[DeTomaso] While off topic - Propane

[gow2 at rc-tech.net]

I do think it's funny talking of how dangerous Propane is when we put a
gas tank in a side of a Pantera just waiting for a side impact 6" from
exhaust headers. Gas is so safe you know.






> Sorry, I didn't list all the details and to be honest, this was early 80's
> so my memory is somewhat fuzzy on exactly how all the pieces fit together.
> There was a regulator that reduced the high pressure in the tank (propane
> is a gas at atmospheric conditions forced to remain in liquid state by
> extreme pressure) to something more manageable for the fuel line running
> forward to the engine.  There was also a mechanical linkage between the
> carb throttle lever and a second regulator in the engine compartment,
> which controlled flow through the propane nozzle depending on throttle
> position.  Basic screw-type adjustments were initially required to set
> idle speed and to get max propane flow when the gas pedal was on the floor
> - nothing that required gauges or instruments though.
> This was an 80's vintage, standard American V-8 bubba truck with no
> computer anything (well it did have cruise control, and the radio and AC
> worked most of the time) and the propane storage tank was mounted outside
> the passenger compartment.  Given that, the propane delivery system was
> pretty simple and uncomplicated - and reliable.  It would be a lot more
> difficult (and even scary) if the propane tank were riding inside the
> vehicle with the driver and passengers (even in the trunk) and/or with a
> modern ecu driven fuel/ignition system.  Personally, I don't think I'd go
> that route, especially as a do-it-yourself project.
> And I'd still rather have a BMW850csi.
>
> Dave Bell
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Wait a minute. The propane flow has to be regulated some way. Simply
> spraying it into the air cleaner through a nozzle sounds dubious to me.
> Tomas
> -----Original Message-----
> In another life, when my brother and I owned a custom grain harvesting
> business, I converted our work truck to propane inexpensively using a
> bunch of second hand equipment. The main downside is that the propane tank
> is very heavy and takes up a large chunk of the bed, plus fuel milage and
> power were poor compared to gasoline. The propane plumbing was pretty
> simple though, mount the tank and run a line under the cab to the engine
> compartment. The propane nozzle was attached to the top of the air filter
> which turned the carb into a throttle body of sorts. I installed a
> solonoid that switched the fuel from propane to gasoline from inside the
> cab so going back and forth was easy when one tank was empty. As I
> mentioned, here was a noticable power (and fuel milage) drop when using
> propane though so when we needed to tow something heavy we generally
> switched to gasoline. The propane was a fair amount less expensive, due in
> no small part to the fact that we had our own bulk propane s
>  torage tank and we didn't have to pay road tax on the fuel. There were
> plenty of places to refill an auto propane tank in east and south Texas
> as most rural homes use it for heating. Refills just weren't available at
> the typical gasoline service station - you got to go to the propane sales
> store. One other downside is that propane is significantly heavier than
> air so if the tank or line springs a leak, you can end up driving around
> with a pickup bed full of loose propane just waiting for a spark to turn
> into bananas foster. Don't ask how I know this. But, if I had a pickup
> with plenty of unused space in the bed, I'd definitely consider propane.
> No, actually I'd rather have a BMW850csi.
> Dave Bell
>
>
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