[syravi]

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

Thank you for this informative post. It is very useful for people who NEED CNG due to their high running but are unable to decide due to a lack of options. For my next car purchase to replace the secondary car, automatic is a must have and CNG would be an added bonus (have to commute nearly 100 KM on some days).
Many people tend to look for aftermarket options because factory fitted options are presently only offered by Maruti and Hyundai. Hope Tata and Skoda come up with their rumoured CNG models soon.

However, just a small correction- there are indeed some models that have factory fitted CNG on 4 cylinder engines. Maruti Ertiga, Dzire Tour and Hyundai’s entire CNG range are some examples.
Attachment 2135724

Attachment 2135725

Thank you! I stand corrected for the wrong detail on company fitted CNG kits not fitted on 4 cylinder cars of Maruti.

[syravi]

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

Thanks for this thread, it was helpful.

However, I do feel that you might be coming from some bias.

There are many people here vouching for CNG and they have had their cars run much more than 40k KMs (some even 1L + KMs). Check this thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...cng-india.html (The future of CNG in India).

I myself have an aftermarket CNG kit (without a filter) fitted in our Dzire. It was fitted from a dealer recommended mechanic, and we perform regular maintenance checks.

The car has run some 80K KMs on CNG over 10 years, and apart from some minor repairs here and there - I haven't seen any major issue.

If opting for CNG, I will definitely prefer factory fitted CNG, but that does not mean that aftermarket is not an option at all.

Maybe your regular maintenance checks are helping you. It also may be that your CNG filling station is using a filter to eliminate the impurities before the filling. An enquiry by you might throw light on this. But if the filling station are careless then it would just be a matter of time the impurities would clog the kit and the engine. A google search by me revealed CNG filters being made both for cars and CNG filling stations by Weh. The link is below:

https://www.weh.in/weh-filter-tsf4-c...ct-family.html

Maybe your filling station is using best practices. However for every one good experience there seem to be many bad ones.

[syravi]

Originally Posted by ArTigor

We had a CNG Ertiga Vxi factory fitted for about 2.5 years, we sold it off with 36000 km on the odo. We had bought Ertiga because of frequent travel to our native plave which was once in a month which was 1000 km in addition to the monthly urban running of 1000 km. My family size being 7 pax and Dad not prefering diesels we thought of giving CNG a try. First year was good with a lot of savings but only later did we realise that a family of 7 coupled with 1.4 L petrol motor and add to that CNG is not a good combination. First time in my Dads 30+ years of car ownership we had engine heating issue, Clutch gave up at 25000 km(7 people stranded mid night on highway), and after that the car felt always underpowered, all service schedules were strictly adhered to.
Thats when one of my cousins who was with an OEM, told me you should have got a diesel for these kind of long runs, and get rid of this car.

On the other side-

A colleage of mine who had an Ertiga CNG used it for 5 years and 1.5 lakh km before selling it off for around 5.5 lakh rupees, the car was mint even after 5 years of usage.

Another colleage had got a CNG kit fitted on Manza, within 2 years the rear suspension went kaput, and after 3 years he did an engine overhaul. Finally sold it barely using the car for 2000 km after overhaul, dont know what was the wrong decision getting overhauled or selling after overhaul.

On the other side a colleague of mine has an after market CNG kit fitted on his 2010 AT Accord, the kit was fitted probably when the vehicle had run 55000 km. Today the vehicle has completed 85000 km and is doing completely fine.

So I guess CNG fitting is a gamble especially the aftermarket ones.
Factory fitted ones are more reliable ones in todays context with the 5&6 year warranties offered by all auto manufacturers.

In addition to the filters, Something that is critical with after market CNG kit fitting is suspension strengthening/tweaking, if it is not done properly driving dynamics can go for a toss, Factory fitted ones anyways come with tweaked suspensions hence not a matter of concern.

The company fitted cars from Maruti indeed come with suspension tweaks as pointed by you. I remember my Maruti chasis had cracked from the weight of after market fitted CNG and I had to get welded. The different experiences by different people confirm one thing. The CNG filling stations are the rogues not the kit. If the filling station uses proper filters to eliminate impurities and replaces them periodically the cars that will get filled from these stations will keep running smoothly. However if their maintenance is shoddy then the unsuspecting customers will have ruined kits and cars. A google search revealed that a company Weh manufactures these filters for both vehicles and CNG stations. The link is below:

https://www.weh.in/weh-filter-tsf4-c...ct-family.html

Hope this is a logical clarification to the different experiences of different people.

[syravi]

Originally Posted by ash22

Thanks Much for the heads-up. This is such an eye opener thread for me personally.
I'm in plans to install CNG for my 14 year old Alto 800 since we are planning for a bigger car for family primary use and this Alto CNG would replace my wife's Activa for her office commutes. I think, I need to revisit this decision now.
Once again, thanks much for all the knowledge sharing.

Alto is not too expensive and trying to load a 14 year old car with a CNG kit will result in a harrowing experience for your wife. Even otherwise a 14 year old petrol car needs regular visits to a workshop but with a CNG kit these visits will multiply exponentially. Very soon your wife will say she was better off with a scooty than this monster. So either buy a new, factory CNG fitted alto for her or let her drive it as a petrol car only.

[syravi]

Originally Posted by turbodude

Super thanks buddy for the article . My friend is looking for a CNG car and I had absolutely nothing to guide him as I drive a petrol car. Another friend who already has a CNG car felt helpless as he is not technically sound and a normal user. We just could not answer the queries.

I was searching for good articles on CNG usage from a month or so and my friend was getting restless. Today we both can sleep peacefully.

Glad I was able to be of some help to you. For 10 years I had a harrowing experience and was sent on a goose chase by mechanics. I wanted to spare everyone else this torture which is why I wrote this article.

[syravi]

Originally Posted by WanderinNomad

I have just installed after market CNG in my car and I am now a little scared.
However, I have two points to add.

1 All lovato kits come with a filter. I am attaching the brochure of the kit easily available in the market which will clarify the same. Hence, if you are going for a Lovato kit, you can be free from worry.
I think you can install a Lovato kit easily in your Jazz automatic although it will cost you 5k-10k extra as compared to other kits.

2 I have installed an Msequent Kit in my car and this brand is owned by Mijo which is an Indian company. Even this brand manufactures CNG filters but does not supply them in their kits. I am attaching the webpage for your reference.
I can consider getting these filters installed in my kit from a reputed CNG installer.



[ATTACH=171024-112323-Flyer_Smart ExR_CNG_10_2017_EN_web.pdf]2136631[/ATTACH]

https://mijoautogas.co.in/cng-components.htm

Also, Since you have mentioned that most of the installers in delhi are not willing to install a kit with filter, I think this is more to do with the nature of CNG fitment business in India. What I mean is that aftermarket CNG fitment in India is a highly unorganized business with the installers having zero knowledge about the technicalities. However, I can suggest you two people who know the technicalities of CNG fitment.
Mr Pramod - Easy Drive CNG Ghaziabad - He has a utube channel by the same name.
EVO CNG Gurgaon. ( again refer his utube channel )

Furthermore the kits today have advanced than the Wagon R/ Maruti kits.
You will have to take care of some other parameters like-
-OBD2 connection
-coupler to coupler installation
You can go through my post in CNG conversion thread to bring you up to date.

Since you have a lot of experience in CNG, I would advise you to meet either of the above two people before deciding that your Jazz automatic should not be converted to CNG.

Indeed, the mechanics dont even understand the use of filters in CNG and the need to change them. Imagine the head of servicing unit of Maruti trying to convince me it is not required! If you google in youtube there are tutorials to change the CNG filters in foreign cars too. Only in India and probably for cost reasons and the need to keep inventories, the companies are not providing the filters which they provide to other international markets. It is the same 'Chalta hai for India' attitude. Cut the cost anyway.

Both Maruti and Hyundai export solid body cars to Europe and other countires but here they sell their wafer thin versions. I was quite surprised to see the build quality of Swift in Switzerland where my daughter lives.

Your fitment guy will try to convince you that this is not necessary. Dont listen to him and try to get one fitted. When the kit will develop troubles he wont be the one to give you any positive inputs because he is totally ignorant.

[wanderernomad]

Guys what about the mandatory hydration test for the CNG cylinders? Is there a particular center from where it can be done?

[Herschey]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

Guys what about the mandatory hydration test for the CNG cylinders? Is there a particular center from where it can be done?

Names and addresses of all the testing centers in India are available on the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization website. You can follow this link for that list and check for testing center(s) in any particular city: https://peso.gov.in/web/approved-cng...esting-station

[Indiguy]

Thank you. Very informative. Manuals are important, recommendations shouldn't be ignored. Surprising how the service center manager recommended not to change the filters, wrong guy in the position, I would say.

[singvikram]

Thanks for sharing these important information which is very important for every person who drive CNG vehicle..

[jagzrk]

Hi, I kinda disagree with the notions here. Not kinda, but strongly disagree.

My experience with a genuine Lovato Sequential Kit fitted for 45K in 2014 on my 2006 Honda City ZX has been absolutely phenomenal. At the time of fitment, my City had done 67K kms and now it is at 150K kms which means it has done 83K kms mostly on CNG.

I have always used fully synthetic oils on my car and City was no exception which always had Shell Helix Ultra 5w40. I read about the filters before this thread but found out there is nothing as such for the kit my car was fitted with. I am yet to experience absolutely any engine problem at all. This car is still running strong and the engine is exactly as it was when CNG was fitted. With a recent PUC check, the numbers were even better than any BS4 car even though this model is BS3. Its a shame if I'm forced to pay an extra tax or forced to scrap such a vehicle.

I'm not sure what it is, but in my mind it feels SOHC engines like Honda petrols are very well suited for CNG.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by jagzrk

Hi, I kinda disagree with the notions here. Not kinda, but strongly disagree.


I'm not sure what it is, but in my mind it feels SOHC engines like Honda petrols are very well suited for CNG.

Your car is still early into it’s CNG life. I ran an F10D WagonR for over 1.5L km on gas. The problems so wonderfully elaborated in this thread do happen, and it is only a matter of time. Regular maintenance always helps. But the little bit of oil that is ultimately finding its way into the kit will one day make its presence felt. The pre filter is very important for long term engine and kit health on gas.

Almost all small capacity mass market petrol engines are of a single cam design, be it Maruti or Honda or Tata or Toyota.

[jagzrk]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Your car is still early into it’s CNG life. and it is only a matter of time. Regular maintenance always helps. But the little bit of oil that is ultimately finding its way into the kit will one day make its presence felt. The pre filter is very important for long term engine and kit health on gas.

My apologies. Yes for simple NA engines the damage would set in quite late which would be anytime now I guess. But the thing is, its impossible to find these filters. It has been a futile activity when I last tried it when I read about it in some other forum. In fact, almost everyone insisted Lovato CNG kit does NOT come with filters. One installer recommended to change the complete reducer which is the most he can do and I accepted. But apart from that one thing, I never could get anyone to do any maintenance on the CNG kit and finally gave up since the car is anyway running fine and later forgot about it.

[1985Darkkid85]

Originally Posted by syravi

To fit after market CNG kits or not in Jazz or any other car?
Busting myths with solid technological reasons, indepth research & personal experiences

Hi @syRavi, your review is a grim reflection of things that can go hayward if things are not in order.
I am planning to kit my Honda Brio with CNG installation, considering i do at least 15k kms per year.
May you please help with the below queries, since you have tremendous expertise in this matter?

1. Will my car explode on rear-ending impact? If a truck or a massive vehicle like Fortuner hits me from behind, are there any changes of CNG exploding in my car?

2. Apart from the earlier servicing of Air-Filter & replacement of spark plugs, will i have to replace my rear suspension/Struts frequently?

3. I am planning to get the Tomasetto CNG kit , which is an Italian reputed brand in Bangalore (where i reside at).
The installer confidently assured me there is no Advancer filter and has very good reviews.
Reading your reviews however has scared me & i am definitely in mood to damage my engine/injectors as i need a reliable car.
Can you advice on the above point?

4. I am linking the installer details on this post & he has been in business for 27 years apparently! Read more about him HERE

[WanderinNomad]

Originally Posted by jagzrk

My apologies. Yes for simple NA engines the damage would set in quite late which would be anytime now I guess. But the thing is, its impossible to find these filters. It has been a futile activity when I last tried it when I read about it in some other forum. In fact, almost everyone insisted Lovato CNG kit does NOT come with filters. One installer recommended to change the complete reducer which is the most he can do and I accepted. But apart from that one thing, I never could get anyone to do any maintenance on the CNG kit and finally gave up since the car is anyway running fine and later forgot about it.

Has anyone tried sourcing the filter which is fitted outside. It is easily available with Mijo and seems like a straight away fit on any CNG kit.

https://mijoautogas.co.in/cng-components.htm