Hi,
Asked this in the regional section,no replies so I thought I'd try here.
Anyone out there running a X308 on LPG, is it good or bad.
Was going to convert but had my mind changed by a few bad reports and Gary at Swallows Jaguar where I bought the car from was not a fan and to be honest 22mpg which what I'm getting is pretty good.
Used to have a Jeep Cherokee 4.0,lpg was ok but the rest of it just fell apart.
Anyway your views(good or bad) will be appreciated.
Thanks
Take care
Andy
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I'm running LPG on my 3.2l X308. I went for the Vialle LPi system to avoid interference with the heating system and to avoid maintance. Only problem is, that the tank takes up a lot of space...

 

This is a fairly comprehensive site for XJ8 LPG information: Go LPG Research - X308

 

Thanks Stu,very interesting report thanks for the link,
Andy

 

No Worries, I've explored the site a few times as I've contemplated LPG myself in the past. He was a bit too far away from me though and in the end I'm happy running the car on petrol seeing as it's not a daily.

 

That was okay for me too, as I was driving it as a daily and it wasn't that expensive. Then I changed jobs and had to drive twice as far... twice the fuel price was too much. So LPG was converted. Now I use more LPG but pay half the price... So I drive twice as far for half the cost I like LPG

 

When I was looking for a new X308 I did consider some that had LPG fitted, but some had clearly been run into the ground and others were too low a spec for me. The other thing I don't like about LPG is the filler cap, they always look wrong. I saw an XJR once where they'd cleverly placed the filler cap under the rear bumper out of sight, but most of the time they cut into the rear wing and ruin the lines of the car. They also place it on the opposite side of the petrol filler on the rear deck, but this puts stress on the panel when it's being filled leading to eventual warping I'm told.

 

My filler is in the petrol cap... The entire setup is hidden and invisible... Unless you open the bonnet, then you see the clean installation.





The fuel button is in the ashtray (I don't smoke) and the tank where the spare wheel sat. Everything else is as said hidden and tidy. The entire setup is designed to be maintancefree and has no filters. No power drop either (as liquid injected). BUT the engine isn't flat out proof. No more than 4000 rpm on gas. It will do the limiter but only on overtaking.

 

Thanks for the info Daim,I use mine daily,do about 300 miles approx a week that's why I was thinking LPG but like Stu say's the ones already converted have probably been used alot.A lot of work as to do as well and it seems a shame to mess about with the car being I've only had it 3 weeks but yours looks the business,very nice conversion.
Another thing that's a bit worrying is I'm not sure how much life is left in the car maybe 3-4 years might have some corrosion on the chassis legs or so it say's on previous advisories on the M.O.T.
My brother in law has his own M.O.T. centre so will take it over there to use his ramps and have a good look underneath to see what's what,all in all I'm very impressed with my car at the moment and can't wait untill the next drive.
Thanks again.
Andy

 

My XJ8 is a big lump of rust. The engine and tranny though are in top notch.

Metalworm/tinworm can be removed and treated. I have no worries getting more life out or a car, many people would call "dead". As said, the engine is great, the tranny is healthy. The body could be better but it isn't gone... And you will fhave a hard time finding an X308 without rust.

I even had my engine converted around 185.000 km (something like 110.000 miles). Which is a rather risky thing BUT the engine was and is healthy. If you get the right installation and the right system, the engine can be converted even at 300.000 miles...

A friend's Twingo, from 1998, has more body repairs than some Fiat from the 70ies. I think it would have been easier to simply scrap the car BUT he had it converted to Gas in 2005 (7 years old at the time) with 110.000 km on the clock (around 65.000 miles). He just passed the 730.000 km (yes! 730k!) mark a few days ago. The engine is still totally healthy and the gas system is running really well. I don't know how he can drive so far a year, but heck, he did it!

 

It's great to see you have so much enthusiasm,I'm sure I will be able to keep her for many a year yet,like you say the bad bits can taken off and treated or replaced,thanks for your reply Daim much appreciated.
By the way I like your XJS,very smart.
Happy driving.
Andy

 

Just out of interest, do the engine covers still fit?

 

Rust was the final nail in the coffin for my old XJ8, when the gearbox blew up it happened in the middle of winter. The car was placed in the dark and damp corner of the mechanics yard where it spent the next 1.5 years. I didn't envisage it staying there that long, and the salt from the winter did it's dirty work. The front chassis legs had gone, the rear arches had gone, so had the fronts, the chassis had corrosion all over it and even parts of the door frames had begun to go. I've gone overkill with the underseal and rust proofing on my new one, which is something you need to do and keep on top of if you're serious about long term X308 ownership.

Daim: Whilst your LPG filler is nicely tucked away in the UK that would be illegal, see the link I've attached. In the UK they use a different filler type to parts of Europe which is why people have to carry conversion couplings if they go on holiday to Europe. My friend travelled to Italy in her LPG motor-home and had to use 3 different coupling converters.
Go LPG - Fuel Filler

 

Unfotunately no Eric. I could probably cut them to fit but I see no reason.

 

Mine is the mini coupler. I always need adapters. I have 4...

Dish
Acme
Bajonette
Euro (new and soon to be EU standard)



The common one here is Acme, and some are Dish.

Oh, btw, bumper mounted and tow bar mounted filler are illegal here. It must be mounted to a solid part of the car. Never inside due to ventilation reasons...