Mexico LPG conversions

[gringostar]

Hello All,

Good news. Mexico is going LPG. I've just been down there for 18 days and have been hitting the streets, checking out the LPG conversions they have going. It's getting huge. Mexicans are tired of paying state mandated prices at the pump. In fact, next to most Pemex stations, LPG stations for vehicles are sprouting up everywhere. Keep in mind, these are private stations which are giving Pemex (state run oil company) a run for their money. And, better yet, LPG is delivered door to door in Mexico since probably 99% of gas stoves in Mexico are LPG and bottles have to be refilled monthly. Imagine having your LPG gas delivered to your home each day to fill up your vehicle. I like that!!

According to one Mexican LPG driver I spoke with, the price is about half that of gasoline. And, the cost to convert his truck was $500 including the tank. You heard that right, $500 included the tank. When I told him that a CNG tank is about $2000 he nearly cracked up. And, of course in Mexico, they'll convert any car.

Question is: Could I convert my car there "un-convert it" before I cross the border back into the US and still be above the law? Of course, I would only ever use LPG while driving in Mexico. I would never break the law in the USA.

$500 bucks including the tank is a steal. Also, keep in mind LPG tanks last much longer than CNG since they can be re-certified.

Thanks all!

Hasta pronto!!

[larrycng]

Re: Mexico LPG conversions

Thanks for the info Gringo. I'll be in Mexico in a few weeks and go in with an empty Lp tank. They also deliver Lp to the campgrounds, really nice.

In answer to your question, technically yes. You could remove the engine components before crossing the border and be legal; if the OEM system were working as designed and there were no codes.

Use "GM Weather Pak" connectors if you want to make the electrical portion of the change over easy to work with. Autotronics (Dual Curve) use to set up there "boxes" so that if something went wrong with the box you could just unplug the box and plug the system back together; really neat.

Larrycng

[Franz]

Re: Mexico LPG conversions

I saw some of those $500 conversions and want nothing of them. On a ride from the airport in Monterrey, my host was bragging on his recently converted Chevy Pickup.

When he opened the hood, I found an Impco 300, used, with what looked like a 1960's foam aircleaner (not the KN), a model E held down with two sheetmetal screws, an electric solenoid with extension cord wiring and tape over the connections and NO solder or fuel filter. The oversize tank was a residential tank that was loose in the bed (I only found one 1/4" bolt in the hold down bracket), and the motorfuel hose looked like red Gates air-hose, with a hose clamp over a barb fitting at the fuel outlet.

There were no engine support modules and the check engine light had been removed.

On his wifes Pontiac Grand Am, it had a forklift cylinder in the trunk, Impco underhood equipment and no electronic controls.

Sorry, not impressed. I do know that some of the more current vehicles are not bad, but when I have to pay close to $2000 for just the underhood components straight from the factory, I dont see how they can do it, something has to give.

Lets see now, for $500, you get a tank;
Under hood components;
Installers wages;
Company profit;

Somethings missing.

Franz

[larrycng]

Re: Mexico LPG conversions

I wounder what would be said if there was a 60 gal. Lp tank was mounted on the roof of the pickup cab as I have often seen in Mexico

[72Blazer]

Re: Mexico LPG conversions

Comparing the price of a CNG tank to that of a LPG tank is apples and oranges. LPG tanks are welded steel, because the pressures just aren't that high. CNG tanks are composite or fiber wound because of the much higher pressures.

[cripple_rooster]

Re: Mexico LPG conversions

Mexico is going LPG. I've just been down there for 18 days and have been hitting the streets, checking out the LPG conversions they have going. It's getting huge. Mexicans are tired of paying state mandated prices at the pump. (...) And, better yet, LPG is delivered door to door in Mexico since probably 99% of gas stoves in Mexico are LPG and bottles have to be refilled monthly. Imagine having your LPG gas delivered to your home each day to fill up your vehicle. I like that!!

From 70s and 80s, even being illegal, it was quite common in Brazil. But as most of the cars were carburetted, there were used regular home LPG stove bottles, plastic hoses and 2 stove valves, one attached to the bottle and other in the carburettor, that should be drilled to allow the valve to be connected. The valve in the carburettor should have to be connected in the throttle linkage to allow gas to flow according to the demand. In the countryside in smaller cities where CNG is not avaliable some people use conversion kits from forklifts with home bottles, but it's still illegal.