M30 running on LPG? - Any experience?

[pundit]

Has anyone experienced an M30 converted to run on LPG?
I'm not considering it quite yet but as I cover around 600kms per week I'm beginning to think about it.
Petrol prices here in Oz will hit around $2.00 per litre by early next year and continue to climb.
The catch is our government is also going to charge excise on LPG in 2008.... rolleyes!!

[F4Phantom]

I have thought about that too. I called up about gas in my e30 and it was around 3k cause BMWs cost more.

I recon the best bet it to buy a half cut diesel X5 and put the 3.0L diesel in it. Then you get nearly 500nm and low rpms and 160kw. That would rock.

[Michael999]

I asked a few local mechanics and they said that the m30 doesnt do well on gas.

[rob101]

I asked a few local mechanics and they said that the m30 doesnt do well on gas.
yeah m30 does have fairly low compression, so that may be a problem.
mmmmm diesel halfcut that would be awesome. ps i drive 800 km a week and i run ultimate, just fill up on tuesday arvo or before work on wednesday if you aren't already. you'll be shocked at the difference. hell i think i've paid about 1.30/L for the last 6 months.

[Espen]

buy a small honda or toyota as a dailydriver..

Thats my plan.. here the fuelprice is above $2 pr litre allready.. Its insane...

[rob101]

Petrol prices here in Oz will hit around $2.00 per litre by early next year and continue to climb.

where did you find out that gem of information. man i think i need to go ahead and buy that 750iL.
hehe well at least the venezuelians are happy they just bought 24 sukhoi's off the russians. mainly with your oil money america. Man Hugo Chavez is really sticking it to you guys.

[Morgenster]

Depending on how much you're willing to spend: performance loss can be 15 to 0%.
It all depends on the type of system. My guess is that a sequential gasinjection system would be most beneficial and in some circumstances will actually raise commpression due to gasexpansion. Only trouble is you need to have your intake manifold drilled for the injectors.
Also: when running LPG you should definitely have clean welladjusted valves and decent spark.

[filip00]

when i was buying my car, 525i 24v, it had LPG installed. lot of people told me that i was going to have detonations in the intake, because of low-tech LPG installation. the system i have is the simplest you can have. and now, after doing some 3000km in my car, i can say that i'm really REALLY satisfied with using LPG. NO detonations of any kind yet, no problem with anything. so i guess if you take care, it will be good.

driving on LPG means you turn on your car using gasoline, than rev it up and switch manually or automatically to LPG. when driving on LPG, during wintertime, engine has to warm up. during summertime, you can drive it on LPG all the time. but, there's a catch. it is recommendable, and i definitely recommend it to everyone using LPG, that you drive your car once a week on gasoline. i usually do it on saturday, or friday, when i'm going out with friends or just going out, i let the engine warm up, and then drive it, just a little bit more harsh than usual.
let's get back to driving on LPG. the driving is the same, i lose about 15% of power while driving on LPG, which i'd say reduces my 192hp engine to 160-170hp which isn't such a problem. what's important is, that you don't get all excited and start chasing asses, because the engine can't work fine after around 5000rpms. it seems the engine can't get enough LPG, so it loses the power after 5000rpms. it still accelerates, but you can feel it's weaker then.

so LPG for cities, and driving long relations, without having to go to the redline, is GREAT, really cheap, and less harmful for the engine ;)

i know this hasn't got much to do with the m30, but i wanted to help you with LPG instead.

[rob101]

http://www.carsales.com.au/pls/carsales/!cs_content.private_vehicle?vehicle_id=2809391&current_rec=82&used_rec=32&total_rec=436&sort_type=2&total_rec=436&sort_type=2&make_id=13&price_min=7500&price_max=20000&state_id=4
i'll solve your fuel problem
buy a manual m50, this is the 2nd one i've seen for sale in this country. the first one i bought.

[BigKriss]

e34.de has their own alternative fuel section if that helps. You have to convert the language from german to english for most of the posts.

[Morgenster]

Just checked: there's a bunch of M30 powered 7's for sale that have LPG aspiration systems installed. Well, in Belgium at least.
The aspiration system is easiest to install and cheapest, but has some drawbacks compared to modern LPG systems but will make long daily drives way cheaper and cleaner.

[Leo_Straight6]

http://www.carsales.com.au/pls/carsales/!cs_content.private_vehicle?vehicle_id=2809391&current_rec=82&used_rec=32&total_rec=436&sort_type=2&total_rec=436&sort_type=2&make_id=13&price_min=7500&price_max=20000&state_id=4
i'll solve your fuel problem
buy a manual m50, this is the 2nd one i've seen for sale in this country. the first one i bought.

Me and Dad saw that car.

That car will NEVER be sold........ there is no service history AT ALL, the guy lies about the milage, its not 178 000km its actually 178 000 miles because its a UK imported car.

Otherwise it drives quite well but no service history and a few lies put us off buying it.

[rob101]

Me and Dad saw that car.

That car will NEVER be sold........ there is no service history AT ALL, the guy lies about the milage, its not 178 000km its actually 178 000 miles because its a UK imported car.

Otherwise it drives quite well but no service history and a few lies put us off buying it.
damn, didn't really like the look of it myself. Yeah i wouldn't get a grey (read gay) import, you were probably wise to walk away especially without a service history.

[efxview]

In my M30 1989 AT, works fine, in LPG, no problem,
only need a expert LPG guy, to tune the system

[Morgenster]

Just saw an M635Csi with LPG system for sale in Belgium, so I'm guessing it's quite do-able.

[bagpuss]

On UK ebay, there's a chipped 540i on LPG - hmmm, how much of the original power, let alone the chipped power will be utilised on LPG !??