Propane on the 6.0L?

[kc5deb]

With the rising cost of gasoline, I've been trying to come up with ways to afford to keep my gas-hungry 6.0. One option was propane.

 

Anyone converted to propane on them?

 

What are some of the downsides? (ie, decrease in power, shortened engine life, etc)

 

If it's going to shorten the engine life, or turn it into a true dog, it may not be worth it, but, worth some research and opinions from you guys who might have done it.

[redvett]

Actually the lifespan is longer but the payoff is longer since you need a conversion and LPG isnt as good as gas.

[fraso]

Whether a conversion is a good idea is purely economic. If you do enough driving annually and there is a large enough price difference between gasoline and propane, you will have a reasonable payback. Propane prices vary greatly across the continent and often the best way to find out is to ask a taxi driver. Chances are if his cab is running on propane, it is reasonably plentiful and he will also know where the best places in town are to fill up.

 

Properly converted propane vehicles generally have less maintenance and last a lot longer than gasoline vehicles. Since a propane conversion is a significant investment, it should only be done on an engine in freshly-built condition. That means that the exhaust valve guides, seats, and faces must be in good condition. Since almost all engines today either have induction-hardened or stellite (or similar) valve seats, this isn't usually a problem. The cooling system must also be clean and scale-free. A purpose-built propane engine would have higher compression (10.5 to 11:1 would be good) to take advantage of propane's 104 octane rating.

 

If the fuel mixture is correct, engines last a very long time on propane. Fuel mixture control on modern EPA-compliant systems is excellent because it is computer controlled. With modern EFI conversions, the advance curve is generally whatever the OEM has programmed. The only difference is that the engine will usually get maximum advance because of propane's high octane rating.

 

As for dual fuel conversions for your truck, have a look at this fleet conversion list. Generally, propane conversions are done by licensed installers both in the USA and in Canada. Technocarb's fumigation kit for your vehicle is PN SP-GM60-99-02 while the injection kit is PN INJ-GM60PU-01-05. Most conversion kit manufacturers don't seem to be very forthcoming with information for the consumer so I don't have part numbers for other manufacturers.

 

Frank