homemade propane kit

[aharrow]

hello all i was fooling around in the barn this weekend with a gas grill regulator and 14oz. propane bottle hooked to the bhaf one guestion i have is does anyone know how much pressure or flow of propane is safe to use and how much boost should you have to start flowing the propane. Just trying some things can someone please help me so i can hook it all up and test some things i have access to all the flow meters and solinoids at work thank

 

[bighammer]

UH OH, sounds like another blown up farm truck thread.....

 

[JTMcCracken]

Over at the Ford Diesel site they build home made propane systems all the time, you might check on how they do it. JTMcC.

 

[Piston Slapper]

Bighammer... . I don't know how funny that was supposed to be, but made me bust a gut. I pictured myself out in the yard with the gas grill and some waterhose... "I can make this work!... . "

 

[MUDDY]

mine had orfice just smaller than 1/8th. i set regulator on lpg tank to 15 psi. i had a switch that wouldnt let lpg flow till boost was over 6psi as a saferty device but i would only turn on lpg when over 15psi of boost

 

[aharrow]

why is this so funny i have access to all the proper solinoids and pressure switches i just need to know what they use for flow of the propane and at what boost presure they activate the solinoid i'm just trying to save $600 bucks maybe someone can tell me why this won't work thanks

 

[Piston Slapper]

Misunderstood Aharrow

Not try'n to knock you at all! I applaud your effort. That's what is so funny. I would do, probably will do someday, the same thing! The "Another blown up farm truck" is what I was laughing at. Reminded me of myself. Always been looked at as a country/farm boy. Neighbors/Friends used to laugh at me for some of my contraptions. Like the go cart with the Lincoln town car seat and steering wheel on it... .



I can picture myself in the driveway with a bucket of tools the gas grill, some water hose and the hood up! "Uh OH! What's he doin now!" BOOM!!

 

[David Muench]

All I can picture is a Red Green handyman's corner sketch.



Good luck though, best if you ignore us hecklers.

 

[danandamy]

Originally posted by bighammer

UH OH, sounds like another blown up farm truck thread.....

:-laf ROFLMAO!!!



dan

chatmoderator

 

[RKohn]

These guys think like me...

What a bunch of sick puppies!



I was at the dump today and I saw an old grill in the dumpster with that regulator hanging there. I swear it was callin to me...



More power... . Cheap... . Do It!!!



I jumped in the truck and left before I had another Sunday project. I figure by the time I got to that one it'd be about June of 2009.



But I thought about it.

 

[shendren]

homemade + barn + foolin around + propane = probable disaster

 

[T. Baker]

I've done that. I had a 5 gal propane tank straped into the seat belt on the pasanger side and no regulator and a hose through the fire wall and into the air cleaner. I just tuned it with my hand on the propane valve. You don't need any boost but you can't use much propane till the boost beggins to build. If you have too much you get knocking. You can add more with more boost and RPM. the problem is that you always have to have you hand on the valve adjusting for all the variables. The systems they sell flow according to how much air flow is in the pipe to the turbo so they adjust themselves for all the variables.

The other problem was that not too many people wanted to sit in the cab with me and that propane tank! Wimps!

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

The pressure at which the propane comes on is determined by the volume of lpg you flow.



Small amounts only require the truck be running. Very large amounts really prefer nitrous.



The power shot kits are a variable regulator. they rely on vacume before the turbo(between the airfilter and turbo) to suck the diaphram on the regulator open. Once its open the stiffnes of the spring against the diaphram determines the propane flow rate.



On a low volume system 2psi of boost is enough (<5% shot). these are used for economy not power. as the volume increases the boost should increase to keep from detonating the propane.



I am probably a bad person to take advice from on the power shots. . I had a drug induced headgasket failure friday night but it was a hell of a ride I increased boost by over 20psi on propane. . went from 60-65psi to 85+ psi:--)



If you want to make a lot of power on propane give some of these guys a call:

Quadzilla performance (817 306 2444 www.quadzillapower.com )

Nowell Thomas (www.performancediesel.net )

KD-RV and truck ( aka Kurt Yardley 505 534 0434)



They all have a lot of experience with high hp propane and will set you on the narrow path to not grenading parts. I didn't listen to Quad and it cost me a head gasket.



Now I'll just have to drop in the Auto and the p-pump



Later,

Mark

 

[illflem]

homemade + barn + foolin around + propane = probable disaster

You used to see quite a few propane threads here. After a lot of blown engine stories they have disappeared...