlet manifold gasket for a Tigra recently and simply bought a sheet of gasket paper and made one. Half an hours work saved the cost of the gasket and the endless wait. For thise that have never done it, lay the paper on the face of the manifold and tap around it with a screwdriver handle. The sharp machined edges of the manifold will cut the paper giving a perfectly fitting gasket.

[billynoband]

Thanks

[jayc]

I've made gaskets from cornflake boxes before much to the amazement of friends!

Always worth keeping some gasket paper around to get you out of tricky situations on sunday afternoon when all the factors are shut.

[billynoband]

The inlet manifold gasket has still not arrived. The Astra/Zafira manifold splits in three parts and I split it just after the petrol injectors and not where it joins the block to avoid having to disturb the injectors and wiring. It's not usual to take it apart here so that is why I am having to wait although it is a really handy place to have a joint for drilling the spuds.
Its a metal gasket I am afraid, I have bodged it back on for a tempory fit for running on petrol with the old gasket and some Blue Hylomar gasket goo. I do,nt want to risk that stuff holding lpg back though.
I used to use corn flake packet cardboard too on old motorbikes when I was a kid.

[billynoband]

The manifold gasket for my Zafira has finally arrived and is fitted. Now I can get stuck in to the rest of the install.
It's amazing how easy it is to remove and re-fit the manifold second time around.