Propane Conversion for Cars

[iamlowsound]

I have gotten interested in doing a propane conversion on my car, the savings would be huge. Anyone ever done one? What did you like about it? Any real negatives?

lowsound

[MatticusMania]

Propane conversion like a Natural Gas Vehicle?

[Pilgrim]

How safe are you if you get rear-ended?? I have never seen a crash test on a car with a big-ass propane tank mounted in the back end. That bothers me.

Also, there aren't enough propane stations around to make the mod worthwhile. I lived in Texas and worked for A&M when they started requiring every state car to be propane-capable. It was a pain in the ass to find refill stations, so no one used the propane - they just filled the tank once and left it alone, running on gasoline all the time.

[hartke20g]

keep in mind that you'd have to change quite a lot of hardware- new tank, all new fuel lines, safety equipment, and either a new or re-programmed computer (also heard it's illegal to re-program newer EFI vehicles). a kit can run around $1300 for a carbureted engine.

[Stinsok]

Don't you have to change valve springs when doing that conversion?

[i_got_a_mohawk]

[Valiant Bandit]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

lolllllllllllllllll...


Anyways unless you're running a forklift or something like that, it's really not worth it unless your car is carbureted.

You're better off converting an old diesel VW, Volvo, etc. to run on biodiesel.

[5StringBlues]

That boy ain't right.

[iamlowsound]

You can get straight up conversion kits, you don't really have to change anything out and you can still fill up with gas too. A kit for a small car only runs ~$2000 and fuel cost is cut in half per kilometer.

lowsound

[Mike N]

Think of how much fuel you could buy for $2000, figure your MPG and how long it would take before the conversion paid off. Is it really worth it??

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by Stinsok

Don't you have to change valve springs when doing that conversion?

Ok, I'll bite. Why would valve springs need to be changed with a propane conversion??

[Valiant Bandit]

Originally Posted by Mike N

Think of how much fuel you could buy for $2000, figure your MPG and how long it would take before the conversion paid off. Is it really worth it??

+1.

Plus if you ever get into an accident with it, you're never going to see that $2000 "investment" refunded by the insurance company.

Like I said, make a bio-diesel car. You'll see the divedends of your $1000 investment in a few months.

Man if I bought $2000 worth of gas, it'd last me for well over a year and 1/2.

[L-A]

It needs to be done right for the vehicle you have, of course, but I heard a proper conversion makes for a trouble-free car and an engine that lasts.

[Valiant Bandit]

Originally Posted by Mike N

Ok, I'll bite. Why would valve springs need to be changed with a propane conversion??

Yeah even I typed that when I meant to mention talking about the carburetor and how the jets need to be changed with a propane conversion. I've never heard of an engine needing valve springs replaced to run on propane.

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by L-A

It needs to be done right for the vehicle you have, of course, but I heard a proper conversion makes for a trouble-free car and an engine that lasts.

Regular maintenance is what will make them last. Heck, I've got an 00 Saturn SL with 167,000 miles, 93 Jeep with 200,000 miles and a 98 Chevy Z71 with 237,000 miles. I've owned several others with 200,000 + miles, and even one with 373,000 miles on the original engine when it went to the boneyard with a rotten frame.

I don't see how propane conversions would benefit any of them.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by Mike N

Think of how much fuel you could buy for $2000, figure your MPG and how long it would take before the conversion paid off. Is it really worth it??

It would be paid for in about a year, I use about $200-250 in a month. Propane burns cleaner, so you end up with less engine build up. A friend of mine does the maintenance on a fleet of propane taxis and he says that it burns so clean that when he does an oil change on one after 5000 miles, the oil still looks new. He also says that those cars never have engine problems.

I am also the type of guy to drive a car into the ground, so when that happens, you pull the kit out of the car and put it in the new one.

lowsound

[Valiant Bandit]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

It would be paid for in about a year, I use about $200-250 in a month. Propane burns cleaner, so you end up with less engine build up. A friend of mine does the maintenance on a fleet of propane taxis and he says that it burns so clean that when he does an oil change on one after 5000 miles, the oil still looks new. He also says that those cars never have engine problems.

I am also the type of guy to drive a car into the ground, so when that happens, you pull the kit out of the car and put it in the new one.

lowsound

...Kay...Well you seem to have your heart set on it so go for it.

Myself and Mike N have extensive mechanical backrounds and we're advising you to not do it. My 1976's fuel system burns so clean that my oil still looks new after 4,000 miles and I use cheap oil as well.

lol Plus you just admitted you drive cars into the ground...Soooooo....What's the point of getting this conversion kit? Just get a Jetta TDI or some car that gets good gas mileage and take care of it..... End of story.

Oh and one more thing, if you drive a car into the ground - what makes you think the propane kit is going to be okay to use again? You think it's just exempt from abuse because it "burns cleaner"? Uh, no.

Whatever I'm done here.

[Valiant Bandit]

Originally Posted by Mike N

Regular maintenance is what will make them last. Heck, I've got an 00 Saturn SL with 167,000 miles, 93 Jeep with 200,000 miles and a 98 Chevy Z71 with 237,000 miles. I've owned several others with 200,000 + miles, and even one with 373,000 miles on the original engine when it went to the boneyard with a rotten frame.

I don't see how propane conversions would benefit any of them.

Your Jeep have the inline 6, 4.0 litre? I had an old lady at the shop that 450,000 miles on her 1987 Jeep.

[Simo98]

You mean like LPG??

Loads of people do it here in Australia. Once upon a time it was $1500-2000 worth. Then the government brought out a rebate for $1500 and now they all charge $3000+

It's probably worth it though if the prices are anything like they are in Australia. You might spend a couple of thousand dollars converting it, but you get the same fuel consumption on a fuel that costs not even half as much. Pays for itself in a couple of years pretty easily for most people.

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by Valiant Bandit

Your Jeep have the inline 6, 4.0 litre? I had an old lady at the shop that 450,000 miles on her 1987 Jeep.

Yep, straight 6.

I paid $200 for this Jeep two years ago. Just had the valve cover off yesterday to change the leaky gasket and couldn't believe how clean the engine was inside. Hoping to get another 200,000 out of it, if the body doesn't rot away first.