Au Lpg

[theveteran]

Hi, first time here, so I hope I get this right.
I have just had my AU Fairmont converted to LPG.
It was mentioned to me that I should also have a Flashlube Valve Saver Kit fitted as well, at an extra cost of $150-00.
Has anybody had this Kit fitted ?
Do you all think it is worthwhile or is it just another of those gimmicky ripoffs ?

[blueoval]

Hi and welcome to the forums.

I have an AU also and have had the LPG system fitted for about 18months now. I have had trouble free running WITHOUT the use of a flashlube saver.

I believe this is a ploy to extract extra money from you.

Flashlube is for older cars which used to run super fuel. Even then I didnt bother having it.

The AU's have hardened valve seats in the head and I think already come with bronzed guides from factory. Thus there is no need for valve lubrication as such.

What I do is run my car on petrol every week for a minimum of 20km. This doesn't do anything for the valves, but keeps the fuel pump primed and in check.

[theveteran]

Thanks for that Shav. The LPG that I have had installed automatically starts on petrol everytime and then immediately switches over to LPG. Have had it for over a month now and have not experienced any problems.

[autickfordfairmont]

Hi and welcome. You might have a better response in the LPG section of the forums if you want to post up in there. I have had mine on LPG for almost 2 years now without a valve saver kit. Mine is the same starts on petrol and switches over automatically when a certain engine temp has been passed. I have been told that this is enough to not only keep the fuel side of things (injectors, lines, pump, filter) happy, but keep everything else happy to. What system are you running?

[teabags2]

Have a read in he LPG section this has been discussed before a number of times. Nearly everyone agrees that it is not required with hardened valve seats. Personally I've had an XD,EA,EF,Au2 and 2XAu3's all without valve savers with no issues. Even in cast iron heads with no hardened valve seats fitted not all suffered from recession.
I thought about it once just as insurance but in the end did not want to dirty up the inside of the throttle boby and manifolds etc.

Bob

[PoweredByCNG]

In backing up what everyone else has been saying, AUs last over a million kays on LPG without valve saver kits. For these vehicles, fitting such systems is a complete waste of one's money.

Regards,
Dave

[Jastel]

Anything post 1986 and unleaded fuel does not need it

Probably didn't need it before then either

I have had dozens of E series, AU series and B series taxis, none had it, all done over 500000km

[sooty43]

Veteran, Put a small amount of upper cylinder lubricant [ two stroke oil] in the petrol tank and each time you start a small mist of oil will coat the inlet valves.

[hannem]

Originally Posted by sooty43

Veteran, Put a small amount of upper cylinder lubricant [ two stroke oil] in the petrol tank and each time you start a small mist of oil will coat the inlet valves.

Why? Read the above responses.

[Bushbasher]

Ok, I'm going to go against the crowd here but I have to say, my factory dual fuel wagon just required a new head for the very reason you are all saying wouldn't happen, the valve seats were so far recessed that they weren't closing properly anymore and I was losing compression, and that was after only 170k and I ran 1/4 tank of ULP through it at least once a month. I just replaced the engine in the end cos it was cheaper thann getting a recon head but you can bet the car now has a valve saver kit on it. I just had the Fairlane I just bought put on LPG too and fitted a Flashlube kit to that just to be sure. Ask a cabby how long a head lasts before they replace them and I'll bet there's not one cab running on it's original head at 300k let alone 1 million.

BTW, if you got quoted $150 for a flashlube kit then you're being ripped off. I picked one up at Ripco for less than $80 and fitted it myself in less than 30 minutes and just needed a battery drill and a thread tapper to fit the brass dripper pipe to the manifold. Even if you had to buy the tap and die set as well it wouldn't cost you $150.

Bushbasher

[GK]

I have a Flashlube kit on both my AUs which are running LPG.

I also had to replace a head at about 110,000 km's and had the Flashlube kit fitted as a precaution, on advice from the gas place.

I find the adjustment of the flow a little unreliable and it constantly needs tweaking, but all easy to do.

Knowing all the information re: AU heads etc, etc, I don't feel it's strictly neccessary, and I run the kit at less than the recommended dosage.

When the second AU was converted, the gas mechanic (different place) said they weren't needed, but because of my experiences with the first system, I bought a kit from Burson's for about $65 and fitted it myself.

I suspect that the head issues with the first AU were actually caused by the LPG being run too lean though.

If you feel you need the peace of mind from the Flashlube system, then have one fitted, but not at $150, that's robbery.

All the best with your deliberations.

GK

[blueoval]

Interesting experiences fellas.

[Mr Hardware]

Ask a cabby how long a head lasts before they replace them and I'll bet there's not one cab running on it's original head at 300k let alone 1 million.

My car has 656k on the clock and it's on its original head.
I only remember ever doing a head once on an EL cab which had been cooked.
Btw PoweredByCNG is a complete alarmist and even he says you don't need it.
Jastel has huge taxi experience and he says you don't need it.
I've got a moderate amount of taxi experience and I say you don't need it.

People will tell you you get Valve Seat Recession on LPG. This is true. What they don't tell you is you also get Valve Seat Recession on Petrol. The difference is minimal. The effect is minimal. The AU motors are bulletproof and don't need anything. There wouldn't be a taxi in australia that has it.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

My car has 656k on the clock and it's on its original head.
I only remember ever doing a head once on an EL cab which had been cooked.
Btw PoweredByCNG is a complete alarmist and even he says you don't need it.
Jastel has huge taxi experience and he says you don't need it.
I've got a moderate amount of taxi experience and I say you don't need it.

People will tell you you get Valve Seat Recession on LPG. This is true. What they don't tell you is you also get Valve Seat Recession on Petrol. The difference is minimal. The effect is minimal. The AU motors are bulletproof and don't need anything. There wouldn't be a taxi in australia that has it.

I humbly withdraw my statement then as obviously I've just been shot down if flames e.

So if what GK said is correct about running lean causing the valve seat problem then the failure of the original Vialle converter in the wagon where it was leaking gas to the atmosphere was probably the cause of my valve seat failure yes? Could it be that it had to have been leaking slowly for some time thus causing low pressure and so making the car run lean?....... and by the time it became noticable from inside the car it was too late as the damage had been done?

Bushbasher

[theveteran]

Thanks all for your comments, it gives me something to think about.
Please accept my apologies if I posted this thread in the wrong section.
To answer a question earlier in the thread I had a Sprint Gas system put in the AU.

[Jastel]

My experiences, all on Sprintgas dual fuel

E series did have some head problems but no dramas with Au and B series unless you cook them

I always had low water alarms on the Au's to prevent this, on B series they have the limp home low water cylinder shutdown thing, I know this doesn't work on LPG but my experience is the car stalls and the converter freezes up before the water runs too low.

The heads do wear out but, after 450000km it's all downhill in fuel economy, power loss and ability to tune nicely.

I replaced a head on a 200000km BA because a truck smashed it off, it was like a new car, you dont realise how bad they get if you only drive the one car. They will go for a million kms but I wouldn't want to drive one, 500000km and retire them is my plan.

I doubt Flashlube would help, as stated Petrol wears out valves as well

For an older commodores with cast iron heads I might use it, I'm not a holden expert but this makes sense why there were not many commodore taxis.
A few guys I know with commodores said they only got 200000km from them, thats 1 year for taxis and then they had to replace TWO heads as it's a V6
They went back to Falcons.

[moufid66]

hi
I would like to install the valve saver kit on my ba 2003 ,is anybody could let me know where should drill for fitting
thanks