300E ( 24 VALVE ) GAS CONVERSION

Hi,

I have a 1990 300E 24Valve update and am thinking about converting the car to LPG.

Has anyone any thoughts on the pros or cons of this ??

Thanks,

Neil,

Australia

Reply to
Neil
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Hi Neil

If you live in the Southern parts of OZ, LPG is fine in the 300E because it is mostly Propane with a high octane level about 100+ (goos as any racing fuel!). If, however, you live in warmer places like Queensland, forget it. Up here, the companies flog off Butane blends, lower octane (about 90 or less) because our nights never go below 0 degrees C. If Butane goes below zero C. in the Southern states, it won't boil (pressurise) and there won't be any pressure to start the engine, so the companies must supply Propane (boiling point -42 deg. C.).

Unfortunately, there are no regulations in Australia regarding LPG Propane content as there are in most other countries (including the US). The biggest problem is tuning. One tank full might be mostly Butane (like base-standard petrol) and another might be Propane. The engine's electronic control unit has to work hard to re-learn the different fuel characteristics and, by the time all is running well, we dump in a different batch of unfamiliar stuff! A similar problem occurs between petrol fills and LPG fills. Stay with LPG as often as possible.

Don't worry about the stories of burning-out exhaust valves. Happened mostly with the old cast-iron heads without valve seat inserts (porous cast iron poor at removing valve-head heat - The lead in the older fuels filled in the porous holes).

Bottom line - If you live in a place which goes below zero C., and intend to stay there, go for it. If you live North of Sydney, be prepared for erattic performance from fill to fill.

Hope this has been helpful..

Don G LPG educator (TAFE) since 1977.

Reply to
D & J G

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