Prins service and repair for XC90 2.5t in SW London

[chrisyoung73]

Hi I’m Chris and new to the forum. my XC90 isn’t running on lpg - it’s a 2005 2.5t and we found yesterday it has a leak on one of the joints into the tank which I think has shut the system down. It’s due a service and needs looking at this week before I start shelling out loads more on petrol! Any recommendations?

[Brian_H]

Its probabbly not the leak causing the problem (Though it obviously wants fixing), more likely the service timer has been set on it, so it needs to go to someone with the Prins software to reset it. Is it the VSI system your using?

The only installer active on here is LPGC but hes in Yorkshire. There is a place in Kent that someone on here used recently, though I've never used them. I think its Medway Dual fuel they used, but they were listed on https://www.drivelpg.co.uk/approved-ins ... installer/

[Gilbertd]

Prins isn't a good system from this point of view. The software to connect to it is only available to Prins registered suppliers and it has, as Brian alluded to, the facility to set a timer so after a certain period it shuts down so has to be taken to the supplier to be reset. Software for any other system can be downloaded freely and I don't know of any other system that has the same service timer. It's a money making scheme for the installers.

[Brian_H]

A few of the others do have it, The KME Nevo I've seen it in the options for, but the lead is easily purchased for that, and software freely available. I wouldn't personally touch Prins as it's very much a closed shop to most people. The lack of being able to see what's going on with it just isn't for me.

[chrisyoung73]

Oh dear - Kent could work though.

Found these guys but not sure they are still operating will try calling http://autogas4u.co.uk/

And yes it’s a Prins VSI.

[Brian_H]

There is another set of address details listed for them on https://www.drivelpg.co.uk/approved-ins ... installer/ but its in Southall. Theres a few others listed, they all seem to cover Prins around that area. This thread viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15443 is the one I was thinking of, Though worth realising there is 2 versions of VSI and its VSI2 thats the more difficult one to get into.

[chrisyoung73]

Thanks I’ve had a chat with them they are now in Wimbledon which is good for me. Taking the car in tomorrow so will see how I get on.

Thanks for the advice.

[LPGC]

VSI doesn't feature a service timer but VSI2 and plenty of other systems (perhaps the majority of modern systems) do.

Service timers can always be disabled and they're invariably disabled by default (so if set it means the installer has gone out of their way a bit to enable it). Usually when a system features a service timer it can be set to just give some sort of service warning (like a beep from the switch) or can be set to disable the system. I never enable service timers and would certainly never set them to disable the system. On the vast majority of installs I see where the service interval has been enabled, only a small fraction are set to disable running on gas after the service interval has expired.

When was this Prins system fitted? The majority of VSI1 refusing to work at all problems are due to a reducer solenoid issue, the majority of cutting back to petrol under load problems are due to drifted lower reducer pressure (spring weakened in the reducer), the majority of other problems with VSI due to electrical issues (ECU crashed needs resetting, injector switching units, rpm module, etc). VSI2 has opened up new areas of problems. Say again the thing that made Prins good reputation was just the decent (Keihin) injectors they used at a time when other system's injectors were not a patch on Keihin (other brand injectors have improved a lot since then) but Prins electronics and other components were never great even compared to budget systems of the same era. These days a far better all-round system can be had using none of the mentioned components.