diesels converted to natural gas ???

[Jim Smith]

Can diesel semi's be converted to natural gas? Can we make natural gas engines to haul the 18 wheelers? Can and will this reduce our dependency on oil? Over the road haulers use 30% of all diesel fuel ?? Comments

 

[kenny61]

Sterling Trucks Introduces Natural Gas-Powered Vehicle with Cummins Westport Engine



Mack to Provide Waste Management Inc With 120 Natural-Gas-Powered Trucks

 

[AHarris]

The Cummins Westport engine is a stoichiometric engine, though, which operates with spark ignition just like a gasser.



I could be wrong, but I think you can supplement a diesel engine with natural gas injection, but you can't run a diesel on straight natural gas any more than you could on gasoline.



Of course, Mercedes and GM have been experimenting with gas engines that can switch to diesel operation on gasoline under certain conditions to boost economy but these are engines specially engineered for that purpose.

 

[DBoggs]

Cummins is producing and selling a modified 15L ISX that runs on 95 percent LNG and 5 percent diesel. The diesel is used to produce enough heat to ignite the natural gas.



There is a fleet in Southern Calif that is using these for running into the ports of L. A. and Long Beach. They are averaging 5. 62 mpg with them.



Full articles can be viewed in the March/April issue of Landline Magazine.



Duane

 

[DennyDay]

Big Brown has been operating Cummins equipped CNG (natural gas powered) delivery cars for years.



Denny

 

[Buffalo]

A number of years ago, I went to Cummins Southwest in Phoenix, AZ. and saw Cummins CNG engines in schoolbusses. They had to install a new head with sparkplugs & electrics, I was told.



Joe F.

 

[bmoeller]

Of course, Mercedes and GM have been experimenting with gas engines that can switch to diesel operation on gasoline under certain conditions to boost economy but these are engines specially engineered for that purpose.

That is old technology. IH had farm equipment with engines that did that in the '40s.

 

[Dieselnut59]

That is old technology. IH had farm equipment with engines that did that in the '40s.

And forklifts have been gasoline/propane for many years.

Kubota offers an engine (for industrial equipment) that is either diesel or gasoline (and/or propane). With the diesel, it is a standard diesel engine. On gasoline, the injection pump is replaced with a distributer and the injectors are replaced with spark plugs. The manifold is replaced with one which houses a carburetor. I would imagine the same (or similar) could be done with our Cummins... . But WHY????????? LPG and CNG gets LESS power than GASOLINE and CERTAINLY less power/economy than diesel!