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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by BMW Rider View Post
    At the shop I worked in we did quite a few propane conversions, mostly for farmers and commercial pickups. That was back in the mid to late 80s when propane was bout 1/10th the price of gasoline. The cost of the conversion could be paid back pretty quickly. As the cost of propane rose and with the introduction of fuel injection, which both made the gasoline engine more efficient and more expensive to convert, the popularity of propane dropped.

    One thing about propane is that it contains less energy than an equivilant of gasoline so there was always a power trade off, though it has a very high octane rating. It did run exceptionally clean though, the engine when opened up was pristine with little carbon buildup and the oil would stay clear throughout the service interval. We were mainly an engine shop, so we did build engines specifically for propane too, higher compression ratios and hardened valve seats with bronze guides to withstand the lack of lubricating qualities as compared to gasoline.
    I remember reading about propane engines going like 200k miles and were still brand new when disassembled. Very cool.
    my buddy drove a CNG crown Vic only a few years ago. He said the car drove great, but not a lot of filling stations so was inconvenient
    79 Zephyr, 4.6L 4v/4r70w swap, with team z front and rear suspension, 8.8 and upgraded brakes and coil overs. Running Holley Terminator X Max.

  2. #27
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    My uncle had a 79 Bronco with a 400M and propane

    It was one hell of a runner, lasted about forever. He would pull a big camper with a boat on behind it all the time. Hard to explain the kind of balls this truck had but it would pull stuff down the road sideways when it was on propane.

    was a bit unnerving having a huge propane tank behind the back seat

  3. #28
    FEP Member Hans's Avatar
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    BMW rider, can you tell more about increasing compression? My LPG run 5.0 needs an overhaul. What worked well on these engines?
    I got one Impco 425 mixer on the airgap performer intake by the way.
    There are big block guys running dual set ups here.
    Thanks in advance.

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ALE-L21 met Tapatalk

  4. #29
    FEP Senior Member BMW Rider's Avatar
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    Back in the 80s when I was doing this sort of work, most engines were running stock aroung 8:1 compression. We typically went for around 10:1 for propane engines. Propane is also a very dry fuel and is hard on valve guides and seats which is why we also used bronze guides as they are self lubricating and hardened Stellite seat inserts. Additionally we modified the distributors advance mechanisms for quicker but reduced mechanical advance and no vacuum advance with a much higher base timing. We would actually adjust the timing setting at higher engine speed for a total advance setting of I think around 30 degrees (my memory is weak on that number though).

  5. #30
    FEP Member Hans's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info.
    10:1 is what I had in mind too.
    That was with cast steel heads right? So I could go higher with aluminium heads.

    I will check my ignition setting with what you descibed. Here we also have it advance early. Think that came from AK Miller info of internet.

    About the valve guides and seats;
    When cars ran leaded petrol, the heads could not cope with LPG often.
    But since the unleaded fuel cut in, I don't think it's an issue since the engines have better valves and seats.
    I wouldn't hesitate running 1970's american cars on LPG for that reason. Without any modification to the heads. You got unleaded fuel much earlier in the US.
    (There might be exeptions though.)
    Most of the American cars run on LPG in the Netherlands. Some 50 years common practice.
    I have the 1978 5.0 engine. Same as the Mustang 2.
    Carb of-Impco mixer on. That's all.

    BTW: The Ford ignition is very good!
    In previous cars (1980ies) the standard ignition was barely able to light the sparkplugs while cranking on LPG. And plugs needed extreme early replaced (10.000km).

    As long as the mixer is filled with LPG, the engine runs at the first crank rotation.
    (No start aid / push button to have gas flow to the mixer in place.)

    Regards,

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ALE-L21 met Tapatalk

  6. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by hjhnracing View Post
    The Red 1981 Capri actually belongs to my buddy. It was Ak Miller's personal vehicle back it the early eighties. I had a chance to buy it for $7000 but passed on it and bought a brand new 1983 Capri L 5.0L which I still own today. The 81' Capri is a twin turbo 351w with an AOD running 12 PSI of boost on propane. I ran a similiar setup but with a 302 and single turbo. I am currently building a 347 with a turbo but switched back to gasoline just recently.
    I have the 80 Capri. Ak and my dad built it then my uncle bought it after it went through the auto show circuit and it’s been in the family ever since. The whole reason for the propane was it was 110 octane and $.18 a gallon at the time. Now there’s not really too much advantage with decent octane boosters, ignition boxes a intercoolers. You actually loose about 20% power with it. The car is a blast to drive but the stats you guys have aren’t quite right. Especially after I updated it a little

  7. #32
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Welcome Ak capri.

    Id like more good info. Im in touch with Aks step son, who has been a true delight on some of Ak's 1967 X shell Ford Mustangs with propane 3.9 and 4.9 liter Fuel Injection and LPG and turbo cross flow OHC engines. As well as all that mechanical fuel injection and Triple DCOE Weber and Quad or six carb 200 Falcon and Maverick stuff before he saw the light with Clean Air Ak'd cars on gas from 1971 onwards. I think his only exceptions were the Pangra kits and a few gasoline turbo two door Mavericks. One red TRX tired 250 turbo 4 bbl with New Zealand made Cheviot TRX metric 200/ 55 390 tires and wheels.

    By the time he went TO4 Garret on every thing from 71 onwards after the Mavi GT, with Impco or OHG mixers, he was legitimately blowing eveyones doors off with anything he built.

    Down here, Aussie and Kiwi Bass Straight or Z energy Propane was downgraded to 99 AKi.

    Ak did a bewildering number of personal 5.0 and 5.8 Foxes. I thought 79 5.0 Mustang, his 82 Mercury Capri lookes like it was maybe single turbo and twin Impco CA 425.

    The 80 and 81, no idea. Ron Wakefield said the 2.3 propane blow through press turbo cars he built gave exceptional performance.

    As for the list of 2.3 Fox Stangs, Capris and Granadas and Fox LTD's, they were commercially sucessfull but Ak haf moved to OHG and retirement and the 200 club as a 74 year old by the early 90s.

    Please school me up. We lost Jay Storer to Lewy Body in 2014. The Unrepentant Californian Car Nuts....I live ya all!

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