Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is autogas?
A. LPG autogas is an energy source that is recovered from natural gas deposits or from the refining process of crude oil. It is supplied and stored under relatively low pressure and at ambient temperature in liquid form. It changes from a liquid state to gas as it passes through the converter on its way to the engine in your car.
Q. How much will it cost to convert my car to LPG?
A. The price will vary and depends on the vehicle and the type of LPG conversion you opt for. Other factors that will vary the price are tank size and design, the type of converter and the electronic control module that best suits the vehicle. In addition, the recent introduction of gas vapour injection has given purchasers even more choice so allow an extra $1000-$1500 per conversion for this option. As a basic guide allow approx: $2,200 for most 4 cylinder cars $2,200 – $3,500 for most 6 cylinder cars $3,000 – $4,000 for 4×4 cars.
Any vehicle manufactured after may 2004 must have an EPA approved gas kit. Liberty Autogas offers some discounts on selected products so please ask for details.
Q. How much will I save on fuel costs.
A. Generally, autogas is about 50% of the cost of unleaded fuel. Therefore if unleaded petrol costs $1.50/litre and your car holds 80 litres it will cost $120.00 to fill it up. The same amount of LPG will only cost you $64.00, with a saving of $72.00.
Q. Is a cheap job worth the savings?
A. As we all know, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Although some discounting occurs it is important to remember that for an installer to offer a substantial discount he has to cut his margin or find a source of stock at a cheaper price. With current high demand for autogas conversions worldwide and in Australia there are currently no suppliers giving discounts. This leaves little room to reduce prices other than for an autogas installer to cut his own margin (not recommended when you should be offering your customer a quality installation as well as a comprehensive product and service warranty). There is also no room for compromise on the quality and engineering integrity of the equipment and installation of a LPG autogas system. Safety is paramount and you should have the confidence that your LPG conversion meets all state and federal safety and emission standards and also complies with the relevant Australian Design Rules and Gas Standards legislation.
Q. Can I fit a second hand system?
A. Yes providing the equipment is in good condition and certain safeguards are addressed. The equipment should be thoroughly checked and inspected prior to fitting to any vehicle. Tanks should be pressure tested whatever their age and certified as safe for further use. Importantly, any equipment taken from a vehicle that was previously involved in a motor vehicle accident should not be used under any circumstances.
Q. How long before I have my tank tested?
A. You must have your tank tested and approved for continued use every 10 years. It should be noted that SUV and other vehicles that are regularly subjected to water immersion should be inspected more often. This is especially important for trailer boat owners who “dunk” the rear of their vehicles in seawater when launching or retrieving their boats. Salt water corrosion can cause rapid deterioration of gas cylinders if neglected. Always hose off salt water from the cylinder as soon as possible after leaving the launching ramp. Alternatively, cylinders subject to salt water exposure can be treated with a higher quality surface coating that will assist in the prevention of rust formation.
Q. Will autogas damage my car’s engine?
A. Generally no, although some pre-unleaded fuel and later fuel injected variants have proven unsuitable. There are issues affecting a small number of model variants that are not recommended for conversion mainly because of their disposition to induction backfire and exhaust valve wear. The problems are not due to any shortcomings with autogas or autogas conversion equipment, but because of the particular design characteristics of the engines in affected vehicles. Recent advances in LPG technology (sequential vapour injection) are steadily increasing the number of vehicles that can be successfully converted. In Australia there are literally tens of thousands of cars and the country’s entire taxi fleet successfully running on LPG. At Liberty Autogas we will advise you of the suitability of your vehicle for conversion.
Q. Is LPG safe for my car?
A. Yes. The regulations that apply to the installation and operating of vehicles fuelled by LPG autogas in Australia are “world’s best practise” and very strict. LPG fuel tanks are constructed from heavy duty steel plates and are many times stronger than regular petrol tanks. Evidence has proven that in a collision, you are far less likely to incur a leak from a LPG gas tank than a petrol tank or suffer from a gas related injury during a motor vehicle accident.
Q. Will fitting an LPG system to my car increase it’s value.
A. Yes. If selling privately you should recover most the cost of the conversion. If trading your car on a new one you can expect a far better price as LPG fuelled vehicles are always in demand. Because of their substantially lower operating costs cars converted to autogas are preferred and keenly sought by buyers.
