Need Advice on CNG Conversion: Pros and Cons

[sonil.luthra]

Hi
can anybody enlighten me on the pros and cons of installing cng in my hyundai i10 kappa 1.2

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

Dear Sonil,

CNG installation is beneficial only if your daily running is high on a consistent basis for a considerable period of time.

Quickly:


Pros:

1. Cheaper than petrol. However, price differs from state to state. A quick calculation would let you know how much you shall have to drive after CNG installation in order to break even.

2. Cleaner than petrol: If you are the environment friendly type, then you'd be happy to note than CNG pollutes much lesser than petrol.

3. Cleaner engine: CNG is a clean burning fuel, so your engine shall not have to cough due to carbon deposits in the long run.

4. Kitna deti hai?: CNG pe zyada deti hai (running on CNG shall give more 'average' than running on petrol).

5. Safety first: RTO authorised CNG tanks are built like Dara Singh. Also, when petrol leaks, it evaporates relatively slowly; a spark in this case would translate to Dhoom 3. CNG on the other hand evaporates immediately and hence the risk of an explosion is less.


Cons:

1. Economics: CNG kits don't come free. Initial outlay could range from anything between Rs. 30000-45000. Then its the matter of recovering this initial cost.

2. Marginals get marginalized: The calorific value (energy = heat produced by burning 'x' amount of fuel) of CNG is lesser than that of petrol. Therefore, your engine will lose bhp and torque (in simple terms, power) when you would run it on CNG. How much power is lost differs from engine to engine but it would be safe to assume that it could be from 10% to 20%. You would feel it when you drive.

3. Honey, does my bum look big in this?: CNG cylinder would occupy your boot space and would weigh your car down. In an i10, you would be left with ZERO boot space.

4. Why is everyone looking at me?: Most CNG kits require you to open your bonnet for a refill. Nothing wrong in this, but still...

5. Such a long journey: Though finding CNG stations in Delhi is not a big problem, you would have to think twice before embarking on a long trip as CNG bunks are still rare to find in the country.

6. Time and tide wait for no one: A CNG kit in an i10 would probably take around 8 kgs of CNG in one go which means frequent trips to the CNG station.

7. Warranty: Get an aftermarket CNG kit fitted and your warranty goes for a six. By the way, is your i10 in warranty period? If yes, then please check out sequential CNG kit for the i10 offered by Hyundai.


Apart from all this, there is some talk that CNG harms the engine in the long run but I have seen engines fitted with CNG kit go on for more than a lakh kilometres without any problem. So I dont think you have much to worry about this point PROVIDED you get a good, RTO approved CNG kit installed.

Happy savings,
Sam

 

[sonil.luthra]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

Dear Sonil,

CNG installation is beneficial only if your daily running is high on a consistent basis for a considerable period of time.

Quickly:


Pros:

1. Cheaper than petrol. However, price differs from state to state. A quick calculation would let you know how much you shall have to drive after CNG installation in order to break even.

2. Cleaner than petrol: If you are the environment friendly type, then you'd be happy to note than CNG pollutes much lesser than petrol.

3. Cleaner engine: CNG is a clean burning fuel, so your engine shall not have to cough due to carbon deposits in the long run.

4. Kitna deti hai?: CNG pe zyada deti hai (running on CNG shall give more 'average' than running on petrol).

5. Safety first: RTO authorised CNG tanks are built like Dara Singh. Also, when petrol leaks, it evaporates relatively slowly; a spark in this case would translate to Dhoom 3. CNG on the other hand evaporates immediately and hence the risk of an explosion is less.


Cons:

1. Economics: CNG kits don't come free. Initial outlay could range from anything between Rs. 30000-45000. Then its the matter of recovering this initial cost.

2. Marginals get marginalized: The calorific value (energy = heat produced by burning 'x' amount of fuel) of CNG is lesser than that of petrol. Therefore, your engine will lose bhp and torque (in simple terms, power) when you would run it on CNG. How much power is lost differs from engine to engine but it would be safe to assume that it could be from 10% to 20%. You would feel it when you drive.

3. Honey, does my bum look big in this?: CNG cylinder would occupy your boot space and would weigh your car down. In an i10, you would be left with ZERO boot space.

4. Why is everyone looking at me?: Most CNG kits require you to open your bonnet for a refill. Nothing wrong in this, but still...

5. Such a long journey: Though finding CNG stations in Delhi is not a big problem, you would have to think twice before embarking on a long trip as CNG bunks are still rare to find in the country.

6. Time and tide wait for no one: A CNG kit in an i10 would probably take around 8 kgs of CNG in one go which means frequent trips to the CNG station.

7. Warranty: Get an aftermarket CNG kit fitted and your warranty goes for a six. By the way, is your i10 in warranty period? If yes, then please check out sequential CNG kit for the i10 offered by Hyundai.


Apart from all this, there is some talk that CNG harms the engine in the long run but I have seen engines fitted with CNG kit go on for more than a lakh kilometres without any problem. So I dont think you have much to worry about this point PROVIDED you get a good, RTO approved CNG kit installed.

Happy savings,
Sam

Amazing guide sir. Chaaa gaye guru and yes I currently have a daily running of 30-35 kms and in another 8-9 months it will cross the 60 mark. I guess I should go for the cng and yes the car will loose power and specially my bum but I can live with that as it will save money.

p.s thanks for the layman language amazing.

 

[sonil.luthra]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

ok so can anybody enlighten me about the make of the cng kits

1. BRC Sequential CNG Kit
2. Lovato sequential kit
3. GNC sequential kit
4. OMVL sequential kit
5. Landirenzeo sequential kit
6. benzo sequential kit
7. emer sequential kit
8. romano sequential kit
9. tomasetto sequential kit
10. GN group sequential kit
11. Automoto sequential kit

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

Dear Sonil,

That's the benefit of staying at a city like Delhi - you get spoilt for choice!

Go for BRC or Lovato. These two have been around for quite some time now and would offer better after sales service than the others. Of course, pricing is your call.

Regards,
Sam

 

[sonil.luthra]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

Dear Sonil,

That's the benefit of staying at a city like Delhi - you get spoilt for choice!

Go for BRC or Lovato. These two have been around for quite some time now and would offer better after sales service than the others. Of course, pricing is your call.

Regards,
Sam

any idea about the landirenzo kit
i heard that lovato is not the best in sequential kits and most of the dealers suggested landirenzo and i found that landirenzo was one of the most expensive amongst them

 

[Sam Dinkar]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

Dealers would always suggest something that would earn them fatter margins. As I said, pricing is your call. Go for the Landi if it meets your break even criteria.

 

[mastersquall]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

i have tomasetto in my car 6+ years never visited service centre after fitting it

 

[sarabjeet]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

i10's are a big nono for CNG. they always come up with some issues and need tuning frequently.
Had an i10 auto on CNG for 1 year. Got tired and sold it.

 

[sonil.luthra]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

i10's are a big nono for CNG. they always come up with some issues and need tuning frequently.
Had an i10 auto on CNG for 1 year. Got tired and sold it.

Automatic gearbox is a big no for cng manual is good and i have seen i10's on cng and the reviews are good BTW what make was your cng kit ?

 

[sarabjeet]

Re: Need Advice on CNG Conversion

it was a Lovato, My Altis is running on CNG closed loop perfectly. Its just the Kappa engine, they require Sequential kits for Auto's.

 

[deliguy]

Hey all. I am new to this forum and have a question about the performance of CNG kit in CHevy Beat 1.2 LS. I got the lovato kit installed from an authorized dealer and got it registered in the RC. I drove around comfortably for around on year (90-100 Kms daily) and covered almost 40,000 Kms on CNG. I used to follow a strict routine, driving on petrol for 5 kms every morning before switching on to CNG, and then driving back the last 5 kms home on petrol again.

But recently my engine developed a problem and I had to get some lath work done on the head. My entire cooling system had to be changed. The reason given to me was that using CNG caused my engine to overheat and thus damaged the heads. Since I had void my warranty, I had to bear the huge bill which offset all the savings I had done by installing CNG.

When asked, the general manager of the service station said that this is common in all CNG vehicle, especially in those not of maruti or hyundai make. I enquired with several cab drivers using toyotas, accents, indigos...all said that they had to get some work done every couple years.

Now, has anyone of you faced an issue like this? I believe there're hundreds of cars running on CNG these days, and even my CNG dealer says that this kind of problem doesn;t happen. I have now removed the CNG kit from my beat and have been running it on petrol, albeit to huge fuel costs.

Please help me out here...

 

[Sam Dinkar]

CNG certainly heats up an engine more than petrol does. What was the work done on your engine? Could you please post the details?

 

[konkantrip]

CNG certainly heats up an engine more than petrol does. What was the work done on your engine? Could you please post the details?

Wouldn't the coolant used in the engine should avoid the engine from getting heated.
May be the coolant level were low?

Hey all. I am new to this forum and have a question about the performance of CNG kit in CHevy Beat 1.2 LS. I got the lovato kit installed from an authorized dealer and got it registered in the RC. I drove around comfortably for around on year (90-100 Kms daily) and covered almost 40,000 Kms on CNG. I used to follow a strict routine, driving on petrol for 5 kms every morning before switching on to CNG, and then driving back the last 5 kms home on petrol again.

But recently my engine developed a problem and I had to get some lath work done on the head. My entire cooling system had to be changed. The reason given to me was that using CNG caused my engine to overheat and thus damaged the heads. Since I had void my warranty, I had to bear the huge bill which offset all the savings I had done by installing CNG.

When asked, the general manager of the service station said that this is common in all CNG vehicle, especially in those not of maruti or hyundai make. I enquired with several cab drivers using toyotas, accents, indigos...all said that they had to get some work done every couple years.

Now, has anyone of you faced an issue like this? I believe there're hundreds of cars running on CNG these days, and even my CNG dealer says that this kind of problem doesn;t happen. I have now removed the CNG kit from my beat and have been running it on petrol, albeit to huge fuel costs.

Please help me out here...

I have a Lovato fitted kit in June 12. I really havent faced any problem as off now.

Wouldn't the coolant used in the engine should avoid the engine from getting heated.
May be the coolant level were low?

 

[deliguy]

CNG certainly heats up an engine more than petrol does. What was the work done on your engine? Could you please post the details?

Hi Sam,
Firstly, my entire cooling system was replaced including the bottle, elbow connectors, tubing, pump etc. Apart from this, they opened up the head and got some lathe work done on the cylinders to smoothen out the chinks caused due to overheating. At least this is what they told me.