Poor mans propane setup, help needed - Dodge Cummins Diesel Forum

 

I wouldn't recommend trying to run the propane as any type of supplemental fuel. In other words, I wouldn't recommend using it to try and gain much more than about 30-50hp tops. You will be increasing your cylinder pressure too much and risk headgasket failure as well as pushing the stock turbo too much. Propane works to help achieve a more complete burn of the fuel, and thats as far as I would take it. If you have already advanced your timing, I wouldn't add any, because you have already increased your peak cylinder pressures quite a bit. If you haven't advanced your timing yet, I would do that instead of running propane, similar effect as safely running pane, and its a lot cheaper.
Sean

 

I already have my timing set to 18*.... So adding propane on top of timing wouldn't be a good thing?

 

Unless you do something to counter the higher peak cylinder pressures, i.e. studs and a thicker gasket, or o-rings or fire rings. Running any kind of injectable puts you at an increased for head gasket failure. With the amount of propane you are talking about running, you are really at risk of blowing up the engine, just popping that gasket. Honestly, the cost benefit ratio on it isn't really worth it. IMO if you are going to inject anything, make it either NO2 or water(not water/meth). Trying to add an extra fuel is just asking for trouble. Plenty of power can be made with diesel and air.
Sean

 

Thanks for the advice! I think you just talked me out of propane for now.

 

propane is much safer than NOS. i have a friend who runs it all the time. propane has helped his fuel mileage and under full thottle has given him a 100 extra horse power. just remember that it must be injected pre turbo because propane must be condensed. not to mention that propane eliminates turbo lag big time. its all your choice. oh yeah a bar b Q bottle is just fine just mount the thing good good luck!

 

Whats he running it in? I've found the 7.3L powerstrokes respond amazingly well to propane injection and that you can safely run about 100hp gain from it. The dodges, I haven't seen as much success with, where as I have seen success with nitrous, when people insist on running a lot of fuel. What is the rest of his set up like? Another possibility would be to tune your injection system to cut back or off, when high boost pressures are reached so you are keeping your peak cylinder pressures to a minimum.

Personally I don't run any injectables on my truck, but I'm keeping it in a relatively low power bracket for now. roughly 550hp.
Sean