4trolls
1/2 ton status
Im leaning towards running my suburban on propane ,I need the pros and cons and any tipps yall can offer...thanks
CK5
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who runs propane
- Thread starter 4trolls
- Start date
4trolls
1/2 ton status
nobody is running propane?
i put a impco 425 on mine for awhile. it ran great for the first little while but then it got really stinky and ran like crap. i was using old stuff that probably needed a rebiuld. the really bad part was the cost of fuel for me. i asked what propane cost per gallon and it was 1.43. then i went to fill my 8 gallon forklift tank and it cost 20.00. a little more than 2.50 a gallon because you can only fit 7 gallons in it. i just got a 31 gallon tank and i will have to see what it cost to fill that before i try again. there is alot of info if you do a search either here or in the general 4x section at pirate.
4trolls
1/2 ton status
how many miles could you go on that 7 gallons?
Nonesuch
1/2 ton status
Propane is not worth the trouble if you have a daily driver. The mileage sucks. I get 8 MPG (city) in my dual fuel '03 Ford F150. It runs like a top and the engine was built up for propane.
My trail truck burns about 8 gallons per day on an all day wheeling trip. I know you are thinking 'all day' but you have to consider how many times we are just waiting in line or just sitting around talking with the trucks off. I figure the truck runs for about 3 hours on an 8 hour trip and then its time to change tanks. I have no way to test how much my trail truck gets per mile (it's a trailer queen). I also think out of all the guys I wheel with, I get the worst 'mileage' out of my system. This is probably due to my very high mileage 350 and possible leaks in the system. I really need to check for those and fix them before my truck goes KA-BOOM!
Feel free to ask me as many questions as you want. In our group, we have about 8 or 9 conversions under our belts. You can find a writeup and parts list at this link http://www.austink5.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=712
My trail truck burns about 8 gallons per day on an all day wheeling trip. I know you are thinking 'all day' but you have to consider how many times we are just waiting in line or just sitting around talking with the trucks off. I figure the truck runs for about 3 hours on an 8 hour trip and then its time to change tanks. I have no way to test how much my trail truck gets per mile (it's a trailer queen). I also think out of all the guys I wheel with, I get the worst 'mileage' out of my system. This is probably due to my very high mileage 350 and possible leaks in the system. I really need to check for those and fix them before my truck goes KA-BOOM!
Feel free to ask me as many questions as you want. In our group, we have about 8 or 9 conversions under our belts. You can find a writeup and parts list at this link http://www.austink5.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=712
jhellwig
1/2 ton status
Fourwheeler did something on this a little while back.
I run propane on my daily driver and I love it. Don't know what kind of milage I get cause not sure I really care, its a 1 ton four door dually. I have a 100 gal tank and It last a long time. Mine smells a little but about what you would expect. The power is about the same a little less throttle response. I only pay about 1.32 a gal I kind of figure that I get about 10 miles to the gal which is about the same as with gas, the truck really needs a overdrive and it would do alot better.
I don't know anyone that runs propane anymore. Even propane places don't run their trucks on propane anymore because it costs too much. Back when you could buy propane for $.30/gallon wholesale and $.60/gallon retail it was economical to run propane. However, now that it costs around a buck a gallon it's not worth it. I know my Dad's buddy's place of employment (handles industrial propane systems) no longer run propane in any of their vehicles. They quit converting them over around 1999.
yup...
My dad worked at the local gas company all his life--they used propane or LNG (liquefied natural gas) to run the bigger bucket trucks and service rigs,and their backhoe and trencher....their main goal was engine longevity,not economy,even when it used to be cheaper...
I've had a 56 chevy pickup with a 235 straight six that had a dual fuel propane/gasoline setup on it--I found the propane to be a pain!--you never could tell when it was going to run out,and getting it filled was a chore,since there were not as many refilling stations then as ther is today(now even our local liquor store sells propane!)...
I had the oil pan off it once,to replace the gasket when I first got the truck--I have never seen a cleaner engine to this day!...no sludge or carbon when propane is burned in an engine...it definately makes for a longer lasting engine,but in the real world--nahhh...I think forklifts use it because its less polluting in an indoor warehouse(though I'd choke to death every time I had to work in one with a forklift running!)
I dont think its practical for everyday street use--I saw our propane delivery truck driver fiddling with his truck for 45 minites on a cold damp day trying to "de frost" the carb looking dewhickey on the intake before it would start!
They eventually stopped using it on the gas company trucks and equipment,it was fussy and they were expensive when they needed parts,and were hard to get sometimes...
My dad worked at the local gas company all his life--they used propane or LNG (liquefied natural gas) to run the bigger bucket trucks and service rigs,and their backhoe and trencher....their main goal was engine longevity,not economy,even when it used to be cheaper...
I've had a 56 chevy pickup with a 235 straight six that had a dual fuel propane/gasoline setup on it--I found the propane to be a pain!--you never could tell when it was going to run out,and getting it filled was a chore,since there were not as many refilling stations then as ther is today(now even our local liquor store sells propane!)...
I had the oil pan off it once,to replace the gasket when I first got the truck--I have never seen a cleaner engine to this day!...no sludge or carbon when propane is burned in an engine...it definately makes for a longer lasting engine,but in the real world--nahhh...I think forklifts use it because its less polluting in an indoor warehouse(though I'd choke to death every time I had to work in one with a forklift running!)
I dont think its practical for everyday street use--I saw our propane delivery truck driver fiddling with his truck for 45 minites on a cold damp day trying to "de frost" the carb looking dewhickey on the intake before it would start!
They eventually stopped using it on the gas company trucks and equipment,it was fussy and they were expensive when they needed parts,and were hard to get sometimes...
4trolls
1/2 ton status
thanks for all the help !!!! so tell me more about this duel fuel set up. I dont care about economy that much ,the reason I wanted to know about milage is because I want to know how far I could go on a tank. The reason I want propane is because it runs at steep angles. this link is to my daily driven trail rig,I do not have a drive to work because my shop is on my property http://gitout.com/v-web/gallery/album47/P4163058
