Propane

[77 Mud Buddy]

it is said that propane is only 90% effecient than gas. So you lose about 10% of your engines "Gas" potential. That is why people are talking about bumping up their compression, to make up for this loss. Then with propane being a higher octane you can go much higher compression than premium gas.... thus the 12:1 compression that was mentioned above. Now you have a motor that exceeds gas potential and can drive at any angle without the computer upgrade problems a fuel injected motor has. Propane is pretty damn cool if you ask me.

I am in the process of upgrading my trail rig to propane as we speak. I dont have all the stuff yet but am close.

 

[sled_dog]

Think I will run the carb for a little bit, then go propane.

 

[m j]

have you looked at propaneguy.com?
he is local to Rene and me
use OHG mixer

 

[rjfguitar]

For anyone running a diesel engine... Diesel and propane work great together because it helps to fully burn the diesel as it is compressed and ignited. Better fuel mileage and more power is what I hear from the guys running a little propane along with the diesel in the cummins and fords. Too much propane is bad though because it will ignite before the diesel will and cause it to get hot and lose power.

Nitrous and diesel also work really well together. Unlike a gas motor, nitrous can't really hurt a diesel engine under the right circumstances and will only cause a loss of power and the block to cool down if too much is used instead of windowing the block on a gasser.

A little off topic but thought I would throw that out there. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[Nonesuch]

I find that propaneguy.com is a little expensive. You would have better luck on ebay or keep searching until you find a shop that does conversions in your neighborhood.

 

[lukebaby1]

I wouldn't look for the price of Propane to drop dramatically, compared to gasoline. Most of your propane and Natural gas futures are calling for a price increase and shortages in the coming months. Depending on what part of the country you live in, prices have already increased by about the same if not more than gasoline prices in the same areas. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[TSGB]

Where would you install your tanks? Bed or down under? Would you have to worry about jamming on a rock/stump/rice grinder? /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[chubbybob]

[ QUOTE ]
Where would you install your tanks? Bed or down under? Would you have to worry about jamming on a rock/stump/rice grinder? /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

if you convert over to propane then you dont need your gas tank so install it there. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[bigburban383]

[ QUOTE ]
i had no idea you could use propane for vehicles

is there a big power loss?
what kind of milage can you expect?

[/ QUOTE ]

Propane has been used as a vehicle fuel for over 60 years in the U.S. Its estimated to be used in 97% of all alternate fuels in 1992. The vehicles using it have been estimated between 220,000 and 370,000. Nearly all these are conversions from gasoline engines.

This is straight out of my Alternate Fuels Guidebook for my alternate fuels class /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[m j]

he is just easier then actually looking for stuff
the local paper is full of propane systems for sale for $200cdn

 

[Nonesuch]

Yeah he is easy to find. Every search engine I have used brings him up with-in the top five. It does take some time to find cheap parts for a conversion but they are out there. In the long run propane conversion is cheaper than EFI conversion. The cost of propane is easily justified in the cost savings if the rig is a trail only vehicle.

 

[u2slow]

The wrecking yard I used to work at had a few propane vehicles. An '85 Astrovan (229 V6 & TH350 /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif), '86 C30 flatdeck (454/TH400), and a '95 Sonoma flatdeck (4.3L/TH700). None of the engines were 'built' for propane other than hardened valve seats. The lower pump price was very nearly nullified by the increased consumption.

They switched propane shops over this next issue, because they thought they were getting ripped off...

Each year these three vehicles would very rarely everpass annual emissions testing. The fix was always a new propane carburetor. The problem was overfueling. Same situation with both shops. Both said it was a function of the mileage put on them. The hit was ~$500 a pop for repair. Both were installing Impco equipment. (Now its sounding more like OHG has a better reputation. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif)

I still can't believe they were so bent on propane... They had a yard full of late-model GM truck wrecks, yet chose to outfit their delivery vehicles with a fuel system (and fuel) they had to buy elsewhere /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif (Some propane equipment was salvaged from converted vehicles, but was most often in disrepair - tanks were the main thing that got re-used.

At the time, I was a little skeptical of their track record with propane... must be a fluke right? So the first K30 I ever bought was an '86 crewcab (350/SM465)... on propane. Guess what? It wouldn't pass emissions either /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif I can only guess at the original (lack of) economy. Maybe 5-6mpg /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif as it improved to a collosal 8mpg after a new $500 carb install. As you can imagine, I had excellent range with the single 16-gallon tank /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

I ended up trading that K30 in for another. This time it was a '91. Virtually identical except for TBI and a shortbox. Fuel prices for gas vs. propane weren't far apart at the time so I was breaking even with the 10mpg I got with TBI.

However, my diesel has ended up being as much an improvement over TBI as TBI was over propane. (12-15mpg, 10¢/L less than gas, and less maintenance /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif)

The thing I remember about the oil changes... While the oil doesn't get fouled, it still breaks down from the heat - and you have increased heat with propane. So you shouldn't go beyond the regular oil change interval anyway. (For conventional oils that is... maybe synthetics are different /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif)

 

[m j]

picked up my OHG setup today
was supposed to be shortbox saddles tanks but they look like longbox ones ~55" long ~14" diameter
complete kit for $230cdn
OHG 450 mixer on a quadrajet base
OHG reg
Impco lockoff
Aeroquip lines
the feed line was cut about 6" from the lockoff by the hack that removed it
still a great deal IMO

will probably mount the tanks in the bed over the wheelwells
requires major surgery to the bed but from outside will remain stock looking