LPG removal advice.

[mirafioriman]

My Fiat 130 (see Readers Rides) has LPG. I have stripped the car and the last thing of note on the shell is the LPG tank and pipes. Today I tried loosening the pipe at the engine end and gas came out so unfortuately the tank is not empty

I removed the outlet pipe from the solenoid valve and it's shut . Just in case I plugged the outlet with an appropriately sized bolt.



Can I/how do I remove the tank and pipes as it has gas still in it.

[dodgerover]

Do you have a photo of the tank outlets, if its a single hole tank then there will be a knurlled nut to turn to shut off the gas, 4 hole then there may well be a tap on it. In case of desperation, remove all sources of ignition and possible sources of ignition, make sure that its not over a pit and let it vent. LPG is heavier than air so will sink and dispearce.

[Mr S]

The LPG valves should all be shut when there is no power to them - that's what makes them safe. You should be able to just remove the pipe and job's a good 'un!

[mirafioriman]

Thanks for the advice. I will get a photo of the tank end next time I visit the car.....

[mirafioriman]

If the valve at the tank end was shut, why would gas come out (under pressure)? To be honest I don't know who fitted it but I'm not totally convinced of the installation quality.

[dodgerover]

Sept 11, 2011 19:44:53 GMT Mr S said:

The LPG valves should all be shut when there is no power to them - that's what makes them safe. You should be able to just remove the pipe and job's a good 'un!

LPGA COP 11 say thats there should be an electrically operated solenoid valve on the tank to comply, however it doesn't mean that it will have one , have seen plenty of conversions without, hence using the manual valves if you can find them.

[Mr S]

Sept 11, 2011 19:49:56 GMT dodgerover said:

Sept 11, 2011 19:44:53 GMT Mr S said:

The LPG valves should all be shut when there is no power to them - that's what makes them safe. You should be able to just remove the pipe and job's a good 'un!

LPGA COP 11 say thats there should be an electrically operated solenoid valve on the tank to comply, however it doesn't mean that it will have one , have seen plenty of conversions without, hence using the manual valves if you can find them.

Fair point, hadn't thought of that - I assumed they all had solenoids

[mirafioriman]

As far as I know the electric fuel pump should shut off when you switch to LPG but it didn't. (It will when I put the car back together) It wouldn't suprise me if there should be a solenoid on the tank end and isn't. Again if there should be there will be when I have finished

[ChasR]

There is no fuel pump on most of the LPG conversions I have seen, but instead a solenoid on the multivalve unit on the tank. That includes the sequential systems too.

As for the release of gas, how long ago was the car last used (a silly Q but you never know...)? Whenever I have taken off a pipe going to the reducer/vapouriser solenoid near the engine, a bit of residual gas has always escaped but only for around 10 seconds at most as you undo it.

Do you have a picture of the multivalve unit on the tank? What brand of kit is it? But as said, most have a knurled knob which you can screw in as a shut off valve.

[mirafioriman]

I will take some more pictures when I next visit the car

[mdh]

Don't do what I did and drain the liquid LPG into a petrol can.....

[mirafioriman]

Quick update on this (photos in my readers rides thread)

Found two hand shut off valves today. Closed them and got the tank out. Will be fitting solenoid valves on the tank during the refit. Not sure how when the tank has gas in it but there is time to work that out!