Is a CNG conversion feasible for a W22 8.1 L engine

[DGBPokes]

My MH is a '04 Workhorse W22 with an Allison tranny. I can get anywhere from 6.5 mpg to 10.5 mpg. Wind, load, toad weight, A/C, ethanol vs regular gas, all effect my performance. With gas going to $6 a gallon, is it feasible to convert my rig to CNG. We have a lot of pickup trucks in OK. that have been converted. I am aware that fuel availability is a problem. I am looking for options rather than stay home due to the high gas price.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGBPokes My MH is a '04 Workhorse W22 with an Allison tranny. I can get anywhere from 6.5 mpg to 10.5 mpg. Wind, load, toad weight, A/C, ethanol vs regular gas, all effect my performance. With gas going to $6 a gallon, is it feasible to convert my rig to CNG. We have a lot of pickup trucks in OK. that have been converted. I am aware that fuel availability is a problem. I am looking for options rather than stay home due to the high gas price.

It's done all the time in England and elsewhere in world.

Ford is wanting to OE LPG fueled vehicles for Class C applications and recently they have even gone as far as to harden the valve seats on the 2V - V10.

Personally, I'm sticking with gasoline.

[frankdamp]

Don't overlook the fact that the heat content per gallon of the various compressed gases is quite a bit less than liquid gasoline or diesel. Your mpg and distance to empty on compressed gas could easily be 30% less.

The reason for the popularity of compressed gas in Europe is that it carries a much lower tax burden than gasoline and is therefore cheaper at the pump. in the UH, gasoline is approaching the equivalent of $10/US gallon and about $6.40 of that is tax.

[gg]

The Schwan's Home delivery trucks (GM med duty) have been running on LPG/LNG since the 1973 energy pinch.

Per the driver: Fuel cost per mile savings, longer Oil change interval, Spark plugs last almost forever and excellent engine durabilty.

AAND no Fed or State road tax.

Cost $ to move that brick from Point A to Point B will be a driving factor for many/ and for others it the price for the check off on the Bucket LIST!

[RustyJC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gg AND no Fed or State road tax.

Ummmm.....so, let's see. They are driving over public roads and not paying their fair share for their construction or maintenance. As one who has to make up their shortfall, why should that be any more legal than running off-road (red) diesel?

Rusty

[butterbean]

Howdy y'all,
Back in the olden days(1982), I drove 72-passenger school buses, powered with CNG(these were some of the first in Texas) they were Chevrolet gasoline/converted to CNG.. They were a little bit slower on the 'take-off', but they would get on down the road.. I never 'talked shop' with the mechanics to see what the dif was in quality.. I would run CNG if they had it vs $$$$gas !!!
Smooth roads & balmy breezes !!!!!!!!!

[gg]

Gee Rusty

Let me think about Road Gas tax- Its from the best goverment in the world, so as we all know it will be applied fair .

Soo, now if we Buy a new Workhorse Elect Battery powered Truck being designed and built in the Wakarusa MH plant (30 + some Billion goverment grant), I would think Electric Trucks will drive only on new roads payed for a tax on electricity to charge the Batteries

[RustyJC]

Oh, electric vehicles are already on government radar, I assure you. Either governments are going to have to figure out how to impose usage-based taxes equally for alternate fuels (or electricity), or they're going to have to move away from fuel-based taxes to some stuff none of us will like such as paying X cents for every mile we drive each year.

None of us like taxes, but if we're going to have them, then they should be fair and equitable such that each user pays his/her fair share.

Rusty

[gg]

The TV news has reported Congress is looking at a mileage based use tax, based on Carbon foot print. So Mileage * Carbon foot print = $ Tax Owed.

I'm afraid the MH home Foot print will be about --- 40ft.

I would like to be one of the Federal Mileage checkers, working the day shift only, or Master Carbon Foot printer in the Department of General Mobility Control.

[Alan_Hepburn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp Don't overlook the fact that the heat content per gallon of the various compressed gases is quite a bit less than liquid gasoline or diesel. Your mpg and distance to empty on compressed gas could easily be 30% less.

Exactly - the numbers tell the story when you look them up:

Energy content:

gasoline = 125K btu/gallon
diesel = 138K btu/gallon
CNG = 90K btu/gallon equivalent

So, you've got about 70% of the energy content of a gallon of gas - you'll be burning 30% more fuel just to equal the work done by that gallon of gas. I don't see how your mileage could increase by 30% to make burning CNG be as "economical" as burning gas.

[DriVer]

I have not read of very many people that are pleased with the legs on their LP generators. I expect that when used in an automotive engine including generator use that LP will be the bane of the average RV owner.

The NEXT round of gasoline engines exhibit great promise for improved MPG performance. I hope that it comes around and that we'll see a BIG block "CETROV" engine that will turn the performance of a gasoline engine around 180°.

[pa0gri]

Power loss gass versus LPG is about 12 to 15 percent. It also uses a little bit more as gas.
But, road tax goes up when your vehicle is equiped wit an LGP installation (G3 type is nowadays the economical way to go).
LPG becomes money wise interresting is one drives 15000 miles a year.
Diesel is even higher, like 30.000 m/y for break even.
And, LPG is a waste product while creating gas etc..
As stated by someone already: We drive on TAX and consume a little.

[alvinc]

First thing that comes to mind for me when thinking about converting my 8.1 to CNG or equivalent, is how many of the cargo bays will I have to give up to make room for the tanks.

From what I have seen on pickup trucks and so forth, I would likely lose 70% of my cargo space.

[adlerx]

I had a delivery van that was converted to LPG in the mid 70's. The milage was bad but the maintnence was almost zero. That stuff burns clean and my understanding is it has very low emissions.
If I could convert my f53/v-10 reasonably, I'd do it. LPG=$2.59/gal
But I don't use my MH enough to justify the expense of conversion. It would never pay for itself in my case