Date:         Sun, 3 Oct 2004 23:55:35 -0600
Reply-To:     jimt <wetwesty@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jimt <wetwesty@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Subject:      Re: dual fuel conversion (LPG, propane, etc)
In-Reply-To:  <4160C83A.6090401@colorado.edu>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

On 10/3/04 9:49 PM, "Richard A Jones" <jones@COLORADO.EDU> wrote:

> There are gas (!) stations here in Colorado that
> sell LPG.  There are fleets of vehicles around here
> that use it.  I don't think they have to park them
> inside....  They are mostly trucks, so the big tank
> isn't an issue.
> 
> I remember thinking carefully about converting my
> '67 splitty to dual fuel in the oil crisis of '72.
> There were kits/parts available then to do it pretty
> simply.  You could switch from gasoline to LP and
> back without any trouble.  Of course, those were the
> days of carburators, but the AFC vane should do
> the same thing as the butterfly in the carburator,
> which was what the LP system keyed off of.
> 
> If you find solutions, please post them so we'll all
> be up-to-date.
> 
>                       Richard A Jones
>                       Boulder, Colorado
> 
> 
Here in colorado you are not permitted to park a LP vehicle underground or
in any public enclosed facility.
Recently found two lp converted suv in a local salvage yard.  Tanks were
still on them but all the engine parts had been pulled.
The tanks on them were twin sixty pounders.

In europe there is more conversion to lpg because of cost of gasoline and
diesel and their road speeds and distances are ore conducive to lp
conversions.  Also many governments will do some levels of subsidize of the
costs.  Some get registration discounts. Many of the britt converters have
commented on how the hp loss is definitely felt when they hit the hills in
the countryside.  Another reason for changes over there is zones like now
active in london where they have activated congestion zones within the city.
You pay the equivalent of about 2000 dollars a year to drive into these
zones in your vehicle.  But..if you are lpg fueled or a hybrid vehicle, you
are exempt.  All the more incentive to change off of standard petrol fuels.

Here in the US many a propane fueled vehicle has found itself out of fuel.
The dual fuel conversion in the US is the only way here until there is more
of an infrastructure of the lpg fueling stops along the highways.  Here in
the denver boulder area there are several stations, but when you start
heading down the highways you had better have the range to make the next
population center that may have services for lpg and hope it is open when
you get there.

How many remember the fun involved trying to find diesel fuel except at
truck stops.  Now diesel is available at most stations everywhere.  The
rules on storage of lpg will limit the lpg availability a bit though but not
enough to be a real hinderence.  I know of some stations discussing adding
lpg because they want to get in on the popularity of the big monster RVs
that are on the road.  Those things can gulp down massive amounts of lpg in
the winter with their furnaces running.



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jimt
Planned insanity is best.
Remember that sanity is optional.
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