DRX: Klang Bad-Hat Installer & Honda Accord 2.0VTEC
Each year, I view and diagnose tens of NGV vehicle installed beyond Hijau. It is surprising that Malaysian Installers do not comply to any standard, such as United Nation ECE Regulation 110 (or R110) and Malaysian SIRIM MS1096:1997. In fact, the Malaysian MS1096:1997 is mainly based on NZ5422, and it is referred as Code of Practice For Use of CNG Fuel in Internal Combustion Engines (First Revision). For the guideline, I will prepare a comprehensive posting on how to install NGV system in accordance to SIRIM MS1096:1997 on a Mercedes Benz W126 (260E) later on.
In 2007, many problematic NGV vehicle approached us at Hijau for second opinion. Among hundreds of vehicle, there is one car that beat it all in areas of poor installation, unsafe, no sound engineering practices and worst, a complete mess. This is a case of a Honda Accord EX 2.0 VTEC belong to a Medical Doctor.
Originally, this Honda Accord VTEC was installed with a NGV Mixer system. It is a primitive system that turns the car into a carburetor engine while on gas mode. At petrol mode, it will be an electronic fuel injection (EFI). In our case, the Honda Accord VTEC owner complained that the car suffers from engine backfiring (explosions inside the engine) and great loss of power. It is a struggle to keep the car idling well and often stalled. Thus, we conducted a diagnosis on the car via Visual Inspection Method, on whether the car comply to SIRIM MS1096:1997 specifications.
The first thing we did was to check on the most important area of the complaints; the engine compartment and NGV system. Here is what we saw:
The Engine Compartment - NGV System
The NGV Reducer unit was placed on the right side of the engine, just behind the right-side main headlights. The NGV refilling nozzle is located at the same place with a red dust cap in the above picture. All hoses are long and look identical to a python snake in the engine compartment. It is a mess, and likely converted by a lazy, unexperience or untrained installer. In most cases, the installer companies employs school drop-out, SPM-education labourer or 'on-the-job-training' staff. Installation are done without proper supervision or instruction.
The hoses are in length of 5 feet and above.
The installation employed a messy configuration with wiring exposed and hoses being dangerously near to drive belts, especially the power steering pump. The gas hose from reducer to mixer is more than 6 feet long, resulting to great power loss, unstable idling and frequent engine stalling. The experience of backfire is the outcome of carburetor-on-gas at a VTEC engine. In reality, VTEC engine needs to use a Sequential Injection System (SIS), or commonly know as Electronic Gas Fuel Injection (EGFI).
In this case, the Honda Accord VTEC owner was hookwinked into using an unappropriate NGV Mixer system as his original installer did not know how to install SIS. Until today, many installers are able to install a SIS but unable to make it work properly. NGV Mixer system demands 80% mechanical ability and 20% programming. As compared with, SIS requires 20% mechanical ability and 80% programming/calibration. So, this case was a pure situation of wrongfully using incorrect system on Honda Accord VTEC engine.
But again, this is first part of many faults detected. The next area is the CNG cylinder installation. To our horror, his installer was clearly lazy to do a good and safe installation. This is how.
Wrong Screw Mounting Points on the Bracket
The installer drilled the mounting screw on the body floor slopping up or at the spare tire vault. This is 500% incorrect as it will cause tearing on the sheet metal body. This is against the requirement of SIRIM MS1096:1997 clause 4.3.1. This is one issue on the cylinder installation, and below is the next.
Cheap & Thin Screw on Clamping Mount and Numerous Welding Points
Now, it is clear why I recognised this Honda Accord VTEC as a case-study for 2007. It is top the worst installation over 12 months, among hundreds of vehicle I have seen. This is the works of a Klang installer, G**d***ck NGV. But this is not the end of our fault list. Here are more to view.
Single Screw Mounting vs SIRIM MS1097 Double Screw Mount
This is surely a quick-install method by using single screw mounting method. But SIRIM MS1096:1997 provides a 'securely attached to the vehicle to prevent slipping, rotating and jarring loose'. It means a double screw mounting is required on NGV refilling nozzle.
Exposed Wiring to Engine Heat
In many cases, electronic devices are installed inside the engine compartment. It is the area that endure extreme engine heat, which damages electronic diode, resistor, capacity and circuit relays. This is how NGV electronic fails in most situations.
Unsecured High Pressure Pipe Line - A dangerous Scenario
This is simple to expain. Look at how the high pressure pipe dropped down when I remove the rear wheel assembly to access the bottom body floor for cylinder mounting. It is an accident waiting to happen on a Medical Doctor. Hence, I had to remove the entire NGV system installed, from the cylinder to the engine bay. Everything came off the car, and rebuild to meet SIRIM MS1096:1997 standards.
It took 2 days to remove, and another 4 days to install a SIS. Here is the outcome, which subsequently cost the Medical Doctor - G**d**ck at RM4,800 + Hijau Repair & SIS at RM5,000. Total cost of RM9,800. A high price to pay for simply selecting an Installer.
Removal of Rear Wheel System for Proper Cylinder Bracket Installation
NGV Refilling Nozzle & 'Pigh-Tail' for Collapsing Pipe during Accidents
A Sequential Injection System on a Honda Accord VTEC-i
Every 3-4 months, Medical Doctor will come visit us at our office for a regular engine service. Our private satisfaction is when customers are happy driving their reliable and fuel saving vehicle. After all, it is 'Hijau Always Safe, Hijau Always $ave' that bring us conversion quality.
Be Safe, Drive Safe.DRX
