leolito wrote:

Make sure the owner read this and comes for his wheel lol

Hehe! After 10 years I doubt they'll be coming back for it :-)

Recently I got rid of a full car (Merc ML AMG55) that an owner left with me for over 7 years, I've had the wheel here years longer than that.

no10chris wrote:

I have a 19” with good tyre £25, it’s the type with dimples round the edge, don’t ask me to put a picture, I gave up trying that a long time ago 😂🤣

Reminds me...

I have a mint condition standard L322 alloy wheel here, it was the spare wheel on an L322 I converted to LPG years ago, both the wheel and the tyre on it look like new, completely unused, but the tyre will be old so will probably need replacing anyway (or may be OK as is to use just as a spare).

It's been here over 10 years. I don't remember whether it's one I forgot to put back in a car after converting it to LPG or if the owner asked if they could leave it here to come back and collect it later, I do remember the owner phoned me about it a few weeks after I'd converted their car asking me to hold on to it for a bit longer and they'd come and collect it but that was over 10 years ago.

If anyone wants to come and collect it they can have it.

I don't know the dimensions of a P38 petrol tank so can't advise what LPG tank(s) you could replace the petrol tank with if you wanted to run monofuel LPG.

For the old Discovery's it was common practice to remove the original petrol tank, fit a smaller petrol tank and LPG tank in it's place.

The design of the Classic lent itself well to fitting a very unusual design of LPG tank underneath... a trapezoidal design tank. But that design was almost uniquely used on Classics, high cost and unusual to fit even on Classics. As has been said, most Classics had other tank options fitted, mostly cylinder tank in the luggage area or vertical toroidal tank in the spare wheel location.

On a P38 the biggest size tank that will fit flush in the spare wheel well is 720mm x 270mm. Such size tank will be rated at between 84 and 95 litres, the lower figures for 30 degree hollow centred designs, the higher figures for zero degree or 4 hole designs. It is possible to remove the bottom of the spare wheel well to fit a deeper tank (more than 270mm and 720mm wide tanks are made up to 350mm deep) but the P38 design has a rear antiroll bar close to the spare wheel well which cannot be fouled by the fitting of any deeper tank, hence most tanks in P38 spare wheel wells will be 720x270.

On P38's a second tank can be fitted in the luggage area. Such tank can be made removable using (e.g.) hanson fittings. I don't own a P38 but my Elgrand has a 720x270mm 95L 4 hole fitted to the external spare wheel position and a couple of hanson fittings that extend into the rear luggage area - currently I have an 80L cylinder tank hooked up to those hanson fittings and I refuelled with 175 litres of LPG today. When I no longer want the additional cylinder in the boot fitted I will very easily remove it just by disconnecting the 2 hanson fittings. My 720x270 95L 4 hole has working capacity of 95L because I modified it to fill to 100% instead of the usual 80%. My 90L rated cylinder fills to 80L.

When you have the ability to add a 2nd tank inside using quick release gas connectors you're not just limited to adding that single extra tank,. I could add any number of extra tanks and carry them inside, switching tanks as easily as switching between quick release connectors. The permanently fitted 720x270 external tank gives me 300+ mile range, the 80 net litre cylinder gives me around 300 miles on top, I could easily add a 3rd / 4th tank. Just with 2 tanks fitted I can tow my large caravan 500 miles without needing to refuel. I have thought about removing the petrol tank to permanently fit an LPG tank in it's place - which might (combined with just the 720x270) give range on LPg of 600 miles or 900 miles with 1 additional tank.. With that kind of range on LPG you don't need the facility to be able to run on petrol.

Aragorn wrote:

I'm guessing the reluctance to crank was due to water in the cylinder(s)...?

I'd think so, my boat's SBF V8 did the same when it had water in cylinder(s) from a failed marine (water cooled) exhaust manifold... And it had a knock so I did wonder if hydrolock had bent a rod, but as it turned out at least it hadn't bent a rod.

I won't go into much detail about what I've done to the engine so far to fix it but had to modify my engine crane just to lift it out, found scratches in at least one of the cylinders as though the rings were binding, on removing the piston from that cylinder found it was scored / burned and rings had lost springiness. Took ages honing it (especially cylinder 2), put 8 new pistons in (pita pressing old pistons on and heating little ends to fit rods to new pistons). The only part of rebuilding the engine I haven't personally done is skimming the heads, I took them to a machine shop yesterday to be skimmed. They heads might've been OK but had a bit of pitting around the fire ring area and I didn't want to risk it.

Post crossed with Gilbert's

Great if it works but at over £30 a bottle it's a bit of a gamble. Adding additional bottles might sort my V6's problem but it's knowing where to draw the line, I 'bottled out' (heh pun) after trying one bottle. If only we could buy bottled nanobots lol.

I tried Steel Seal in my V6 which will have a liner because it's an all aluminium engine but it still has the same symptoms. Not sure if I followed the instructions exactly though, the car hasn't been on the road since but I have fully warmed it up and left it running for quite some time.

I own a vehicle with a V6 engine that has a blown head gasket, it pressurises the cooling system when running and even if I let it cool down then leave it cool for a few days before opening the rad cap there's still pressure in the cooling system.

I strongly suspected it had a hg problem but confirmed it using a sniff test.

I have cooling system pressure test equipment which I intend (when I finally get around to it) to use to try to identify which hg is leaking by pressurising the system when it's cool and see if I can see any coolant weeping into cylinders using a borescope through spark plug holes. Not sure if this will work though, because it obviously leaks whilst running (when there's a lot of pressure in the cylinders) but seals against the smaller pressure in the cooling system with the engine off and/or cool... So maybe this won't work because even if I pressurise the cooling system to (say) 5 bar pressure that still won't be enough pressure to cause coolant to leak into cylinder(s), and such pressure could be enough to ruin the hg that currently isn't leaking.

Chrisp38 wrote:

Lpgc wrote:

Wonder if some cars won't turn the heated screen on if ambient temperature is high?

Is there no way to connect an Ammeter or just listen for alternator whine?

I did wonder about ambient temperature but I'm getting voltage on/off with the switch at 28 degrees.

Ahh yes of course

Yes I meant connect the ammeter to just the hw wiring not at the battery

Wonder if some cars won't turn the heated screen on if ambient temperature is high?

Is there no way to connect an Ammeter or just listen for alternator whine?

Maybe consider just buying a set of second hand injectors? I know cleaning products can work to fix lesser injector issues such as duff spray pattern but if they're bad enough to cause a misfire I wouldn't fancy the chances of a cleaning product fixing them.

I recently bought a set of 6 second hand injectors (for a V6 vehicle I was tasked with fixing for the firm I worked for) for around £60 including shipping.

The firm runs mostly large vans and flatbacks that were originally diesel powered but they remove the diesel engines, fit LS3 petrol engines and convert them to LPG. But the V6 vehicle I mentioned above was the company owner's brother's own car, it had been parked in the works yard for 18months and had a constant misfire on at least 2 cylinders. Before I worked there they'd dropped the engine and fitted a new valve, the ECU had been left unplugged and had got full of water so they sent that off to have it fixed. Still the misfires remained. They blamed the ECU and had another ECU cloned to match the one they thought hadn't been fixed properly. Then it refused to start at all. I diagnosed and fixed it... The reason it wouldn't start at all was because the immobiliser had kicked in after the ECU didn't recognise the key after 5 attempts at starting, so I coded the keys to the ECU. Then it started but only ran on 4. Then it wouldn't crank... Both due to 2 cylinders being hydraulic locked with petrol due to stuck open injectors (no doubt due to dirt ingress because the guy who removed and refitted the engine didn't flush the fuel line or injector rails before reconnecting). Then it still only ran on 4, due to 2 failed coil packs. I was thrown a curveball on that because one of the mechanics there said he'd already ruled coil packs out by swapping the positions around... I expect either a coincidence or the coil packs failed due to something related with the fuel locks but the mechanic reckoned 2 failed coil packs had caused ECU failures, I doubt there was a problem with the first or second ECU after they came back from the ECU firm first time but they mistook stuck open injectors, failed coil packs and need to recode keys for an ECU problem.

It could be a petrol injector problem or could be the failed lambda sensor / learned fuel trims / less likely learned position for the IAV that's the problem?

Or even something (Pitagora?) that's not connecting all the petrol injectors when it's running on petrol?

I've forgotten what brand(s) of petrol injector cleaning fluids I've used in the past, Wynn's rings a bell. Maybe ask Dai Brace (ClassicSwede), I had a chat with him last night (first chat in maybe a year), I know he highly rates certain brands of injector cleaning fluids but I forget which. I've just sent him a txt so he might see this thread.

Recently I've been working for another firm a few days a week, they have a very well equipped workshop including petrol injector testing / ultrasonic cleaning equipment (which I've used while I've been there). If you'd asked me last week or the week before you could have maybe sent me your injectors and I'd have put them on the machine for you but I got a message from the firm's boss this week to say they don't need me this week... and I doubt they'll be needing me again soon.

Edit - Dai txted me back and sent me this link https://www.forteuk.co.uk/product/petrol-specialist-injector-cleaner/

I reckon whether series or parallel plumbing is best depends on all the factors mentioned above (flow rate of reducer, flow rate of heater core, etc). But the height of the reducer is also important... The heater core is always going to be low but some reducers are mounted higher than the expansion tank (are the highest part of the cooling system). If the reducer is the highest part of the cooling system then if it's plumbed in parallel it won't see any flow at idle because all the heater water flow will go through the matrix, if it's plumbed in series it's forced to flow through both. But if we think of the heater circuit as a whole (the matrix plumbing and the reducer plumbing) we can be pretty sure that parallel will flow more through the whole than series could... It's just that as a whole we don't want 95% to go through one unit (matrix or reducer) leaving only 5% to go through the other.

I reckon a 10mm feed is a bit small for an LPG reducer on a V8, fine at low engine loads but may not flow enough for sufficient reducer heating at higher engine loads when the reducer is losing a lot of heat due to evaporating a lot of liquid gas to vapour inside. You could try it but it would be worth monitoring reducer and gas vapour temperatures at high engine loads. Most LPG reducers (with the exception of a few well knowns such as Bigas which have 10mm water feeds).

PC38 wrote:

My LPG diagnostics shows both lambda sensors (one brand new) sitting resolutely at 5 volts (GEMS engine).

I don't know who fitted your LPG system but is the LPG ECU even wired to the lambdas? If they're not connected you might get a reading of 5V from LPG software anyway.

A few years ago I converted a few MX5's and Euno's to LPG for private owners, I've driven them (probably early marks) but never lived with one. A more refined take on the Triumph Spitfire which is exactly what they were designed to be, great fun but cramped and uncomfortable for a long distance and more power would make them more exciting.

There was an MX5 specialist dealer that always had a few second hand ones on display in their shop window in Conisbrough not far from me, just Googled them, seems they've moved even closer to me, now on South Kirkby industrial estate.

I've got the ML55AMG up for sale on Ebay at the moment, item number 325656518072.

Sorry I didn't drop you a line Leolito. If you're seriously interested in buying it let me know and we'll see what we can do, but I do want it shifted fairly soon.

Morat wrote:

You're a madman ;)

I know hehe! But to be fair I think it's a different alternator on the AMG, a bigger 150amp one and seems a wider belt. Dunno if the ML320 alternator would have fitted, probably a better bet to get the 55AMG alternator reconditioned. I've been flat out at work for a long time, recently less busy and it seemed I'd have just a brief opportunity to tidy the yard up and shift some old cars, old boat etc... Otherwise if I messed about I might lose the opportunity and the yard remain full of old cars. Thinking about buying a bigger (and functional lol) boat or motorhome, need the space.

Only had a quick look at the 3 files you shared but the last one does look a lot better, and I think if the readings stay the same that should be the last of your mixture error codes ./ MIL light problems.

There probably isn't much point in looking at plugs - The equivalence ratio reading is the actual mixture, so if you're looking at plugs in attempt to check mixture there's little point as we can already see that mixture has been correct. It does go lean (fully lean as in no fuelling at all) when you lift off the throttle at cruising speed because it's supposed to, but that won't affect plugs because there's no burning going on under those conditions. It does go rich when you put your foot down under boost conditions, again it's supposed to and even a carb would go rich at full throttle.

I'm pleased to read it seems changing the MAF has delivered positive results.

Hope it stays the same! If it does stay good for the next few months it would be interesting to see if the old symptoms returned if you refitted the old MAF.

Had a chance to look at the 'gifted' ML today, the alternator is getting very hot as soon as a battery is connected even without the engine running, so looks like the rectifier is shot. Dam, I just scrapped another ML and could've swapped alternators :-(

I'm wanting to tidy the yard up a bit and make a bit more space because I'm looking at buying a boat and/or motorhome and there's been too much crap in the yard for years anyway.

So first off I scrapped an old Merc ML 3.2 7 seater I've owned for around 5 years. I bought this ML in a rush when I needed a tow car to pull my caravan to Cornwall, bought it one day and used it for the tow the next day. New iridium plugs in it (12), new tyres on the back but a bit tatty, AC didn't work (compressor), PAS reservoir to pump seal issue so it leaked PAS fluid out over a couple of days, osr bumper needed a bracket fabricating. One previous owner car, I could have fixed it up but it wouldn't be worth much so I scrapped it and got paid £250 scrap value. No problems there, it was a runner and the local bloke who picked it up made short work of getting it on the back of his truck, just drove it on.

Different story getting rid of the Jeep. Flat battery but it wouldn't crank on turn of the key from a good jump start. I got it started by removing the starter relay and jumping the switched connection.. Jump starting from my car it started straight up after maybe 3 years since it was last started but it would only run for 3 seconds before cutting out... some sort of immobiliser issue. Brakes were binding and I only had a normal car to pull it with if I were to use a rope, so I rigged a longer wire from the relay connections to the cabin so I could touch the wires together and start it from inside then move a few feet during the 3 seconds the engine would run whilst trying to avoid crashing into my car that I was jump starting it from. Took around an hour to do a total of around 80 yards including a 5 point turn for the Jeep and the jump start vehicle having to be constantly repositioned around the Jeep in a kind of vehicle dance but I managed to manoeuvre it in the yard to get it nicely lined up with the entrance for when the scrapman came with his truck to collect it. Phoned the scrapman I used for the ML... "I'm in Tenerife mate, back Tuesday". So I told him "I want it gone before then really but if it's still here on Tuesday I'll call you again". Phoned the driver of another scrap firm I've used in the past, not so close but still only 10 miles away. He said "Phone our office mate, I'm just a driver". I phoned the office they said "We'll be sending a different driver and she's a lot better looking". My mate was with me, he was hurt badly in a car crash in his 20's and doesn't work but we've known each other all our lives and he comes to see me at work and 'help me' a few times a week. He says "Heh I might come tomorrow then if there's a bird coming"'. The scrapyard office hear him so they're all laughing. Next day the driver turns up to collect the Jeep, looks a bit young and giddy but manages to reverse the truck down the drive OK. I don't want to make it seem I'm looking over her shoulder so I don't watch her attach the tow line from the truck to the Jeep. Goes to winch the Jeep onto the truck, the Jeep doesn't move but it's front wheels turn inwards because she'd attached the line to the steering arm instead of to the axle and the truck moves backwards. At this point I release the line and attach it to the axle. What should have been an easy job winching the Jeep onto the truck turns into half an hour of faff because of the front wheel tow-in so not being able to steer it very well and because the tow-in pushes the ramps inwards during the climb. At last it's on the truck, spend half hour talking about her horses with her taking pics of my old boat because her mate might want to buy it, then she says goodbye without giving me the cheque for £340. All good in the end though.

Had a Merc ML55AMG in the yard for around 7 years, not mine, it belonged to a customer whom had me convert his newer Merc ML63AMG to LPG around 7 years ago. When coming to collect the freshly LPG converted 63AMG he asked me if he could come in his 55AMG, drive home in the 63, have me LPG service the 55 and come back to collect the 55 next week. It turns out that in that week his then missus discovered he was having an affair with his secretary, he ran off with the secretary, the 55 was the missus daily driver.. The car was left with me for 7 years and the owner was very difficult to get hold of. But I managed to get in touch with him last week and he agreed to give me the car to compensate for the storage, a logbook in my name for it arrived today. I'm not sure what to do with the 55AMG now, it has a 'special' LPG system because it's previous owner was an LPG installer and went to town fitting multiple LPG tanks to maximise range, I quite enjoyed driving it when it was roadworthy. quick for a small 4x4 SUV type thing and could be a 'street sleeper' if de-badged to shock boy racers from the lights, or pull a boat when I buy one (or existing caravan). But it's obviously deteriorated in 7 years, brake pedal goes to the floor but I haven't had a good look around it and ML's do have a common problem of rusted rear brake lines so the brakes might be an easy fix. Got it started but it was running on 6 cylinders at first, it turned out rats had eaten some engine bay wiring! But I've fixed that and the V8 now runs nicely. Maybe if it seems structurally good I'll fix it, maybe then keep it myself or sell it, if it seems it'll cost too much to put back on the road I'll sell it as is. Maybe regret scrapping the other ML because the door sills were better on that one than this and same colour.

Wonder if boat exhaust manifold/risers and mating plate to an Alpha/Bravo boat leg are available for the Merc 5.5? If so it might be an idea to buy a boat with a knacked engine and stick the 350/400hp Merc 5.5 in a boat designed for a 4.3/5.0/5.7 Mercruiser/Volvo setup.