Looking at ordering a 2012. I see a few on the dealer lots. Has anyone taken advantage of the CNG/LPG Gaseous Engine Prep Package or thinking about it? Any mileage results?

Trying to decide if I should add it or not to my build info.

 

Interesting. How much would the option cost you?

 

According to Ford.com, the package costs $315.00
It does not inlcude the tank, but everything else the engine needs to run off it.

 

Personally I'd seriously consider it. Seems like I heard that the U.S. has more natural gas than Saudia Arabia has oil, and for the next 40 or 50 years natural gas is the only truly viable alternate energy option we have, as long as the "fracking" issues are resolved satisfactorily.

But on the negative side, its hard to see how natural gas could be viable until you can re-fuel with it at an ordinary gas station, and who knows how long that could take. So you'd probably be waiting ten years or so for the possibility of a payback on your $300 investment. And of course if you live in the rust belt, the truck might not last that long......

 

That's great they offer that, I hadn't heard that. Keep in mind it won't be cheap to convert, it likely entails more than just a tank. LP and CNG burn extremely clean so in theory your engine will last longer.

The point of availability is a good one - CNG isn't exactly on every street corner. I had an old pickup on LP and it was great - we had a tank at home which was for tractor fuel...won't comment on whether or not road taxes were paid. If you live in town though that's probably not an option.

 

From what I hear, LP is more practical than CNG because you can't get many miles out of a full tank of NG. Theory is that the capacity of the LP is much greater because it's a liquid.
Given the low price of the option, I'd jump on it too. Keep us updated.

 

SO now its been 7 months since this thread ran dry and gasoline has inched its way up to $4/gallon. I bet there's more of you thinking about getting LPG on your truck. Fact is with some of the factory authorized installation centers that Ford has contracted with to install Bi fuel LPG and that they have gotten EPA to accept their kits on the Flex Fuel engines, we should be not just considering these systems, we should be buying them in Droves. Every (or nearly every) Flying J / Pilot truck stop has Propane for under $3/gallon so its a no-brainer. WE can start now to decrease our dependency on foreign oil since 100% of our LPG and CNG is harvested here in the USA. And in fact its not out of the question to get 1000gallons delivered to your house and with the right wholesaler getting a dispenser is easier than ever to get. And buying 1000 gallons or likely half that would qualify you for a substantial discount from $3/gallon to around $1.25 depending what time of year. That means this... The savings alone between cost of Gasoline to cost of LPG over the 150,000 miles you'll drive before wanting a new truck PAYS FOR THE NEW TRUCK IN FULL.
Your fuel cost at $4/gallon figuring 15 MPG for 150,000 miles is 10,000 gallons X $4 = $40,000 While with LPG at $1.25/gallon will total $12,500 a SAVINGS of $27,500 & that doesn't even account for the $0.50/gal tax rebate the US Govt is offering now. The trade in value on the truck would likely be the $7500 you'll need to get that $35,000 new truck again.
WHen you consider working as a hauler with the truck as I do, since I haul cars with my truck, and that I'll rack up that many miles every 15 months or so, not only do I go from 45cents/mile to under 20 cents but the F750 I need at $70,000 is going to more than pay for itself JUST FROM THE SAVINGS in fuel. I don't have one now only because my credit doesn't allow the purchase. So I'm looking to replace my Diesel "Boat anchor" to a 3V-6.8 /v-10 and since I'll still have under $25K in my truck I'll hope to make my $70K in savings in the next 3yrs so I can buy that F750. So I just need to find a crate motor or preferably a totalled '08 F250/V-10.

 

You're missing a few things. First and most costly is the cost to convert, that's easily $5-10,000. Next you get slightly worse fuel mileage than w/ unleaded. And finally, the only way you're getting a tank at home is if you live in the country. They're not going to put a tank in your backyard in the middle of town. You'll also have to convince them that you need a wet leg on the tank, if you say it's for a vehicle they'll charge you road taxes. If you can convince them it's for tractor fuel then you're good - but still not legal. Not saying it wouldn't pay off, but it's not quick and it's not cheap.

 

I would agree that typically it is not easy to get a tank delivered to your home in the city. I'm actually on the edge of town and have already gotten a propane company agree to bring me a 1000 tank. THe "wet leg" is something that I'll be working on, I told them already that I'm interested in the ability to use it for motor fuel and you're right I will have to pay the $.28/gallon which on the surface seems like a lot but that's the only way to get the 50 cents tax credit and also since I'm a commercial trucker and plan to use LPG as my primary fuel there's no way I could get away with not paying tax long term anyway. I'm really trying to turn a new leaf over here and hate to screw the govt that's been my "poverty ***" for the past few years anyway. It'll be a few years before I break even with all the troubles I've been having as an owner operator since 2005 and not owing taxes because of it. Plus I have a commercial lot next door that I plan to use to convert/install early model trucks into the same money sipping machine I'll have, so I'll have other uses for LPG whether it be my own fleet or retail sale to others. I just have to prove the worth of doing this on a small scale to other truckers and being in ELkhart, INdiana which is camper transport central, it shouldn't be too far in the distant future if my plan goes well.