Anybody interested in LPG conversion?

[Singtoe]

High price of Gasoline, benefits of propane - The conversion looks promising.

Pros -
Gasoline is >$4.00 per gallon propane is ~$2.75
Octane rating is around 100
Cleaner combustion so Engine oil will last longer (Thus the engine will last longer)
Conversion lets you switch between LPG and Gasoline at a push of a button.

Cons -
The conversion is a little bit pricey ~$1,000.00 (kit , tank, lines, spark plugs)
The engine runs a little bit hotter so colder spark plugs will need to be installed.
The BTU of Propane is about 10% less then gasoline so there will be some power loss of power.
You will need an propane tank installed inside and there will be loss of cargo space.

Anyway, I am seriously considering the conversion. I have a buddy overseas who can send me LPG sequential injection system that piggy backs over the the OEM Toyota fuel injection system. The only real modifications is to drill the intake manifold for 6 propane inlets. Everything else is plug and play. The LPG system uses the oem Throttle body and oxygen sensors for the perfect fuel map every time.

Here is a picture with a basic system.

This system is for a 4 cylinder and apparently does not use the lambada control.

Here is a link to propane conversion - TTORA Forum that has a conversion done onto a v6 tacoma.

Here is his picture of it installed on a 5vz-fe

If there is any interest, I will see if i can get several shipped from overseas. The ones that are sold over here are way too expensive and not fully featured as what i can get.

Figure the price of the kit to be around ~$700. This would not include the propane tank or hoses but will have everything else.

 

[Baja Runner]

Wow that is real cool. I know propane burns cleaner, and leaves little to no carbon buildup during combustion, but I have a feeling it would be hard to get smogged here in California. Unless it was an off highway vehicle/green sticker.

 

[J-money$$$]

this would we awesome for a crawler! it will run basically at any angle!

 

[Singtoe]

Wow that is real cool. I know propane burns cleaner, and leaves little to no carbon buildup during combustion, but I have a feeling it would be hard to get smogged here in California. Unless it was an off highway vehicle/green sticker.

Just smog it with it running on Gasoline. With the system off, none would be the wiser, with exception to the extra hoses and the lpg tank...

 

[kaceman]

i dont think you would have to smog it anymore once certified by the state it would be like a diesel conversion

 

[Singtoe]

Thinking seriously about getting one for myself, anybody else want one?

 

[awpsome]

damm thats pretty badass, i seen this done on some forklifts.
i wonder how much power loss, and propane is definitly cheaper!

and how big of a propane tank? i mean to travel around at least 150-200 miles gotta be kinda big?

 

[Singtoe]

damm thats pretty badass, i seen this done on some forklifts.
i wonder how much power loss, and propane is definitly cheaper!

and how big of a propane tank? i mean to travel around at least 150-200 miles gotta be kinda big?

The power loss would feel the like opposite of installing an high performance exhaust system. Hardly noticeable but noticeable.

When I was over seas, I used a 50 liter tank and got 300+ kilometers out of it. I think for over here, i will use a 20 gallon tank and it should get 275 miles.

 

[Dagobah]

Hmm, I wonder if you could fit the tank safely in the spare tire well...

 

[Singtoe]

Last chance, My buddy is coming back from Overseas this month. I have not priced out what LPG is currently selling per gallon...

 

[the great him]

i would consider it, but with the loss in power you take with converting to propane and our trucks being one the low end of power in the first place... its tempting but im gonna have to pass. but it looks like a good setup.

 

[Mr. Leary]

I know several crawlers who are "runnin on pane." The issues are all the same. Yes, the truck can run upside down without skipping a beat, but you can't rev it over 3k or it will sputter and bog down. Not practical for the street.

Now if you had some really fancy injection system and some kind of line cooler to condense the gas before it was injected into the cylinder... it might alleviate the problem.

I'd love to see somebody do it, don't get me wrong... I'm just not going to hold my breath. There are reasons why our trucks aren't coming from the factory that way.

 

[Singtoe]

I know several crawlers who are "runnin on pane." The issues are all the same. Yes, the truck can run upside down without skipping a beat, but you can't rev it over 3k or it will sputter and bog down. Not practical for the street.

Now if you had some really fancy injection system and some kind of line cooler to condense the gas before it was injected into the cylinder... it might alleviate the problem.

I'd love to see somebody do it, don't get me wrong... I'm just not going to hold my breath. There are reasons why our trucks aren't coming from the factory that way.

That is what this system is. It is a really fancy injection system. I have driven cars with this system and they redline just fine. Yes, there is some power loss -about 10%. But very practical for street.

Gasoline is $8.72 per gallon in England thus there have been many many LPG conversions. Just google LPG automobiles and you will see thousands of pages of information.

 

[Mr. Leary]

It would be cool to run my camp stove and my truck off of the same fuel. :trophy:

 

[cj80cruiser]

My dad used to convert all his trucks over to LPG. He has a few tanks leftover from all the different conversions. His company truck, a 91 ford f-150 ran LPG its entire life....think it had over 300k miles on it when the company retired the truck.

I wouldn't mind losing 10% horsepower if I could save on cost per gallon but the kits price tag puts it out of reach for me even if I could get a free tank from my dad. Would be cool though.

 

[Avarice]

Not to be a jerk, but I find all these threads about people wanting to sell their cars or convert them for better mileage amusing. America has by and large been driving guzzlers for half a century and now that fuel prices are starting to get remotely in line with what most of the world has been paying people freak out and think the only option is a different vehicle.

IMO you're better off buying a 15 year old honda civic or tercel and running that as a grocery getter DD than most of these options people keep discussing.

 

[Avarice]

On topic, I am interested in the idea of the conversion, and would love to see it in action. However, seeing as I don't intend to keep my 4runner until the bitter end (gonna buy a Hilux surf in a couple years when the 99's are legal in Canada) I wouldn't consider doing it.

Not only because of the time/cash outlay, but also because I know for a fact it would be extremely hard to sell, and would probably sell for less.

My grandfather has a 1988 ford f-250 that runs on propane that still works to this day. That being said, it didn't like BC winters and he always had another gasoline truck to use.

 

[Singtoe]

My dad used to convert all his trucks over to LPG. He has a few tanks leftover from all the different conversions. His company truck, a 91 ford f-150 ran LPG its entire life....think it had over 300k miles on it when the company retired the truck.

I wouldn't mind losing 10% horsepower if I could save on cost per gallon but the kits price tag puts it out of reach for me even if I could get a free tank from my dad. Would be cool though.

Can you get some old tanks?

I got a buddy coming back from overseas in a month or two. I am thinking about doing the conversion on my Taco.

 

[City_Rider]

Can you get some old tanks?

I got a buddy coming back from overseas in a month or two. I am thinking about doing the conversion on my Taco.

Prepare for a significant drop in power - back in the day I had a B2200 Mazda hooked up on LPG and it was a slug. Seriously, you could put your foot to the floor and it would barely accelerate from on ramps.

Not for this guy - never again...

 

[tbst]

Definitely interested in this. Chesapeake and a lot of other big companies are running NG vehicles no problems.

Subscribed.

Btw, EQT just put in a NG fill station open to the public in Pittsburgh.