Propane Power

Axel114 · March 29, 2012

I have been thinking of changing my 2011 silverado 5.3 to propane fuel. Has anyone done this or has any info on this? Where do you get the conversion kits and can you install them yourself? Thanks

tyhuck · March 29, 2012

Just thought about the same thing for my 05 last night.

I know the City of Tyler recently went CNG on quite a few of the city fleet vehicles.

kstruckcountry · March 29, 2012

Most buses are CNG now I think. We used to have a propane feed truck, and quite honestly it was a pain in the butt. It a lot easier to get gasoline to a truck when it runs out of go juice than it is propane. It didn't seem like it got much more power than it would have on gas. I think the main advantage on that old truck (70's ford) was that we didn't have to worry about bad fuel lines, pumps, or tanks. I would not consider it for my truck.

tyhuck · March 29, 2012

It a lot easier to get gasoline to a truck when it runs out of go juice than it is propane.

I would only concider it for my truck if it was dual fuel that I could switch back and forth at will.

kstruckcountry · March 30, 2012

I think ours would have had the capability, if there hadn't been a hole in the gas tank. I know some serious offroaders like CNG, it has its benefits, I just like the ease and simplicity of gas.

demech23 · March 30, 2012

Ram is already producing pickups that are both CNG and gas, http://www.windsorstar.com/cars/Chrysler+launches+compressed+natural+powered+Truck/6330124/story.html .

Ram is designing this for their business customers.

old-chevy-dude · March 30, 2012

there are some kits, they don't work with AFM, so you have to disable that.. in addition at least around here, propane isn't much cheaper than regular gas..

Right now LPG is $3.56 per gallon around me, and gas is $4.30.

the cost of the conversion is close to $10,000 so it would take me roughly 31.25 months to recoup the difference and start to see any savings, unless you plan to keep the truck 10 plus years the cost of conversion does not outweigh the difference in fuel pricing.

now if you are doing it strictly for the environmental advantages of clean burning fuel, go for it.

tyhuck · March 30, 2012

If I did it, it would be to run CNG not LPG. Propane is around the price of regular around here, but CNG is only about $1.60/gge. That would be the only reason I would make the investment.

TimmyG · March 30, 2012

Tow motors are nothing more then a car or truck motor running on lpg, some of ours run vortec motors, others are mitisbisi 4g63 motors

2010LTZ4x4 · March 30, 2012

I have been thinking of changing my 2011 silverado 5.3 to propane fuel. Has anyone done this or has any info on this? Where do you get the conversion kits and can you install them yourself? Thanks

Don't know about the LPG conversion for your 2011 but if you were to change over you will want to increase the compression of your motor to atleast 13:1 compression ratio to get any performance out of your truck or it will be a dog like all low compression motors running on LPG.

jro909 · March 31, 2012

its not worth it, for one the conversion is expensive, CNG is not readily available on every corner and lastly the few converted vehicles i've seen run like ass(few ram vans, and a kodiak)

spankrz · May 31, 2012

there is a guy here in town that converted his early 90's nissan 4x4 to propane, he has two tanks strapped on his flatbed under his rollbar. i like his setup, and he says it saves him alot of money, but it isn't for me or my needs.

BlackZ71Silverado · May 31, 2012

We have alternate fuel vehicles at work. The propane trucks and suv's can't get out of their own way. I am definately not a fan of propane powered vehicles.

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