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It would need a tank so big it would never leave the ground.I could convert a Merlin engine to run on LPG no problem
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What have you done to your Elgrand today?
- Thread starter Madfish
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There's the weight of the tanks but this is partially offset by the fact that LPG is lighter than petrol
Probably wouldn't expect a plane that size to leave the ground when it's carrying several tons of petrol but it easily does.
Anyway, not every Merlin is in a Spitfire/Lancaster or aeroplane... There's a guy with a Rover SDI fitted with a Merlin engine and plenty others like him!
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I’ve heard that about Japanese knobs
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I happen to have a spare steering wheel with wooden inserts!
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There's the weight of the tanks but this is partially offset by the fact that LPG is lighter than petrol
A Merlin uses 150 gallons of 130 to 150 Octane fuel per hour at max. What sort of range would LPG give?
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What were you researching?
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Originally high octane fuel wasn't available so Spitfires ran on lower octane fuel (high octane was supplied by the US). Range would depend on how many LPG tanks of what size, same as on any other install...
But I appreciate it would be difficult to come up with the right combination of LPG tanks to fit into a Spitfire lol (not that I'd ever get chance).. And incidentally 'our lass' is the person who responded with angry face emoticon to the post I said I could convert a Merlin engine on! She's a fully paid up forum member too... She reckons it would take me too long.
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Erm, a top secret project for a friend!What were you researching?
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So how much LPG could a Spitfire carry? Fuel load of avgas was around 550 litres. I suspect the fuel tanks weighed rather less than an LPG equivalent.
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I've fitted several of 250 litre LPG tanks on e.g. American RVs... (dimensions 2.2metres x 450mm), a bloke can easily pick up a 250 litre LPG tank when it's empty. Like any other vessel, weight of the vessel itself becomes a smaller percentage of total weight (total weight being when the vessel is full) the bigger the vessel.
But I have no idea what tanks I could fit on a Spitfire... Maybe I could only fit a very small tank capacity. LPG tanks are pressure vessels so have to be 'round' type shapes like a cylinder / toroid, petrol tanks are not pressure vessels and can be any shape.
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I guess we will never know
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I could research spitfire petrol tanks shapes/sizes and come up with a few ideas for what combinations of LPG tanks I'd fit, but I wouldn't know for sure until I measure up the 'vehicle' (Spitfire) hands on. However, getting the Merlin engine to run very nicely on LPG would be no problem for me. TBH I don't think it would be a goer, I expect Spitfire fuel tanks are some narrow and odd shapes so I doubt I'd get anything like the same LPG fuel capacity as petrol fuel capacity... But bare in mind the petrol tanks could be completely removed.I guess we will never know
Another incidentally, my son is currently getting his hours in and doing his exams to get his pilots license
He's a computer programmer, well paid too, would have to take a pay drop even if he started flying 747's tomorrow -But that's what he wants to do and I can't wait for the 1st time he takes me up in a hired plane!I'll tell you something I'm pretty confident about - If any LPG installer is ever going to be asked to convert a Spitfire to LPG it will be me.
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Maybe with your next set of upgrades I'll see what stash of goodies you have
Not fitted your oem wheels yet, but think I will get my aftermarkets refurbished when they go on (Just squeezing a little more out of the tyres
)
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Lancaster jettisoning it's LPG tankI could research spitfire petrol tanks shapes/sizes and come up with a few ideas for what combinations of LPG tanks I'd fit, but I wouldn't know for sure until I measure up the 'vehicle' (Spitfire) hands on. However, getting the Merlin engine to run very nicely on LPG would be no problem for me. TBH I don't think it would be a goer, I expect Spitfire fuel tanks are some narrow and odd shapes so I doubt I'd get anything like the same LPG fuel capacity as petrol fuel capacity... But bare in mind the petrol tanks could be completely removed.
Another incidentally, my son is currently getting his hours in and doing his exams to get his pilots license
I'll tell you something I'm pretty confident about - If any LPG installer is ever going to be asked to convert a Spitfire to LPG it will be me.
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Jettising an LPG tank... What a waste
I've got a little speed boat. Rebuilt it's early 1980's 2 stroke 3 cylinder 70bhp engine myself years ago but still have problems with it's magneto style ignition system and haven't had time to use it for a few years. Anyway that's a different story, I mention this because on one of the last outings with my little speed boat my daughter and I took my little boat up the River Ouse through York... I wasn't expecting the fly-over by a Lancaster and a Spitfire.. Fantastic!
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They had to glide home when it ran out.Jettising an LPG tank... What a waste
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They should have had me fit the biggest tank option! ;-)
Edit - Ahem I mean they should have had me fit the biggest tank that would fit by default, like I do with Elgrands.... ;-) At least can tell I converted it, it's flying and no engines have cut out lol.
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Spent the day fixing the rear sunroof, it was out of allignment on the rear right side, thus was a gap between the rubber and body and was sitting lower then the other side.
And cleaned all the drain pipes out had a ton of gunk and a blockage. Got the drain pipes cleaned and draining properly just gotta do more work on the sunroof closing position.
got it to line up properly just closes and sits abit to low so gonna have another fiddle tomorrow after watching the UFC fight.
And cleaned all the drain pipes out had a ton of gunk and a blockage. Got the drain pipes cleaned and draining properly just gotta do more work on the sunroof closing position.
got it to line up properly just closes and sits abit to low so gonna have another fiddle tomorrow after watching the UFC fight.