Topic: Whats the consensus on propane?

[Broke_Okie_Ty]

I'm building a new 22R engine and was thinking about switching to propane ($1.60 a gal was my first thought). I wanted to know the real life upsides and down to this set up. Where should i go to get it? Are there any tricks to setting it up? If anyone has done this, your info would be a big help.
Thanks Ty
 

[82 HiLux]

I asked a few people and they all told me propane is more expensive than gas. Right now gas is 3.29 here
Propane can run at any angle, which is awesome for a trail rig obviously.  Those of you with 22r's know what I mean. Its not as common to find a propane station as a gas station so its not very practical for a daily driver.  If yours is a trail only truck, GO FOR IT! Ive heard its a very good upgrade.

[cheap sunglasses]

x2 availability is the main issue for a DD. You'd have to have a few large tanks to have any real driving range. Can't remember how mileage compares to gas, but power is slightly less although not much.

[cheap sunglasses]

Also, what state are you in? If CA, you might not be able to run propane on the street anyway without jumping through lots of hoops.. flaming hoops made of razor wire 

[82 HiLux]

I asked my dad he said propane vehicles are legal in CA on the roads.  It costs more to run propane as a daily driver than gasoline. I say stick with gas if its a DD. If its a trailered rig, go with propane.
Youll get better info from someone who runs it though
 

[AaronB]

propane isnt legal in California. Unless it is a pre smog vehicle, but then it doesnt matter anyways.

[cheap sunglasses]

Yeah I believe the issue is with converting gas to propane. The CARB doesn't like you converting to anything that's not an OEM application from a newer vehicle. I don't think it is legal to have propane in a pre-smog vehicle either, they just wouldn't know.

[KYOTA]

right from the front page @ http://www.gotpropane.com/p1.html

"THESE ARE NOT FOR SMOG CONTROLLED CARS AND TRUCKS!
WE DON"T KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS A KIT FOR THEM"

and heres my install on a 22R from the Toy FAQ @ pirate (scroll down to the "P"s )
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1911664&postcount=7

[kneedownnate]

I know I can get propane for over $1 less a gallon than gas is right now, but gas may eventually go down and propane may eventually go up, so it's hard to do one over the other for the purpose of cash.  Thing about that is, if gas goes back down I wouldn't expect to see it below $2.50 a gallon, and the propane is $2.18 now and will go down as it gets warmer cause peopel won't be using it for heat.  I still haven't got a definitive answer on the difference in consumption between the two either.

[KYOTA]

cant find the thread right now cuz pirate is acting up but, Cary (gotpropane) has been working on a dual fuel set up for 22R's recently

[82 HiLux]

in the bay area where i live........gas is 3.50 right now 
FAWKIN OIL COMPANIES!!!!! TO HELL WITH YOU

[alwayzbroken]

Propane and gas consumption cannot be compared on a per gallon basis because they have different consumption rates. Propane burns faster per gallon than gasoline. The people at the propane shop told me it is not effective to convert to propane for fuel savings. If uncle sam subsidizes propane for vehicle use as an alternative fuel then it would be a different story. As of now, propane for transportation use is cheaper than normal propane but not enough to make it a gasoline substitute.

[82 HiLux]

^  exactly why im not spending the money for the conversion! all the plusses of it are sweet, but gas is cheaper to DD. good post

[kneedownnate]

Diesel's cheaper than both, that is if you convert to bio and home brew

[mudmaster]

Diesel is cheaper than gas here in Washington

[alwayzbroken]

Diesel costs 20 cents more per gallon in the midwest 

[kneedownnate]

Less than $1 (if you know what you're doing) to make your own bio, and most places would be stoked to give you their old oil.  Nearly free if you run wvo, but the hastle of running a second tank with a heating element, plus having to warm up on diesel and let it run on diesel prior to shutting down doesn't seem worth it.  Just think if you had a continuously running generator though