[abhik]

Originally Posted by amitverma

i've gained some confidence abt the install. but just for information's sake, how much does an ECM cost - Palio 1.2?

ECM Cost???- if you mean the stock one, why do you want to know, its mighty expensive but if your question is related in anyways to CNG installation then dont even bother as it would'nt be touched upon unless its a sequential kit in which a piggyback ECU of sorts would be installed or a closed loop kit in which the Lamda would be indirectly connected to the ECU.
Dont worry about the ECU.

[Freyr]

Hi

I also plan to get CNG installed in my Palio
Any recommendations on the dealer

Can I get a CNG kit installed on a vehicle having UP registration ?
I have recently relocated from Calcutta and my vehicle has a WB Number

I guess to convert to CNG I will have to get number converted first ,then only it can be endorsed on RC/govt approved

I hope for CNG Delhi number is not mandatory !

[amitverma]

i talked to a service engineer at a-one motors today and he again advised me against getting a cng install done. now im all ready to get the install done but these warnings are just eating me up.

i desperately need the cng economy but im too chicken to risk my car's health.
pls help.

[abhik]

Originally Posted by amitverma

i talked to a service engineer at a-one motors today and he again advised me against getting a cng install done. now im all ready to get the install done but these warnings are just eating me up.

i desperately need the cng economy but im too chicken to risk my car's health.
pls help.

Amit there will be a ton of people saying all sorts of things without any factual support. And i hate such comments by such people who would not the basics of how CNG is used in a car, the concept and theory of working and still pass coments on CNG not being good for a car.
Ford also told me not to go in for CNG for my Ikon and when i had it running on CNG and running well they took the number of my fitter themselves to get cars fitted.
You never risk your cars health on CNG its just a misinformation.
Fiats, Fords, Opels have sophisticated ECMs/ECUs and many people dont want to mess with them because they dont know what system to use with cng i.e closed loop or open loop, where to fix the TAP i.e on the crank sensor or lamda maps etc. and quite a few fitters dont even have the devices and guages to set the Lamda.
There are lots of technicalities which goes into CNG fitment and a lot of fitters have absolutely no clue of how to fit CNG in the best manner to suit a particular car.
Frankly speaking service engineers at many different companies have no clue when you go into a deep technical conversation, i have experienced it myself with Opel, Ford and Maruti Suzuki people.
Try and ask a Ford guy what PSI boost is the Endeavour running or the Fiesta running and they wont even have a clue of what you are talking about, hell i even got a response that the Fiesta TCDi is NOT turbocharged!!! And this was my reaction. So i asked him what did he think TCDi meant for him and i got some wierd fullform.
If the company people at the service centers calling themselves "Service Engineers" have no clue about their own product how on earth do you expect them to tell you about an alternative fuel.

[abhik]

Sorry for mistakingly writting TCDi for TDCi.

Mods: The editing time expired before i realised the mistake, please pardon me for the same.

[Mpower]

Locate someone with an identical car running on CNG and test drive it and get and idea of problems. Then decide if its your cuppa tea. Other than the fact that you are starting with an underpowered car, I see no reason why.

[abhik]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Locate someone with an identical car running on CNG and test drive it and get and idea of problems. Then decide if its your cuppa tea. Other than the fact that you are starting with an underpowered car, I see no reason why.

I second that. 1.2 being underpowered due to the weight of the Palio is not the best of options for CNG conversion as there will be an approx 5-10% power loss in CNG due to characteristics of gas which can however be compensated with a timing advancer, high-flow filter and a cat-back or complete FFE. Best of all a closed loop kit consisting of a Lamda control should work to the Palio's advantage and minimize power loss to very little.

[amitverma]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Locate someone with an identical car running on CNG and test drive it and get and idea of problems. Then decide if its your cuppa tea. Other than the fact that you are starting with an underpowered car, I see no reason why.

thats the main issue. i havent come across anyone who has a CNG kit fitted in their palio. while i do understand that the car would face a strong lag in performance but i reckon when i wud have CNG fitted i wud not hesitate to drive in higher revs, isnt it?
do not confuse me with a boring driver. i am all for performance and high revving but when u see the fuel gauge needle coming down like a rocket, you tend to switch to a more subtle driving style. monetory issues is a....#$%^&.

[Eddy]

Amit, are you still game for CNG ? the queues outside filling stations are humongous. Unless you have some contacts at one of the pumps, you will have to invest a lot of time getting your car filled every second day.

[abhik]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Amit, are you still game for CNG ? the queues outside filling stations are humongous. Unless you have some contacts at one of the pumps, you will have to invest a lot of time getting your car filled every second day.

Just find a Petrol Pump with a CNG dispensing machine and a compressor = Less vehicles, less waiting time, faster and better quantity filling with good pressure.
I found one and at any given time it takes max 15-17mins to fill up if there are more cars and max 7-9mins with lesser cars, which is less if you compare the others (IGL stations) which have a long long queue and a minimum of 20-25mins waiting.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by abhik

Just find a Petrol Pump with a CNG dispensing machine and a compressor = Less vehicles, less waiting time, faster and better quantity filling with good pressure.

Why would that be ? I mean, why less rush at a petrol pump instead of the IGL station?

[phamilyman]

Completely agree with Abhik/Eddy. You need to budget 15 min on the average to fill up every two days or so (any more and you dont need CNG ). Of course, if you're unlucky, half an hour is no sweat.

If you got a driver, lovely. Also, each station has its quirks. The mehrauli ones have humongous queues courtesy gurgaon cabs. There are stations in gurgaon which see queues too (there's one near park plaza, near the pizza hut). But like the one in VK, going evening means no buses and little queues at night ensures ~10 min fuelling.

that said, please give one chhapped to the service advisor. 1.2 NV was sold with CNG under warranty option by the same dealers around Nov-Dec 06. Its just that the fellows are in general incompetent.

@Eddy: With lesser pressure, its a pain for the taxiwalas, who would refuel once a day if not more. So for them, getting max refueling is key. Hence they prefer the VK one instead of the radisson one though post 10 both are easy.

[abhik]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Why would that be ? I mean, why less rush at a petrol pump instead of the IGL station?

Most people presume they would get higher pressure at an IGL station and the petrol pump does not have CNG written, so unless people see a queue outside they dont know if the place has CNG availability.

[Deeps]

There are N number of Palios running on CNG. The best thing i have heard so far on this thread is to go and talk to Palio users at CNG pumps.

The TATA/fiat dealers would probably discourage you from cng because of the problems that Xeta faced on CNG. Anyways, these guys aren't very knowlegeable in any case so dont take their word for it.

BTW, I heard that in Mumbai every petrol bunk is required to have atleast 2 CNG vending machines. Its about time such an idea was implemented in Delhi.

[Deeps]

Abhik, Are you the guy I met at Janpath on an afternoon a few weeks back checking out the palio??