CNG LPG 6.2L
 

Anyone have advice about the CNC LPG option on the 6.2L motor for a 2013 F250? The factory site does not list specs for the 6.2L with this option (maybe they are the same). Any downside to buying it even if there are no immediate plans to convert? Thanks for your opinion.

The CNG/LPG option gives you hardened valves and seats as well as a bi-fuel manifold. Same engine specs as without that option. It certainly doesn't hurt anything to add it even if you never convert - just be aware that a conversion will cost in the $8-$10,000 range. You'll get less power and mpg so you'll need to drive a lot of miles to make it pay off.

I read of the Ford authorized CNG conversion but also read the LPG conversion is considerably less costly and more efficient (larger range/tank). I have plans to tune this 6.2L for better performance with gasoline. I was interested to discover if the CNG/LPG engine option would preclude this work. I suspect custom tuning is part of either alternative fuel conversion anyway. Thanks for your reply.

LP conversions are cheaper, but don't know about considerably. A lot of the kits you see don't include the tank, that's the biggest expense. I would guess $5-7,000 installed. Keep in mind the bigger tank just takes up a bigger chunk of your bed - so I hope you're ordering a long bed. Also remember that LP has 73% the "power" of gasoline.

Regardless, nothing in the bi-fuel option itself would effect any tuning. If you want to tune, most here would suggest Mike @ 5 Star Tuning for custom tunes rather than one of the canned varieties. I'm sure there are specific parameters to change in the PCM for either CNG or LPG but I couldn't tell you what exactly they are.

Here in the Motor city we have lots of propane vehicles with the attendant support and Roush industries for Ford mods including S/C kits. I will likly order the CNG optional motor without immediate plan for conversion to alt fuel especially if it can be performance modified without hindrance. I will need to question Roush. Thanks for your advice.

I actually install CNG conversions here in Louisville for Westport LD. If you have any questions or would like more information on the process, let me know. Here is the FAQ for our Wing Power System.

Our pricing for the 2013 MY is $9,500 with the standard 19.6" tank, and $10,500 with the optional 21" tank upgrade.

Westport WiNG :: Westport WiNG Power System

We just purchased 3 new Westport CNG trucks from Matthews Ford in Tulsa, OK. 2013 F-250 CC 4X4 6.2 3.73 e-LOCK, with the short beds. Only got 200 miles on one so far...getting around 150 miles to the 18 gallon tank, can tell they are doggie on power like they have a trailer hooked to them but not! Haven't ran on fuel yet to see how that improves on power dealer stated run a tank of fuel every other month or so. CNG here is around $1.08 a gallon, cost around $11 bucks to fill it was around quarter tank left.

My 2 cents....

Thanks for the post! I think this is the first real world example I've seen. Do you mind sharing how much the Westport kit added to the cost? I'm honestly a little surprised by the low mpg, I figured it would be lower than gas, but not by 40-50%. Was this highway or mixed driving? As you point out though, at $1.08/gal, it's still quite a bit cheaper per mile.

Is there any tuning you can do to increase performance? Play w/ the timing, etc? I had an old truck that ran on LP and I remember they advanced the timing and that thing was actually pretty responsive.

It was a Gov't pricing....for us F-250 XL 4X4 C.C. short beds, electric windows and locks, rubber flooring, manual 4x4 shifter, I ordered these trucks the way we wanted them as work trucks! The west port system was like $9500 for the 18 gallon setup...they have a 24 gallon for $10600 give or take a little. So, far its just mainly mixed driving in town and little 20 mile road trips not carrying cargo or trailer yet. Truck shows its getting 12.9mpg.....right now chases for gears as soon as you hit a pretty decent incline didn't like that, we have some Chevy 2500's with 6.0 and it will run off and leave it. It may help with a tuner idk though couple of us are interested in purchasing one later down the road if they work out for our needs. The trucks stickered at $40k....we got these for $36k! Salesman was going to check and see what deal he could get us, but im sure it want be close to $36k....maybe low $40's? I drive a 1996 F-250 4x4 351 5spd....i get 15mpg on road....spend around $60 a week on fuel mixed driving...250 miles or so a week. I could drop from $60 a week to maybe $20 a week on CNG! Waiting for it to switch to gas to till the difference.....its bad cause u have to run all the CNG out first before u can run gas, so this is factor on pulling a trailer.....unless you can perk it up with a Performance Tune!!

My 2 Cents!!

Oh, never mind then, I was basing my comment on the 150miles per 18gal tank, that equates to a little over 8mpg, but 12.9 isn't bad at all for mixed driving. Maybe the tank isn't running all the way dry? I didn't realize the truck's mpg computer would still work w/ the cng.

I got a quote from a company in Michigan for an LP conversion it was $7,139 for a V8 engine, 60 gallon tank included. I've run some numbers and for what I drive it would be a 35% return on my money per year. Seems like a decent investment to me.

They claim it is a plug and play system that is fairly easy to move from one vehicle to the next. So setting up the next truck should have minimal costs and you continue to save money. Also you can switch from LP to gas on the fly. I'm strongly considering going this direction.

It can certainly pay off if you drive enough miles. Growing up my truck was LP only but my dad's was dual fuel - it worked flawlessly. Mileage was a bit less on LP but the cost difference more than made up for it, even back then. Let us know the details if you decide to do it, I'm really interested in how the new trucks do on alternative fuels.

In the late 80's my dad had a a 1980 Chevy 2500 he ran on propane for years. I got the idea from him and started doing research because of that.

In full disclosure I have an advantage that most people don't have. On the farm we have an 18,000 gallon propane tank. Which allows us to buy propane by the transport load. So we pay close to what most retailers pay. The last load was under $1 per gallon and gas here has been right at $3.40 for the last few months. So the ~5% mileage difference they claim doesn't bother me, it still works out to save some decent money. I drive about 15,000 miles a year and figure running propane will save $2,850 per year.

Currently I'm looking for a V10 truck to replace my 7.3. Then I'll be strongly considering a propane conversion.

Wow, 18,000gal?? Are you running a bunch of grain dryers or something w/ that?

We had a tank at home too, but it was only 500gal. Told them it was tractor fuel even though all the tractors ran on diesel. It was definitely a lot cheaper! Also technically illegal since they never charged us the road tax on it...but thankfully they haven't figured out a way to dye it like the off road diesel.

Yeah, grain dryer and hog buildings. The cost of the tank and plumbing in the underground lines to the hog buildings paid for itself in a year with the savings. Plus we were able to sell 2 1,000 gallon tanks. and turned 2 500 gallon tanks into diesel tanks.

I think you are supposed to pay the road use tax on the propane that is going into a road use vehicle, but I've heard that there is an EPA law that allows you to recoup that money on account of it being a green energy. I'd rather just keep my money up front and call it even.