LPG and injection

[Narnian]

I've been reading a few posts here and I'm getting confused. I thought to do a LPG conversion, you needed to buy a special LPG carburator since LPG is a gas and not a fuel. But someone posted something about using it with the existing carb. Are they two different animals? Or could I do an LPG conversion and use my Holley throttle body after I get it working right?


I'm mostly just curious, but it would be nice to have that flexibility.

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81 Laredo,
360 w/Holley Fuel Injection, Edelbrock man, 219, 3.31, 33's, no fuzzy dice (yet)
86 Corvette
87 GMC Jimmy (Gotta Mechanic Coming)

[joe]

Narnian, just curious here but why convert to LPG here in the US? Where I live(WA) LPG for home use ie no road tax is only about a nickle cheaper than reg gasoline. With LPG you'll get about 30% less miles per gallon and will have to have a larger fuel tank accordingly if you plan to have the same total range per tank. A 30 gal pressure tank isn't that easy to mount/hide cleanly.
I can certainly see the reasoning for the folks overseas to switch with their high gasoline prices but don't see any plus for us to do it. Here it'll actually cost you more $$$ per mile than just running gasoline and that's not even figuring in the new tank, plumbing, regulator etc.

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Regards,
-joe
63 2-dr Wag, 73 J-4000, 82 CJ-8

[Narnian]

Oh, I thought you'd get a bigger range out of a tank for some reason. I was thinking that would be useful on my Alaska trip. ferget I asked.

[Rob]

Both my '69 Wag and my wifes '72 camaro 350 are running on LPG and fuel. With a small dash switch I can change to either one of them, while driving. On both cars I have IMPCO, which here is considered to be the best on US cars. Soon I'm also going to convert my '79 Chero Chief to LPG.
On my Wagoneer there is a twin tank, that fits exactly where the spare tire used to be, containing 2x13 gallons LPG. This gives me an extra driving range of 286 miles. Because it's a twin tank, I kept full ground clearance.
The difference in fuel consumption in my case is only about 10% (thanks to the impco).
On gas 12,2 on LPG 11 mpg.
So, yes the carb is still there, doing its work as soon as I switch to gas.
In Europe, Holland and England are countries where you will find a large number of cars on LPG. As I understood also Australia is LPG-minded.

[Treadted2]

What the heck is LPG?

Ted

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84' Grand Wagoneer "Dover"
-AMC 360
-Stock axles(AMC20 & Dana44), tranny & transfer case(NP229)
-MSD TFI upgrade
-K&N Air filter
-Rough Country 3" lift
-Heckelthorne Hydro shocks
-Yokohama Prodigy AT 31X10.5 tires
-American Racing 15X8 Chrome Nugget wheels
-blue fuzzy dice!!

*fuel injection and an MSD 6A ignition will soon be added. Hello 16-17 mpg!!

[Narnian]

LPG = Liquid Petroleum Gas, propane to us 'Mericans.

If I could keep my throttle body and add a second tank with an alternative fuel, that might be worth doing. Especially when gas prices soar. Gas this week was $1.59/gallon for 87 oct, but propane at the local power plant was only .97/gallon. It would be nice to have choices as well as additional driving range. Based on Joe's comments though, I can't see replacing gas with LPG here in the US. I definately could not see replacing FI with a carb to use LPG. I'm willing to bet that the conversion is overpriced though.

[Rob]

The "P" stands definately for Propane

[joe]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rob:
The "P" stands definately for Propane<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry Rob but the "P" really does stand for Petroleum. Label comes from the gas being a by-product of petroleum products production.
Some the old timers who lived in remote mining/logging camps way back when and ran their cook stoves, house lights etc from it still refer to it as Butane though http://www.ifsja.org/ubb/smile.gif



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Regards,
-joe
63 2-dr Wag, 73 J-4000, 82 CJ-8

[Gladi8r]

I am considering doing the same thing with my trucks. I understand that a vehicle run on all LPG stays alot cleaner internally also. Most overseas LPG systems are Dual-Fuel systems from what I understand.

Check out this link: http://home.off-road.com/~ozifsja/

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DON

1988 GW mostly stock, &lt;---Wifey's truck (won't let me "fix it up")

1971 J-4000,Rhino Grille
360 CID 8.5/1 ratio 2v, 245 HP, 365 ft/lb
T-18A, Dana 20, PTO, DANA 44 (Front/Rear)
Soon to be torn down for Resto

78 GW (parts truck)
360 4v Th400
Dana 44 F/R
http://www.j-trucks.freeservers.com/

[Rob]

Thanks, joe! I'm young, I still have to learn alot.

I looked it up. Over here they use a mixture. In summer it's: 60% propane and 40% butane. In winter 70/30.

True, gladi8r, everything stays cleaner, even the environment....ups...did I say something wrong again? No joke , it's a very good fuel to drive on. Once a month, I drive on gas about half an hour to keep my carb in good shape. Otherwise it should suffer corrosion, they say.

[graham]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Narnian:
I've been reading a few posts here and I'm getting confused. I thought to do a LPG conversion, you needed to buy a special LPG carburator since LPG is a gas and not a fuel. But someone posted something about using it with the existing carb. Are they two different animals? Or could I do an LPG conversion and use my Holley throttle body after I get it working right?


I'm mostly just curious, but it would be nice to have that flexibility.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Narnian, you can do both. I run LPG in my '82 and use a carb. There are vehicles that run LPG, here in Oz, that run injection. I am told by the owners that doing it this way, there is virtually no difference in power or economy. Ford Australia have this year released a dedicated LPG Falcon, runs the same 4.1l motor as petrol version. here you are limited to where you can by LPG.
Mine was fitted by PO in 1990, althrough old technology compared with todays.

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BEAR HUNTER http://www.geocities.com/ozbearhunter/
'82 Cherokee Sportsman II,360, auto. As it rolled of the Show Room floor.
Except for;LPG conversion, On board air. c/w water bag holder