Thread: 300Tdi Diesel Gas Review

Gday all. Yet another Diesel Gas Review

*** Warning here - lots of reading (ah, waffle haha) but I like to give as much info as I can to people considering a Diesel Gas install

I have a 96 Disco 300Tdi Auto, which I wanted to put on Diesel Gas before I even bought the car (I had all mods planned and costed prior to building up the car - Build thread link - Camo Discovery 1 Build)

So finally I travelled across to Adelaide and got Bee Utey to install a system.

Its early days yet (3 tanks) but I think I am safe in saying its well worth it and would very highly recommend anyone thinking of doing a dgas install to give bee utey a buzz! His work is of the highest quality and he certainly knows his stuff! Glowing praise done

Anyways I am a numbers person and have logged every tank of fuel put in the disco since purchase, along with speedo corrected kms and fuel consumption etc. Prior to gas I was getting 12.2l/100km on easy 100kmh freeway driving, loaded or empty. This is with 33" muddies, lifted, roof rack, bar and winch, etc etc. Not such a bad figure, but stock standard on 29" all terrains I got 7.9l/100, so all the mods greatly affected fuel economy and power.

Bee utey's systems are user tweakable - sensitivity and gas flow adjustments. I have only played with the gas flow valve so far, here are my findings.

All fuel numbers are in litres/100km, and adjusted correctly for speedo error.

Gas on FULL - Diesel 9.9 Gas 3.5
Gas on HALF - Diesel 10.8 Gas 1.7
Gas on 3/4 - Diesel 9.0 Gas 2.9

So far the last setting is the most economical, with easier cruising and more overtaking power (haha in a 300tdi )when the foot is put down. The engine is still burning roughly the same amount of fuel, but of course gas is cheaper than diesel and it gives the diesel a much better burn rate, increasing efficiency and power.

On FULL gas, keeping the accelerator constant pressure, the gas gives a full 2lbs extra boost and you can feel the car surge with the extra power. On 3/4, I get around 1lb extra boost which is still noticeable.

Prior to DGas, at 100kmh I was on 10lbs boost with EGT's around 450*.
With Gas on at 100kmh, I am on 8-9lbs boost with EGT's around 400*.

So basically the car is producing more power with less throttle, thus increasing fuel economy. However if you floor it, obviously you reach your max boost sooner and EGT's skyrocket, but its easy to just back off a touch to keep them under 700* (pre-turbo temp) or whatever safe temp you determine.

These findings are almost identical to the Diesel Gas websites 300Tdi Defender example, but bee uteys system is around $2000 cheaper The Diesel Gas website also has a complicated explanation on $$$ saved per tank of fuel, and after cross checking with my figures they are about correct. You will save between $20-28 PER TANK over the life of your car. This is on current diesel and gas prices.

My payback time after the rebate and including fuel costs to adelaide and back is under two years. Keep in mind EcoShot or Diesel Gas Australia prices are WAY higher and payback would be forever haha.

Immediate benefits are more power, increased range per tank (I have gone from 700kms to 900kms per tank), cleaner burning of diesel = less smoke out the back unless flooring it and cleaner oil (yet to test that out).

NEGATIVES / CONS

So far I am burning more gas than I thought, so I would run out of gas before running out of diesel. I was going to try and get the balance the same, so 85litres diesel = 20 litres of gas. BUT, its actually makes more $$ sense to have a higher burn of gas and lower diesel due to price difference. I was thinking of putting twin 20litre tanks in, but cost would have been a fair bit higher. On a previous thread bee utey said you can carry a 9ltr gas bottle with adapter and fill it up from that.

(please comment on this - forgive my ignorance but wont the pressures equalise and you would end up with 4.5ltrs in each tank?? I don't know how gas tanks and pressures work)

Well thats about it for the negs, so not much at all! However, an in cab electronic adjustment for gas flow would be nice! When towing and coming up to a hill select full gas flow, on flat cruising select 75% gas flow etc

My car has a 2.5" body lift, so this made it easier to raise the tank against the bottom of the floor, and to use chassis mounted brackets for the tank. The bottom of the tank is about equal with the chassis rails, so I haven't reduced ground clearance or ramp over angle which is fantastic.

FINALLY, PICS!!!















Where I camped the night in Adelaide Hills.... PS - Those 2 second pop up tents are GREAT - highly recommend them as well!





Many thanks again to bee utey for the top job and the big day you put in installing it!

Cheers

I am aware of the emission rules. Eco-Shot also do emission certified kits, sadly they don't do TD5 engines yet. I fitted one of their kits to an '05 Rodeo, and it ran as expected. Anyone in Melbourne contemplating a post 2003 model TD5 should contact them direct. I believe the emissions testing is quite simple now that an approved emissions testing facility is open. Previously Ford Australia had the only approved diesel emissions testing facility and they weren't interested in helping small conversion companies. I have done one pre 2003 TD5 and it ran fine on my non-approved system.