All revved up and ready to go!!

[Membrain]

You are correct. LPG burns cleaner. You can pass the state emissions test using LPG alone without any other kind of emissions crap on the vehicle. You do sacrifice some power with LPG, but you used to could advance the timing to compensate. One common problem that plagued LPG vehicles is that it would dry out all the rubber seals and o-rings in the carburetors, and over time would burn exhaust valves, if you didn’t switch over regularly to gasoline and burn up a tank before switching back to LPG.

I had an old ’78 F-150 4X4 that had a 400 big block with headers and an edelbrock manifold with Holly 650 vacuum secondaries. I put a 150-gallon propane tank in the bed and converted it to LPG and gas. I advanced the timing to 12-15 degrees above TDC, and that thing ran like a scalded dog!!! My son was around 6 years old at the time, and he thought of it as our monster truck! It had a 4’ lift with 33’s all the way around! I bought it for 600 dollars minus the propane set up! I got it right after my divorce, because the wife got everything else!!! It was all I could afford at the time! HA!!! Ah... the memories!

[bamaspiveys]

I have some of the same impressions of LP gas, and remember when it was the in thing for commercial vehicles to be on LP. Several cities have taxi cabs on LP gas.

My exerience comes from LP Generators in RVs. Several years ago, RV Mfgs offered LP generators since the large class As already had large LP tanks. They soon found that LP generators burned twice as much fuel as gasoline generators, and were very inefficient. Today generators run on the same fuel as the main power plant for the RV, gas or diesel.

So I am surprised by the numbers here that LP is more efficient and produces enough power.

[Membrain]

Hey On Board,

That’s a sweet LPG set up! I like how you still have your ballast capacity with the tanks!

[MasterMind3002]

Hey Membrain

Thanks for the info. I didn't even consider advancing the timing to counteract the power loss. Does it totally negate the loss of power?

It could be why you were toasting exhaust valves too........

[Membrain]

Mastermind,

If you run on propane all the time and nothing else, you will dry up any rubber grommets and o-rings in the carb and fuel system. I don’t have any experience with fuel injection or fuel rails and LPG. If you run the engine with the timing advanced too far and don’t run a tank of gas thru it every two or three tanks of LPG used, then it will smoke your exhaust valves in no time!

Advancing your timing won’t compensate for the power loss 100%, but it is almost unnoticeable; at least it was in my case..

If I can remember correctly, propane burns at a higher temp, but has a lower octane rating as opposed to gasoline. Gas, on the other hand burns at a lower temp, but has a higher octane rating, which equals more ponies!!! Gas will lubricate the fuel system and o-rings and rubber grommets, which keeps them from drying out and cracking and leaking!

It’s been a long time since I had an LPG vehicle, but I think this is all correct!? Propane was 35 cents a gallon when I had my Ford Truck vs. a dollar or just over a gallon for gas! Since Propane is now considered a heating fuel (I think that’s correct), our Govt is taxing the hell out of it, and it isn’t any cheaper than gasoline now! Same of Diesel Oil! This crap is a by-product of gasoline. A waste product…and our government is now making us pay more for a by-product than refined gas. How did they spin that on us!?!?! It is considered a heating fuel, and therefore is taxed appropriately! Boston Tea Party just popped in my mind for some reason HA!

[Sled491]

LPG s a great idea. I don't know about this burning up exhaust valve thing and economy. Toronto cab drivers have be running on LPG for years and many cabs go 400k on mileage with little or no problems. It is very popular in Europe due to the 4 - 6 buck a gallon price for fuel.

On Board, your boat is very cool, love the straight colour with all the sponsor decals, very trick

[MasterMind3002]

Thanks for the info Membrain.

I feel your pain in regards to taxes. I feel like Uncle Sam is squeezing my privates every April 15th!

[On Board]

For me the Pro's are: much cheaper,burns cleaner , higher octane 100,extra ballast(lpgtanks) 220 pounds
Con's are: Heavy LPG tanks have to change them every 3 hours ,Little lost of horse power +/- 10%,higher use of LP gas (mpg).

Because, I'm the owner of the wakeboardschool, the big pro for me is that it is much cheaper with the higher mpg.
Let's face it we all have to eat

With all my boats that I had running on (conventionel LPG systems) I never had any problems (only a few adjustment problems)

[On Board]

Boat is broken in,LF brought in some gear,school is open so we';re All Revved up and ready to go!!!

[hiqualityH2O]

It's gotta be cold over there in Holland OB! Beautiful boat. Summer can't come soon enough!