How to maintain a BRC car: 9 + 1 tips

BRC Gas Equipment, owned by Westport Fuel Systems Italia S.r.l., headquartered in Cherasco (Piedmont - Italy) has been an excellence for over 40 years in the conversion of petrol-powered vehicles to LPG or CNG and represents a leading global brand. Such vehicles follow some different dynamics from petrol vehicles, it might be useful to read our tips regarding maintenance e keep your cars equipped with BRC LPG or CNG healthy for a very long time.

LPG

First of all, it is necessary to know that as per the provisions of the Ministry of Land Transport Circular No. B76/2000/MOT dated Nov. 16, 2000, the LPG tank must be replaced 10 years after the test, and the disassembly and reassembly operation must be carried out by an authorized workshop.

CNG

Each vehicle is provided with a tag indicating the expiration date, chassis number, and the stamp of the company installing the cylinders, which must be tested every five years if they are approved according to Italian regulations and every 4 years if they are approved according to UN ECE regulation R110.

In general, every car must be tested after 4 years and then after every 2 years. In case of LPG or CNG cars, in addition to normal care of the car, maintenance of the system should be done at the BRC gas equipment workshop that installed it. Preventive maintenance is vital to the system operation since the aging of materials occurs gradually and forcibly. Although it may seem like a long and tedious operation for which to carve out time, Constant maintenance helps reduce costs and increase car safety.

For this reason, we propose 9+1 simple tips to follow to arrive well prepared for the actual maintenance in the workshop.

Here are our tips!

Tip 1: Start and warm up the engine

Cold and shorter distances don't help the engine warm up enough to be fuel efficient (that is, it consumes 15% to 30% more). A good method is to star driving slowly by running the engine at medium RPM without harsh acceleration, don't demand maximum power right away but wait until the coolant temperature has reached 50-60°C.

Tip 2: Beware of engine shutdown

Before turning off the engine, release the accelerator pedal and wait for the engine to reach idle speed.

Tip 3: The right pressure

Tyres with too low pressure increase fuel consumption and emissions. It should be noted that under such conditions tire wear increases, the car's road behavior worsens, and consequently its safety.

Tip 4: Aerodynamics

The use of roof racks/ski racks and/or the placement of luggage on the roof of the car decreases aerodynamic penetration and thus increases fuel consumption.

Tip 5: On-board services

Using electric devices for a long time requires more power and increases fuel consumption. They should be used only when necessary and only for as long as useful.

Tip 6: Climate wisely

The careless use of air conditioning can lead to up to 20% more fuel consumption since it directly affects the engine.

Tip 7: Drive "softly"”

Your driving style affects fuel consumption and emissions; especially, it is recommended to let the engine warm up on the move, avoid accelerator strokes when the car is stationary or before turning off the engine, Avoiding doubling in gear shifting and maintain an even pace by avoiding abrupt braking.

Tip 8: Watch your speed

Fuel consumption increases significantly as speed increases, it is useful to note that going from 90 to 120 km/h has an increase in fuel consumption of about 30%; So it is also good to pay attention to the speed.

Tip 9: Work in the engine compartment with caution

If you really have to do it, care should be taken when working in the engine compartment because you can expose yourself to risks of injury, burns, accidents, and fires. Please observe some simple safety rules, such as turning off the engine and taking out the key, pull the handbrake and put the gearbox in neutral. Also, let the engine cool down, never pour operating fluids on the hot engine, avoid short circuits of the electrical system e Do not touch the coolant reservoir cap as long as the engine is warm, since the cooling system is still under pressure. We recommend authorized workshops.

Bonus Tip: Don't smoke!!

We do not want to give inappropriate health advice, We refer to the fact that smoking near fuel systems (LPG or petrol) or near the electrical system when carrying out works can be very dangerous. So is working near open flames. Also, please remember to disconnect the on-board grid battery.

For these and other eventualities, the most important advice remains always and only one: rely on your trusted authorized BRC workshop!