HBO ruins the engine?

Gas supply allows your wallet to breathe. But it is not clear whether the savings will turn into large expenses over time.

What is a typical use case for a gas car? It all starts with the decision to install HBO. Not she difficult, because economic calculation is inexorable. The much lower price of autogas means that the investment can pay off even after 10 km. That is why so many people in Poland become customers of specialized workshops, making the necessary modifications. A few hours in the service is enough to enjoy a cheaper trip.

Months pass, and visits to the gas station are still much less painful than when filling up with gasoline. But there comes a day, usually after tens of thousands of miles, when we stand at a crossroads and find that the engine is rough at idle. A few more hundred kilometers, and the engine starts to stall on its own from time to time. In the end, it turns out that starting the car becomes a real challenge. The battery “holds”, the starter “turns”, but not much.

Diagnostics in the workshop is short - problems with the head. Only costly repairs can restore its performance. Not every owner of a gas carrier accepts such challenges. Most people who fall into this trap choose to simply sell the car at this point. No wonder so many opinions about filling up with autogas come down to the typical formula "did tens of thousands on gas and everything was fine." In fact, this is where most of the problems start.

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Autogas, that is, a mixture of propane and butane, commonly known as LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), is a completely different fuel than gasoline. Therefore, the processes in the combustion chambers of the engine are somewhat different. First of all, they are accompanied by a higher temperature, which does not have a positive effect on valve seats, valves and valve guides. Head elements can be more or less resistant to higher thermal loads, so the burnout processes of seats or valves proceed differently. Sometimes problems such as engine stalling at idle, rough operation or difficult starting appear after 50 km, while for another engine it takes only 000 km. Pistons also often burn out, and higher temperatures are not suitable for them.

Interestingly, in cars running on autogas, there are also problems with components that are not in direct contact with LPG. A car with a gas installation is refueled with gasoline only at the time of starting. There are a few exceptions to this rule (VW TSI LPG engines). It is not enough to ensure sufficient lubrication of the main elements of the gasoline system. Fuel pumps and injectors can jam. When burning LPG, more water vapor is produced than when burning gasoline, which, in turn, accelerates the corrosion processes in the exhaust system. Sulfur compounds during the combustion of LPG destroy the catalyst. The lambda probe also fails more often. In addition, some workshops use various electronic controllers of their own design, which, when included in the factory installation of the car, cause the failure of the original controllers. With an incorrectly selected gas installation explosions appear, destroying the plastic suction manifolds. Air mass meters also often fail.

As you can see, there are many problems. Problems arise if the installation is installed by pseudo-specialists, the autogas supply to the engine is incorrectly selected, maintenance is not carried out on a regular basis. We will not fall for the cheapest offers and remember the necessary regulations. This is the only way to really save money.

A problem with many LPG vehicles is the rapid wear of spark plugs. Therefore, in some models, when working on HBO, it is recommended to use special spark plugs. Special preparations are also available on the market that can be added both to liquefied gas (through special adapters directly to the tank) and to gasoline. They help protect the valves from burning.

As you can see, the problem exists, despite the assurances of autogas enthusiasts and assembly shops that the degradation of engine components when running on autogas is a myth. It is worth adding that in the case of factory-installed HBO, manufacturers even recommend the use of such drugs. There are also companies that, under pain of losing the warranty, prohibit the installation of gas installations on their cars. Users, in order not to deprive themselves of factory service protection, must wait for the end of the warranty in such cases.

EXPERT OPINION – Jerzy Pomianowski ITS

Practice shows that even a well-tuned and regularly maintained LPG system can degrade engine performance. Systematic and professional service allows, however, to seriously limit the destructive processes, so it is not worth saving on it. Sometimes it's also better to invest in a more expensive setup to avoid problems down the road. Such an expense will certainly be lower than a possible overhaul of the engine