Propane ????

[scottco]

Is converting to propane worth the expense??????? What are the pros and cons???

[OnDaTrail]

For one thing it will be kinda impractical- How many propane stations do you see along the interstate?

[76GMC454]

my truck was ran on propane for many years..
pros: burns clean oil looks new when changed and is cheaper then gas especially if you can find a dealer that dont charge road tax.

cons: less milage about 3-4 mpg and less power i think it is around 10-15%

[njlimbaugh]

Check industrial suppliers for replacement tanks. A lot of companies use propane in their fork-lifts to keep indoor pollution down.

[Rogier]

I'm converted, simply because LPG is 1/3rd of the price of normal fuel. There is less power, but I don't feel it in my daily driving and I get about 12 mpg, no overdrive yet.

Buying a full set with tank, valves, etc etc is about 1200 dollar new. example http://www.vogelsautogas.nl/

[Your41Plague12]

Another pro is (if you have a 4x4 and wheel it a lot) you can turn the thing practically upside-down and it will continue running. It runs well at severe angles where a normal carburetor won't.

[James McClure]

GM builds a propane powered C\K truck now. (or they did a few years back) It used all the same sensors and TBI as the gas job did. I don't know\remember if it was duel fuel or not. I do know of a few friends who have made their TBI gas jobs into duel fuel. I don't like the way they set up the fuel tanks though. 27 gallon diesel tank where the spare is and 2 100 pound (20 gallon) regular propane tanks where the old gas tanks were with filling plumbing up to old fuel doors. I would imagine the propane tanks would be OK in a side impact accident seeing they are 1/4" steel but it's kind of scary to me. I have seen the "over/under carb" propane retrofits but don't like them and people I have talked to about them don't like them either. jim

[Pyrotechnic]

It would be cool to build an engine with 12.5:1 compression, then make it multi fuel for E85 and propane. That would help it make most of these fuels, and get back that power mileage. Propane could be the primary fuel and E85 could be the backup.

[scottco]

Thanks for the info.... Here in Texas propane fuel is easy to get. Just have to figure how long it would take to repay the initial cost of the system.....

[cayoterun]

We used propane on carb. engines along time and had good results. In recent years, by the time the conversion, tank, LP price increases, state, and Federal taxes are added, there is very little savings, if any.
It would still be worth your time to go talk to your local supplier, get some prices and info from him. He'd be familiar with the good and bad for your area.
When LP was 50 cents a gallon, it worked, now it's $2.25 for house gas here with no tax.

Cayoterun

[scottco]

I priced propane today..... $2:45 !!!! Not much savings there..I may go the fuel injection with the overdrive !!! http://www.affordable-fuel-injection.com/

[andrewmp6]

The airport here years ago ran lpg they stopped after 4 years said it wasn't any real money saving over gas.If your looking for max mpg a cummins 4bt and a overdrive will get it.A friend of mine has a 95 f250 4x4 with the utility box on the back with a 4bt gets around 20mpg.Before the swap he got like 9mpg because the weight of that utility box and the tools in it.