thatfatbloke

Just spoken to an LPG installer in Hampshire who assures me that it's still safe to drive,but preferably don't fill it up again until he's replaced the valve and serviced the system. Supposed to be serviced annually or 12000/15000 miles. The last invoice I have is from 2011 @108000 miles - it's now on 157000. Whoops!.

Managed to get in touch with someone finally. Although not local (I'm in Eastbourne,he's in Ashford Kent) he seems to know what he's talking about. It's probably a valve that's got a bit of crud in and released the gas between nozzle and tank. Taking pictures to send to him tomorrow so he can identify it more accurately. Safe to drive (thankfully) just not going to refill with LPG 'til fixed.

Just been reading through the LPG manual for the car. It's a Prins system and was installed in 2008, and serviced in 2011 when two filters were replaced. Apparently it will only ever fill to 80% of tank capacity. Secondly there are two warning systems in place. If the light flashes it's safe to continue (but may not drive quite right) but if you get a flashing light and a buzzer then it's not. I haven't had either of these warnings.Also just phoned the garage,and there have been no other reported problems.

The LPG cost 58.9 per litre and the bill for filling from empty was £29.01. If the 76 litre tank really was empty,then the cost would have been £44.76. The gauge had been going from red (running on petrol) to one green light (running on LPG) for a couple of days,but was definitely on red immediately before I filled up. I think maybe my gauge is inaccurate and there was more LPG in there than it was telling me. However that still doesn't explain the escape of whatever it was (gas or liquid,it was bloody cold and formed a temporary 'frost' on me hand and strides!) as the pump should have known to cut out when full. Can't seem to contact a local LPG service garage at the moment as they never answer the phone and don't get back to me.

Just got back from filling up with LPG. The tank was empty,so I filled it 'til cut off as usual. As I released the nozzle from the tank all hell broke loose. LPG shot out my filler for about five seconds under great pressure. It went all over my trousers and my left hand and was freezing cold. Only now,two hours after the event, have I got feeling back to my hand. Obviously some sort of safety pressure release had kicked in and spat it back out the tank. It was only empty as the wife had used my car recently and didn't tell me it was getting low (she refuses to fill up with LPG anyway). I'll have it looked at as soon as possible. Has anyone else experienced this?. Could it be that the tank was empty?. I normally get it down to one green light and then top it up.

New battery in remote fob seems to have cured the uinlocking problem. But just had a near death experience when filling up with LPG (see fresh post).

Something I neglected to mention in the original post. At about the same time as the EML came on, the remote central locking fob started messing about in that 9 times out of ten it won't unlock the car and I have to go to the enormous trouble of using the key in the door lock. The locking function seems to be unaffected and always works .I took the fob to the guy that always makes me new/replacement keys and he tested it on a rig where it worked fine. The car was parked outside his shop and it locked and unlocked as he was testing it,but as soon as I went to get back in the car it wouldn't unlock again!. Getting a new fob battery today,(a CR2016) but doubtful that it will make a difference.

Wafting along today at about 60 m.p.h.,when the E.M.L. put in an appearance. Never seen it before. Car still drove normally,so carried on and when I stopped and restarted it was gone - for about five seconds and came on again. Stopped again later on and it hasn't appeared in the past ten miles or so. Probably coincidence,but on the last restart the rev counter and speedo didn't start working 'til about 30 m.p.h. Diagnostics,or don't worry about it?. Ta.

Another thumbs up for Grove Garage from me. They did my cam belt when main dealer wouldn't touch it due to LPG being fitted.

Thumbs up to Wolfrace. Received the caps this afternoon by courier,and fitted them 10 minutes later. Great service considering they were freebies. One happy fat bloke!.

May be a false alarm. I have Wolfrace Voodoo wheels on the car,but one of the centre caps made a bid for freedom the other day. However I contacted Wolfrace and they are sending me four new caps - at no cost. Result!. It may seem drastic looking for new wheels because a cap is missing,but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me and didn't think I'd be able to get a replacement as Voodoo's aren't made anymore. Thanks anyway.

Am I allowed to ask if anyone has some decent 17" wheels for sale?.

You could always nail the spare wheel to the boot lid,like the Rover P6's sometimes did. The tank in mine is 78 litres. It is a Prinz system installed in 2008 at a cost of £2115. The tank appears to have come from Poland,and was fitted by LPG Cars in Coventry.

I have no idea why the above post is on here twice.!.

Had her diagnosed today by an automatic gearbox specialist. No problems with the box as it threw no codes. The problem is the throttle body. At some time a 'temporary' repair has been made to the part that the throttle and kickdown cables run through. This repair has now given up and snapped,so the cables are 'floating' if you like. I've made an offer on a used throttle body on fleabay, just awaiting reply.

Had her diagnosed today by an automatic gearbox specialist. No problems with the box as it threw no codes. The problem is the throttle body. At some time a 'temporary' repair has been made to the part that the throttle and kickdown cables run through. This repair has now given up and snapped,so the cables are 'floating' if you like. I've made an offer on a used throttle body on fleabay, just awaiting reply.

Just taken her out for a blat,and noticed that the kick down isn't functioning so may be related to this. She drove as normal today apart from that. Getting her booked in to be looked at next week.

Dipstick awkward to get at as surrounded by LPG paraphernalia,and I have hands like a grizzly bear. However,I've managed to top it up,it took about two egg cupfulls. Strangely enough when I checked the level when engine cold the fluid was up to the hot level. Took it for a spin,she started off nicely ,but when warmed up she went back to slug mode. Don't want to risk overfilling and still awaiting return call from gearbox people. Throttle position sensor?.

Halfway back from a twenty mile trip,and I seemed to lose power,as if she had gone into a limp mode. No lights on dash,engine sounds and idles normally. Very slow acceleration,changes gear (eventually) need to put foot to floor to get anywhere. On getting home,I left it running and checked the transmission fluid,which was at the top of the cold mark nowhere near the hot mark. Fluid seems to be an 'apple juice' colour as opposed to 'cherryade'. Question is,would a low level of fluid give the symptoms I'm getting,or would it be the age of the fluid doing it. Nearest autobox company 10 miles away if needs draining and refilling,would it be safe to drive it the 10 miles there?. I don't fancy attempting to top up the fluid as the tube looks very small and I'd probably get more on the driveway than I get in the gearbox. I am awaiting a return call from the autobox company at the moment. Thanks.

That's the old girl MOT'd for another year then. She just needed brake pads all round,which I was going to have done anyway,and no advisories.She already had MOT 'til December,but I didn't want any nasty surprises just before Christmas. The rear pads were only done last December,but the previous owner clocked up about 6000 miles between then and when I bought her in June. Probably didn't help that he drove like a complete lunatic and was therefore heavy on the brakes. As I drive like the vicars wife,she can have a nice sedate retirement now with me down by the seaside. Mind you I have been looking at a 4.6 Range Rover on LPG up in Essex............................

Not averse to West Sussex.

Blimey. I've had a few quotes local to Eastbourne for a respray for the old girl. Anyone in the South East had a good (or bad) experience in the area with regards spraying please?.I've had quotes ranging from 'abart twelve 'undred quid guvnor,and it'll take three days',to '£3000 and it'll take three weeks'. It'd be nice if she was just the one shade of gold!. Ta.

....probably mid afternoon last Thursday,a gold LS400 (same as mine) with an L400 number plate (same as mine) and a tow bar somewhere on the B4405 between Tywyn and Minffordd and possibly turning left into a caravan site. Anybody here?. We were on holiday in the area looking for some good spots to watch the low flying military jets from. Terrific part of Wales.

Well,I bought SWMBO a 2005 Merc C320 cdi estate about a month ago. It's OK,it's obviously a more modern design than the LS,but with what I call 'modern annoyances'. I had to reset the clock on it last night and it took a good 20 minutes to work out how to do it. In the four weeks or so that we've had it,it's had to go back for gearbox work after a week (on warranty thankfully) and yesterday she had to call the AA out because the fuel filler flap wouldn't open. I suppose what sums it up is,though the Merc is a 'nice' car, the LS is a wonderful car. We've had older Mercs for years, 3 190's,2 300TE's,a 230TE,a 300SE and a W210 320 V6 which we used as part-ex on the current car. She is infatuated with them,but guess which car she has used today (and many other days) to go to work in. That's right,my LS. She nicked the keys when I was in the bog,and she was gone!. It is our anniversary today so I suppose I'll have to let her off.

Just phoned my current insurer,Saga,and got it for £234. Still seems a lot compared to the Saab 9000.