Which petrol engine to choose? Recommended vehicles and units for LPG installations

Installing an LPG system is currently the easiest way to drive a car for less. The latest generation of installations, combined with a simple motor, is almost a guarantee of trouble-free operation. Gas combustion will increase slightly, but the price of a liter of gas is half that, so the profitability is still significant. However, it is worth remembering that an experienced specialist should be involved in the assembly of a gas installation, and not every drive unit will work well with this power supply. Which petrol engine to choose?

An engine for a gas installation – or just older units?

There is an opinion among drivers that only old low-power designs can handle the installation of HBO. Their fuel consumption is usually quite high, but in return they boast a simple design, which reduces the cost of operation and repair, especially compared to LPG. It's true that a simple engine is usually less of a problem, and some cars have even offered factory-installed HBO, but HBO can be successfully installed even in turbocharged direct-injection vehicles. The problem is that the installation costs as much as PLN 10, which is not beneficial for everyone, and besides, few car repair shops in our country can install it correctly.

What would be a good petrol engine for gas?

Whether a given engine will be good for gas depends on a number of factors, not necessarily strictly related to its complexity. It is important, for example, how the valves are adjusted. In some simple engines, valve clearances are adjusted manually, which greatly complicates operation (it is necessary, for example, to adjust every 20 km of run or even more often), and carelessness can even lead to burnt valve seats. Also important is the engine controller, which is responsible for determining the correct air-fuel mixture. Some of them work very poorly with the HBO installation, which leads to errors and emergency operation.

Which car for gas installation? Several suggestions!

Although gas installation can be installed in almost any car, those who are looking for savings are more likely to choose simpler and less demanding units with indirect injection and hydraulic valve clearance compensation. Fortunately, there are still a lot of such engines on the market - and among cars that are only a few years old. Below you will find a few suggestions that go well with an LPG installation.

Volkswagen group 1.6 MPI engine (Skoda Octavia, Golf, Seat Leon, etc.)

Produced for almost two decades, a simple eight-valve engine with hydraulically adjustable valves and a cast-iron block in itself does not cause much emotion and does not impress with its performance. However, it is very resistant to difficult operating conditions and easily copes with HBO. In any case, Skoda has been offering cars with this engine and factory installation of HBO for a long time. It was produced until 2013, so you can still find copies in good condition that can handle gas well.

1.4 from Opel - cars with LPG and turbo! But watch out for direct injection

The 1,4 Ecotec engine, found in our country in the Astra, Corsa and Mokka models, as well as in countless vehicles of the General Motors group, is a design designed for gaseous fuel. Just like the 1.6 MPI engine discussed above, it was very often found in combination with a factory installation. Ecotec can be gassed up even in the turbo version, but you have to make sure it's not a direct injection engine - the most powerful version in this combination offered 140 hp. Produced until 2019, Opel models with the designation KL7 in the VIN are especially recommended, due to more durable valve seats.

Valvematic from Toyota - recommended Japanese engines for LPG installation

Known for its reliability, Toyota also boasts engines that handle LPG well. The entire Valvematic family that can be found, e.g. in Corollas, Aurisahs, Avensisahs or Rav4ahs, it tolerates the installation of HBO well and you can find examples of cars that have already covered hundreds of thousands of kilometers in this way. Multi-point injectors require the use of a 4th generation unit, but in return the engine is content with really low fuel consumption. The series featured 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 units, which are a much better choice than the previously seen VVT.

K-series from Renault – regardless of fuel, trouble-free operation

This is another low-power engine that will do a great job with an HBO installation. Both eight-valve and sixteen-valve units are valued for their low maintenance and simplicity of design, although demand for gasoline is not the lowest - which is why the use of LPG in it makes sense. In Dacias until 2014, he met with a factory installation, in addition to Dusters, he can be found in Logans and in the first three generations of Megans. However, you need to pay attention to the type of valves - the 8v models did not have hydraulic clearance compensation, so every 15-20 thousand kilometers you should call in a workshop for such a service.

Honda with good performance and gas - gasoline 2.0 and 2.4

Although Honda engines are not recommended for use on LPG on a daily basis, there are models that will cope with this as much as possible, ensuring quiet operation. It is especially worth paying attention to the 2.0 R series, which was used in both Civics and Accords. Pre-2017 non-turbo engines run great, but remember to manually adjust valve clearances every 30 to 40 miles. Thanks to variable valve timing, Honda 2.0 and 2.4 boast really good performance with moderate fuel consumption.

Gasoline engine - an increasingly rare phenomenon

Unfortunately, at present it is practically impossible to find larger engines, the components of which would allow driving on liquefied gas. The market is dominated by direct injection models, for which installation is very expensive. In addition to the 1.0 engine, which can be found in eg. in Skoda Citigo or VW Up! it is difficult to find a good engine with a simple design that would work well with gas installations and would be produced at the present time. Therefore, when looking for a car on HBO, focus mainly on not too old, but still used cars, which, with proper maintenance, can last for years. Unfortunately, in the future it will be more and more difficult to get such machines.

The list of car engines that can run on LPG is getting shorter and shorter. In modern models, you can also opt for it, but the cost of installing the installation destroys the profitability of the entire project.