I have a 1999 f350 with the 6.8 v10, i'm having some trouble finding info on a lpg kit or a bi-fuel kit. I would like to have a lpg and also use the gasoline too but I have no idea how the system works.

a few questions.

What is needed to use propane in reference to the fuel injection?

is there a sepearte computer I need or what?

is there a list of components anywhere on the net with specifications of what I would need?

Thanks!

 

there should be a kit made to convert to bi. It will work with FI and they have a chip or some sort of equivalent that tricks the computer- air mass I think. I lost my list of web sites but a decent web search should do ok- also ebay- they sell the stuff and some of the folks there that sell it are knowlegeable. tank will be most expensive part unless you get a decent deal.

 

also - keep us informed..ok? this is somewhat of a new game for us.

 

If anyone can point to LPG or E-85 conversion kits I would apreciate the leads also.

Thanx !

 

Just a little word of caution here.
I've seen 2 V-10s on LPG and both of them needed new heads at fairly low miles. The heads don't seem to like the propane much.

 

I've ran E-85 off and on in my E-350 5.4, I have a micro tuner installed, I only put it in with 1/2 tank of regular fuel, haven't filled the tank with straight E-85.
My fuel filters seem cleaner during changes, engine feels like it has more power, I can tell the times that I'm not running it, when I do it feels like a shot in the arm.
I haven't seen any conversion kits, haven't a clue if I'm damaging my van, but when I took it in to emissions testing, the results were so low I couldn't believe it came from an engine with over 100,000 on it and it was used as a shuttle.

 

too hot for valves or what? tell us what you know..paul harvery version ie rest of story.

 

LPG is very dry and it appears that because of that the valve seats wear very quickly. The 2 that I've seen had the valves sunk way into the heads.

 

I don't see it a good idea to run LPG in aluminum heads, I can't see how they can be modified to handle it, no matter what seats you put in.

 

if your putting in seats then you can build it for propane- unless the aluminum is a problem in other areas due to heat etc. Propane motors that are properly built last damn near forever- i'm not personally aware of how propane and aluminum get along but if the seats were sunk they didn't have the right seats in the first place unless they magically wear the head down under the seat.

 

Both my trucks run 351Cs with duel fuel setups eg.petrol and gas. The 100 I run exclusively on propane(we call this gas out here) now because the propane has wrecked the carb(750 holley) causing it to run rich on petrol, the 350 I run about 4 tanks of propane then 1 of petrol to keep everything working(350 has new 600 Holley), the cost is a big factor out here, even though you do loose some economy and a little power on gas it is only 70c a litre whereas petrol is $1.40 a litre. As far as valve seat recession goes both my trucks have got stellite valve seats and stainless valves to prevent or lessen this, some people still like to run a flashlube top end lubricator kit on lpg but I don't have this on either of mine although the 350 has previously had it. Ive never heard that lpg can damage aluminium heads any more than it can to iron but I know that no one in oz will put lpg onto an LS1 but I heard this was more to do with the possibility of an intake backfire bursting the plastic intake manifold but it may also have something to do with the heads. On another note Holden(GM in oz) have an alloy V6 which comes with a propane option from the factory as do ford whose 4L six has an alloy head and they are also available as dedicated propane burners from the factory.

 

Hey Oz,

thanks, also...what set up do you run with the carbs for dual fuel? I own a carbtech propane carb based on quadrapuke gm carb tat is being rebuilt but it's single fuel.

I'm very curious which system your using for dual fuel.

 

Het Roger, Both the trucks have basically the same set up, they use an Impco converter and mixer, there are better systems around but they are mostly lpg only which does away with the need for the Holley or quaddy and uses a much better designed "gas carby" if you will. At best the setups like mine that sit above the original carb are rudimentary but they work. In the future I envisaged both of my trucks going to dedicated lpg systems as you can build the engine to suit the gas and gain power over the straight petrol or duel fuel setups. One way to gain power in a duel fuel set up is to get an ignition controller which is 2 stage programmable as lpg needs far more ignition advance than would be possible with petrol before pinging resulted, this is also the case when building a dedicated lpg engine, lpg needs quite a bit more compression to be really effective although the octane level of our lpg has dropped drastically over the last few years as they blend in more butane. A few years back it wasn't uncommon to hear of 14 or 15:1 compressed LPG engines that made huge power but as with everything the government started killing the octane and upping the price.

 

I'm building such a motor- 400- running 10.5 compression but with a rv type cam (retro hydraulic roller) my dynamic is about 8.75:1 which requires far more than 93 pump gas. It's an odd build as I am using the ozzy 302boss/cleveland 2v heads- ported. I could run a huge cam and get the compression up to 14:1 or so but i want economy and manners and the desktop dyno still has me at about 380-400hp and 440+ ftlbs. And it should get fairly decent mileage. Well see but as far as i can tell it's one of the first 400's (stroked cleveland) to be built specifically to take advantage of the propane as a single fuel. Might be a good build for e85 as well...future issue.

I was wondering if you were using the impco 425mixer and, if so, how are you getting enough flow to the big carbs.

also I can get propane delivered to a 1000 gallon tank for 150-175 gallon and fill from home.

 

Hey Roger, I'm at work now(bloddy night shift) but I don't think I have a 425 I think mine are 625s or 575 from memory, I'll have a look in the morning and get back to you. A lot of the dedicated lpg systems use dual converters and mixers some on dual four or tunnel ram manifolds for bigger horsepower engines.