I was just wondering, I am not planning on doing this or anything, but?? Has anyone evere heard of someone going from gas to propane, I have seen some Chevy work trucks that came factory as propane instead of gas. Would this work as well as gas for performance. Could it be fast??

 

I have heard of diesels using propane injection. I guess its like nitrous.

 

Some work trucks down here in TX were converted to propane. Doesn't make it faster or anything but many people with ranches have propane tanks that are easier to get to than gas stations. I hear it makes a big boom if you get in a bad enough wreck though...

 

It's also used to combat detonation in FI applications. (similar to alcohol injection) Check out some of the Turbo Buick forums for more info. There's at least one vendor who makes a kit.

 

Some friends of mine used to have gas/propane trucks. It was mainly because their family owned a propane station and it was a lot cheaper than gas. They burned more fuel with propane but it was still cheaper than gas. They said it was also better for the engine. It was a better lubricate and it was cleaner so they didn't have the carbon build-up. This was with carbs. I assume the mileage would go up with feul injection.

 

I used to have a 1981 RCSB 4x4 GMC. I converted it over to propane. It was popular in western Canada at the time. May still be...don't know.

It was 305 new...but about I put a 350 in around 85.
Then I bought a book "How to Hot Rod Propane Engines" ..really , there was/is one called that.

I kept the 305 heads which had a lot smaller combustion chamber and resulted in a lot higher compression on the 350. The high octane rating of propane allowed this to be done.
I did a mild port/polish and port match on them.

Heat was you biggest enemy with propane. The heat passage way that ran through your intake manifold under the carb had to be blocked off. This was probably the most importent step that had to be done.

I made my own cold air intake, again..huge difference in power versus using hot under hood air.
You think cold weather makes a gas engine more responsive...? nothing compared to propane.

I installed a Edelbrock single plane intake manifold. Each runner gave almost a straight line into each intake valve. In general, a single plane with gasoline would allow the gasoline to fall out of the air at low speed due to low velocity through the manifold runners...thus, single planes with gasoline were more suited for higher RPM's..
Since propane is a gas...this was no problem and a straight, direct shot into the head is better.

The....you modified the distributor...
I ran 18 degree's initial timing at idle. I still laugh when I think about it. The higher octane of propane allowed this amount of timing. But, you had to limit the total timing since the propane lost some of its octane advantage as the engine heated up. I installed a limiter plate in the distributor that would stop the centrifigal weights as they spread out do to increasing distributor speed.

It even helped to put a baffle under the intake manifold that would keep hot oil from splashing up on to the under side of the manifold....again, anything to keep heat away from the propane.

The truck went better than most gas 350's with the usual mild bolt on's..
Especially in the winter...lol

..and yes I am that old....

raisin

 

in diesels, its only like n20 because its injected from bottle.

more fuel in disiel = more power. propare is more fuel with high enough octane to not detonate in the high ion ratio engine.

Propane is just like adding fuel, but its higher octane.

 

in mexico many people put propane tanks in the bed and many 90& up chevy turcks haev it and also a lot of the new ones too.

 

A friend of mine that used to own ATS runs straight propane on many of his vehicles. His turbocharged rotary sandrail runs nothing but propane and it pushes out about 750 hp. I've ridden in it and it's freakin fast!!! It doesn't have any of the normal side affects that a gas motor has. It burns cleaner and allows him to make more power.

He says that it's very easy to switch any car over to straight propane. The only problem being the fuel tank. You have to run a large tank to hold all the extra fuel since it burns more.

Kinda like running on alcohol (octane rating and clean burning) except it doesn't contaminate your oil as quickly. His oil looks perfect after many many miles with propane. Stuff is just amazing! I actually considered switching over to it on my drag RX7 but alternative fuels aren't allowed in the class so it's a no go.

 

Propane? Been using it on my cars (mustang) and trucks for years. Virtually no downsides to propane..but I am starting on a new adventure..I am going to supercharge my 2002 GMC Sierra 6.0L using propane, but one problem I need to sort out is how to run dual ignition curves suitable for supercharging the engine with propane AND gasoline (not both at once). Also not sure whether or not to have the mixer as "suck through" or "blow through". Gotta high performance guy on it though and he has a shop and propane is his hobby, so should be interesting...
BUT back to the point..propane is (by far) for me the better setup...some might no agree I suppose...
PeteX