Syncro LPG tank

[tforturton]

If you moved the spare wheel from inside the car, and hung it on a carrier, what size LPG tank could you get in the spare wheel space?

[..lee..]

The space between the chassis for the spare wheel is about 27" in diameter

[tforturton]

You mean at the front, under the car? I thought the front diff got in the way? Hence the idea to put a tank where the spare wheel should be, inside at the back.

[syncropaddy]

No the original space for the spare is between the front rails underneath. Not that many Syncros had the spare inside - only if you had the optional bash plate fitted

[Aidan]

upright torroidal instead of spare inside is 63 litres, 54 litre fill, gives a range of around 180-200 miles on lpg,
or instead of drop down front spare unfortunately only 51 litres 43 litre fill 130-150mile range
for more range than that you need a torpedo tank under rear bed but not all beds/tanks are compatabile
I have the 63 litre upright tank and a 15kg leisure tank against the middle bulkhead as mine was originally a 9 seater so has the bulkhead, because it's a sunroof van I kept the bulkhead to retain what rigitity the shell has, and then built the kitchen unit around the gas tanks
you need to be doing a fair milage to recoup the savings on lpg in reality and the space loss is an issue in a family van, when lpg was better than 50% of petrol cost it made a lot more sense, but lpg prices are well north of 80p/litre in some places now where there's no competition, upto 15p/litre variation in lpg price now same as in petrol price but that's more like 20% variation in price which makes a massive difference - I converted originally 9 years ago then moved the kit to the new van 6 years ago by which time it had already more than paid for itself, but if I was doing another van now I would probably stay petrol only (no way would I put an oil burner in a T3 ) and accept the running costs, it's ok on gas but is better on petrol
Just had a new vapouriser fitted yesterday as the old one had started to fail after 9 years which is to be accepted, they have a 10 year life in theory, but service kit cost and labour time v. lower price of new unit means fitting a new one is cheaper and easier than refurbishing the original unit; so for the next 1000 miles on gas I won't be saving anything, just paying for the vapouriser

[tforturton]

I went on Gasure's site, and had a fiddle around with their 'calculator', which reckons at 20mpg, an LPG coversion would pay for itself in 10,000 miles. That's a year's mielage for an 'ordinary' car, and sounds like a quick return to me.
I realise that a lot of Syncros only do 2,000 or 3,000 miles a year, but once you've paid for the conversion, the cost is done with anyway. Like fixing your VC - you wouldn't work out how long that takes to pay for itself. Or would you?
Anyway, does it all come down to whether or not you have a grand burning a hole in your pocket?

[syncropaddy]

Now you are worrying about something you wouldnt have to worry about if you bought a diesel .....

[tforturton]

I haven't been able to track down a diesel yet. I've got a couple of Syncros on the boil, but they're both 2.1 petrol.

[chuckle-bus-tom]

This causes much controversy, but this is where my LPG tanks are mounted on my doka.




They are higher than the prop protection rails, and the solinoids and relays are tucked away, but they rule out any serious off roading. The doka is a work-horse primeraly, so serious off roading never was on the cards!

Go on guys, do your worst.

[Aidan]

I know of another petrol syncro camper coming to market soon, hi top, lhd

[lloydy]

cheap?

[syncrowjoker]

Chirpy chirpy cheap cheap? Not a 16" is it

[tforturton]

Am I right in thinking that any gas tank has to clear the ground by 20cms? I take it a tank mounted underneath but at the sides qualifies? If there was an issue with it, couldn't some sort of protective plate be fitted?