Club 80-90 Forums

En route from Calais to Poitiers, only got 100km and a couple of backfires and van cuts out. Was running in LPG at the time and switched to Petrol on the dashboard switch whilst coasting to see if van would restart in petrol. Ended up on side of motorway and recovered to a VW dealer although insurance company had a great deal of problems finding someone who would take an LPG vehicle.

Due to Easter hols van not being diagnosed till Tuesday so in an insurance rental till then.

Have been advised by a friend that if the LPG system (Gasure System) suffers a failure that switching to Petrol on the dash is of no use and needs to be switched using the lever on the carb to return the fuel system to standard, can anyone advise on this?

If it won't run on either fuel then it is ignition related, don't know who you are, give me your real name, how old is the system? when was it last serviced correctly? when was the lpg system serviced correctly? turning the lever will bypass the system only, if switched to petrol it will run on petrol, backfires and none starting would suggest either you coil has packed in or the hall unit has expired, if you want to email me direct thats fine, but don't assume its the LPG system causing problems

Shamr I aint still out there...

But have to say.. need to find out what the REAL issue is as it could easily be ignition related.. are the lights working on the LPG switch box? if so I doubt very much is the gas system at fault..

OH.. be very carefull with what you agree to.. I rescued a chap with a syncro, but only after he had spent over £1000 and 2 weeks with garage to still not cure the problem (gearbox had broken syncro hubs and had locked solid) they had changed clutch and whole front driveshaft and spent several hours buggering about..
I diagnosed the problem over the phone, sourced a 2wd gearbox, fitted it and had him mobile and off back home within 2 days.. he ran that for a good 9 months before his original box was rebuilt and refitted..

You can remove the switch control umit (on dash) just unplugs ( I take mine out regularly when parkied up as an anti theft precaution)). If with the petrol solenoid switched to manual overide, it still fails to start with the petrol pump primed, then its nowt to do with the LPG and the only requirement is that the mechanic is competent and familiar with VW's. Once the fault has been found and its running on petrol, set the solenoid back to the original position and re connect the switch control....and flick back to LPG in the normal way. I could understand 'difficulty locating a garage' if it were an LPG only vehicle but it isn't.

AngeloEvs wrote: I could understand 'difficulty locating a garage' if it were an LPG only vehicle but it isn't.

Spent much time in France???

5 years living in France owning german vehicles taught me a few things...

It isnt a French manufacturer, it isnt a french installed LPG system and its owned by a foreigner........ The recovery co will only take to to one of its associates, so you need a bit of luck..

Be very insistant on the phone to your recovery co and dont take any bull.... If there nominated garage seem to be useless insist its transported to a VW dealer at least (they are generally helpfull and generally seem to be more knowledgeable with older models..)... or repatriated back to UK...

Would be interested to know the out come of this breakdown, bet it won't be the LPG that's failed. More likely to be igintion related like others have said...
IAN

not very easy dealing with this while me and family are 600km from Van on vacation over a long holiday weekend.

Not getting any feedback from garage, yet the insurance company say they have spoken to the garage and say it is a fuel pump failure !! That does not make much sense considering the original breakdown was whilst running in LPG.

Thoughts anyone ??

I'm guessing but if you were running on lpg then may be the fuel pump needs priming and they seem to think its duff.........strange diagnosis I must say given that it packed up on LPG and that you coasted to get the float chamber filled and it diddn' t start. You had enough gas in it I assume?

Yes filled up in Dover. There was some dripping fuel when the van was put on the recovery vehicle.

I havent any tec advice. Just keep any reicpts or invces and present them to the insurance company. when you talk to the insurance company get names and details of the people you talk to. We had an experence in north France last year (gearbox problem intermitant). The insurance company were morethan happy to take are money but less happy to give some back.
Hope thing work out for you the french people were lovely.
Good luck Nik

fuel leaking...petrol?

yes Petrol

when was the last time you ran it on petrol?

In the last 3-4 months

If it was running on LPG and stopped then it cant be the petrol pump...

Have they checked the ignition? If they have a spark then it should start and run on gas..

Now its poss its a component failure when hot as I have seen rotor arms fail when get hot.. when the cool down they work again.. verydificult to suss if you are not aware/dont have a spare to change...


As I said before.. you need to get a bit assertive with the ins co.. dont stand for any BS..

Petrol leaks are not good though and need to be cured...