FOBOS LPG system for cars.

[Bettyboo]

Due to being sick and tired of the missus' whinging... Looks like I'm gonna stick an LPG conversion on our/her Honda City.

Here are some pictures and the website link. This place is on Rama 2, close to me. The cost is 26,000 Thai baht (56 litre tank) which comes with insurance and indemnity for 1 million. For 1,500 more, which I plan to pay, they will support the Honda manufacturers engine warranty which Honda will not once you get the LPG conversion.

Any thoughts from the resident experts will be gratefully received.









Apparently the donut tank is legal, but costs about 4,000 baht more.

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[superman]

Toyota honour their engine guarantee even after conversion.

[Bettyboo]

^ I know people say that, but I've heard otherwise from Toyota dealers when I've asked them. I'm not doubting you, I just think that perhaps Toyota themselves do not honour it, but rather the Toyota dealers have a network of LPG conversion folks in place and part of that partnership is that the LPG converters 'replace' the Toyota engine guarantee with one of their own.

Honda, as we know, discourage folks from making LPG conversions, and the dealers say directly that the cars should not be converted and the warranty does not thereafter cover engine damage/faults (I've asked 3 main dealers). However, there is a massive online Honda City community, and masses of them have had conversions (upto 2+ years ago for the new model and 10 years ago for the previous model) with little or no problems. They have a standing joke on some of these forums that goes something like this: "I agree with Honda that after converting my Honda to LPG I would have problems; I do have problems: how to spend the extra money I have...".

[superman]

Bettyboo you could be correct. With my car I get free oils when servicing. Having converted to LPG, the dealers said they will still honour that. Therefore, I assume they accept my conversion as acceptable.

[Bettyboo]

^ I really don't know, just the impression I got from talking to dealers. The good point is that Toyota effectively support LPG and other fuel options for customs (CNG, hybrids). Honda do not...

How has your car been with the LPG conversion? Any problems? How big is your tank? How many kms does it take you?

[Jesus Jones]

The wife and i only yesterday were talking about LPG for our Mazda 3 (2·0 sport). Feck me that car uses a lot of fuel! My Pajero 3·2 costs about 1800BHT to fill when the light comes on. With a mixture of city and highway driving, which includes being stuck in 2 hour traffic coming home, i get about 550km. On a good run, traffic free just over 700k - travelled to Ao Manow and back with some to spare. The mazda cost 2000bht to fill and from that we got 340km with a mixture of highyway and city driving. The wife wants to convert but is concerned about warranty.

[Bettyboo]

^ same situation as me. The insurance will add 1,500 to your premium after the conversion, and the converter will provide an engine warranty for about 1,500 baht (which might mean that your insurers will not need the added premium, but I'm gonna check this...).

This site has all the info you'll ever need:

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[Jesus Jones]

In the CRV we had prior, we converted that with no issues. The warranty had passed at that point though. A friend of ours has just had their city converted for the price quoted in your thread. She said the cost savings are in excess of 50% monthly!

[Bettyboo]

^ yeah, it seems to be well worth doing; I hear 50%+ savings and zero problems from many many folks. I'm gonna do it this month; I think these newer systems are very easy and reliable, or so I hope.

The City has a very big boot, so there's still lots of space after the tank has been installed.

[superman]

I had the 51lt donut tank which fits where my spare wheel should be. They gave me a nice zip up bag for my spare. I can easily fit it on the roof rack if so desired. The car runs great on LPG and I don't notice any difference from petrol with the performance.
I get about 300km on a full tank, costing about 2 Baht per km. One problem is the LPG fuel gauge indicator isn't accurate. I use my mileage gauge as a guide as to when I need to fill up. Another problem being is that when refilling the bastards won't do up the gas filler cap properly when finished. I always get out and check it myself. Leave the cap off and shit may get into the filler nozzle and cause problems.

[Bettyboo]

^ thanks for the info.

Sounds like a good saving. & nice advice about the fuel gauge indicator and filler cap.

[palexxxx]

I had the 51lt donut tank



I get about 300km on a full tank, .

what sort of car do you have? That's not very good mileage. I've got a 4 litre Ford Falcon (182 kw / 244 hp) and I get over 400 kilometres from my 52 litre tank. Maybe the extra litre tank makes all the difference.

[Bettyboo]

^ quality of tank; pressure of fill?

[aging one]

50 liter donut tank in the wifes 2.0 Camry. She has a 50 liter tank and gets about 420 k out of a tank. Yours does come with the automatic switch over to petrol doesnt it? She has 5 green lights that slowly go out until the last one goes yellow then red. Time to fill it up on yellow and about 45 liters goes in so I am guessing its a 5 litre reserve built in.

[Thetyim]

A 50 litre tank will hold 40 litres of lpg.
I reckon she has a standard 58 litre tank.


The lpg cuts off when the pressure drops below a certain pressure (about 110 psi, I think) so the tank is never emptied.

[aging one]

Could be mate, I have never filled it with water. I do know its always 43-46 liters to fill it up.

[Bazzy]

How much for LPG in LOS these days? It jumped from 60c to 80c per litre in Aus in the last few months - world prices are rising.

[AUSSIE EXPAT]

I have run LPG ( dual fuel ) in 6 cyl Toyota and Nissan motors for 15 years never had any probs.

All I was advised was to run on fuel once a week for 50 - 100 kms as the gas doesn't have the oiling qualities of petrol.

I see there are LPG only vehicles in Aus now from the manufacturer so if the latest technology is better than earlier, I don't know..... anyway switching between the 2 fuels worked for me.

[aging one]

Its subsidized by the government here. As of now its like 11 to 12 baht a liter. So my wife fills up for 500 baht. I am on petrol and 49 liters here cost me 2000 now. I get 470 kilometers on that as it is all city and soi driving, very little open road. The wife gets like I said about 420 on lpg. But she is highway and town both.

so the bottom line is she fills up in a 2.0 liter engine every 420 K, it costs her 500 baht. I fill up every 470 and pay 2000 baht on a 1.6 manual, that does get 16 K per liter on the highway at 110.

[superman]

what sort of car do you have? That's not very good mileage. I've got a 4 litre Ford Falcon (182 kw / 244 hp) and I get over 400 kilometres from my 52 litre tank. Maybe the extra litre tank makes all the difference.

I have a 2.7 Fortuner. I spoke to a guy, with a Fortuner convert, prior to getting mine and he said if I wasn't happy with the fuel consumption then it can be adjusted to better it. So why can't that be done initially ? Currently I'm happy with a minimum saving of 50% on my fuel bills. Would taking it back, to be adjusted, affect the engine with a leaner consumption ?

[Bettyboo]

FORTUNER!!! Get off my thread!

[superman]

Fortunately it's a great family car. I'd prefer a 4 door pick-up.

[Bettyboo]

^ next time you cut up a Honda City have a laugh at the ranting foreigner driving it...

[AUSSIE EXPAT]

FORTUNER!!! Get off my thread!

I hope British Leyland wasn't your dream company other than Honda!

[Bogon]

LPG costs from around 12.XX baht upto 14.5 baht in the sticks.

Before you go and commit yourself to Fofos, try this company out.

Linky - Energy Reform ¼Ùé¹Ó´éÒ¹ÍØ»¡Ã³ìµÔ´µÑé§á¡êÊö¹µì LPG áÅÐ NGV, µÔ´á¡êÊËÑÇ©Õ´ Advanced OBD ¨Ò¡»ÃÐà·ÈÍÔµÒÅÕ.

They are having a very aggressive promotional campaign and costs are around the same as above.
I got a standard tank (70 odd litre) put in the other month and the missus didn't like it (even though we had the same one in our previous car!) and the dudes at Energy-Reform were happy to strip it out and replace it for a donut tank for only 1,500 baht extra.