Propane injection
 

I have access to some solenoids, theyre used for the ether injection on industrial equip. I'm thinking they run the same threads as say a benzomatic or Coleman propane bottle. Any idea how much pressure is crammed in a little Coleman? It has to be 45 psi at the least to over come boost. Would I need an actual nozzle if I mount the cans upright (I know liquid propane in a cylinder is a no no) I wanted to run two bottles/solenoids. Each solenoid has 1/8" npt port. I was thinking of running plastic air line. any cons? I could get a braided nitrous line if needed. Unfortunately they're 24volt solenoids which wouldn't be too hard to resolve.


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The pressure on those bottles is 150psi. Yes, they would overcome the boost pressure, the problem is that they would only last about 20 minutes if your system is always using it.

What are you trying to do with the propane?

More power or fuel mileage?

Didn't expect them to last too long unregulated, not that they'd need regulated bc of the orfice in the solenoid. Just wanted it for a bump in power if I go to the occasional sled pull


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propane injection goes in the intake tube before the turbo to help atomize the propane. I believe you only use about .5 to 1.5 lbs to push it in and it usually runs off of a boost reference regulator. I have a power shot 2000 but haven't installed it yet. (been thinkin the same thing) there is a lot of mixed views on this subject :choochoo::choochoo:

I wasn't sure if you ran it pre turbo or not; but at any rate propane in a gaseous form won't need to be atomized, hence installing everything up right. Dunno if I'd feel comfortable shooting flammable liquid at my turbo anyways lol.


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The biggest problem if read about is getting a gulp of liquid in your system that's why i chickened out and went with the kit stuff, instead of a home made one. hopefully some of the guys that have ran these kits will chime in. these out fits brag about 75-100 hp gain but i haven't seen it yet. that much gain for 200.00 bucks sounds cheap. :choochoo::choochoo:

I though about propane myself, but too much to go wrong and your carrying around a flammable gas everywhere you go in a pressurized container... There is a reason alot of guys quite running it and you don't hear much about it anymore.

That's why I chose to go with Nitrous, you can build a kit cheap, its easy to tune, and much safer. I loved spraying my truck, INSTANT spool up! You can even get a progressive controller for it to tune how much you get at different boost levels.

Nitrous is turbo in a bottle though, propane is a fuel system in a bottle.

It works, I don't think there's any reason to put it in after the turbo. There's no reason to use an "orifice", you're not worried about atomization since it's going to come out as a gas. My "propane kit" I did a science project in high school with was a barbeque bottle blowing into the air box through a rotometer. Noticeable power increase at around 2-5 LPM of flow, above 10 LPM and it just started to blow eye-watering raw hydrocarbons out the exhaust.

It doesn't matter what you use to control flow rate of the propane, you just want to use SOMETHING so that you know how much you were flowing yesterday is the same as what you are flowing today.

BEGLE1, did you drive this science project around to get some mileage numbers or just noticeable power, I have a (kit) just kinda discouraged from the things i have read. I would like to try it though. I get about 15-18 mpg (depending on how i drive it that day)I also realize my rig is jacked all out of proportion.AND (propane isn't cheap) I'm thinking for extra power with the better fuel mileage as a bonus.and no you are not responsible for your thoughts, I would like to hear them though, haha :choochoo::choochoo: :pca1:

The science project was all doing the same run on a smog check dyno, each run at a different propane flow rate, while measuring emissions.

And I managed to lose all the data at some point through the years, unfortunately.

OK, I guess I'll just have to try it, maybe this spring when it warms up a bit. anybody else out there still run this stuff?????:choochoo::choochoo:

Our 6BTs are cheap and easy to fuel. We also have a great injection pump to manage it.

I considered propane more back when I had a 6.2L and an early Powerstroke. For these engines, propane is a cheaper shortcut for some extra power and efficiency.

Personally I have no knowledge or experience using propane on anything cept keepin warm... But I do have a buddy that's currently running a small-ish homemade system on his '96 3500. From the little I've gathered, it's running great and he actually have noticeble power and economy gains. I can't give you any numbers, charts or anything but I guess it works pretty good, he hasn't had any problems with it and no accidents. I've seen it and from what I remember he had it pre-turbo hooked through the intake ducting. Don't know about power sourcing or psi settings but he must being something right.

My $.02

yep...I'm running a fogger system in my 91 Cummins TurboDiesel. I average about 28 to 29 mpg in my fully loaded D350 welding truck....8950lbs. worth.
I have mine regulated down to .75 PSI, is activated my microswitch, main bottlepressure doesn't enter the system till my oil pressure is above 5 psi.
Bottle lasts me 4 months.

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Only cost me $125 for my system, but I build things like that all the time....

What size bottle do you run? And thank you for the info man. Deffinately good stuff to know.


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just remember if those solenoids where designed for butane then a regulator is a must, installed before the solenoids. propane is roughly 3x the pressure of butane.

dont want those solenoids giving out and dumping full pressure into the engine

I'm running a # 20 bottle, under the bed, mounted upright. Coming off the bottle, I have a acetylene regulator mounted to the bottle, then on the regulator, I have it adjusted to 5 PSI. Then, theres the solenoid, once my oilpressure hits the switch, it activated and a light on my dash comes on, opens the line off the bottle thats regulated down to 5 psi.
Upon mashing on the accelerator, a microswitch triggers a 2nd solenoid ( so the motor is above idle when the propane is injected), just ahead of it though there is a small regulator there that adjusts the final pressure down to .75 psi, then thru the regulator.
After the regulator, the end of a hose whose fitting is mounted into a alum. tube that feeds my turbo. Inside that fitting, I have a small jet that sprays a really fine mist....

Works good. on my control panel in the cab, I have a master switch that I can hit to kill the power to the solenoids should a accident happen. I have a led to light when the master switch is on, when the first solenoid is on (Operated by oil pressure switch) and then when the microswitch turns the 2nd solenoid on.
You notice a slight increase in power, but its alot peppier, mileage is awesome.

Are you saying when you are cruising it is set at .75 lbs but at wot it is at 5 lbs....I haven't started installing my kit yet but it's getting closer.

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Sounds like he is saying it is at 0.75psi unless at idle and it is nothing then. This small induction at cruising speeds can help with fuel mileage. So .75 psi at any rpm but idle.

if you run a vaporizor/ regulator, you dont have to worry about liquid burps. they arent that high on ebay. its what all the big kits run. its also what propane forklifts use. it uses the heat from the engine coolant to the heater core to vaporize any liquid that may have "burped". im building a kit right now. using the vaporizor and a forklift tank. most of the vaporizors come with a silinoid valve already on them. you can have it activate via oil pressure sensor in the charged side or a micro switch in the cab. and i dont know first hand but i have heard it said that you set the regulator up at an idle, when the engine starts idling rough its good to go under load and boost. just my 2cents. hope you find it useful

Been using Proane on 2 first gen with mpg increases and a good power increase.
I deliver campers for a living and put about 120000 miles a year.
I got part of my set up off ebay from a seller out of Wisconson.
I think I got about $300 tied up in everthing. I use about a grill tank per 2.5 tanks of fuel.
Diesel burns at 75% efficiency propane is a catilist makes it burn at 100%.
The nasayers need to look at propane powered vehicles they last for ever and when you tear them down they are clean and barely worn.

i run it on my 1997 6.5 it works good get about 28 mpg.

Preach
 

I can confirm what he is saying, I have a homemade 2 stage system and I inject 2 x 30 lbs propane tanks in about 1500 miles or 150 gallons of diesel (assuming loaded and under high boost)
I inject my first stage through a .025 injection nozzle regulated at 20 psi (double regulated at 60 psi) and my first stage injects from a solenoid triggered by a 5psi electric pressure switch in the intake elbow, my second stage is triggered at 16 lbs boost and that is injected at 40 psi (double regulated at 60 psi) through a .030 injection nozzle. I boost up to 35 lbs when stage 2 kicks. Like I said I run ALOT of propane compared to what some people dream is “not safe” ……. I’m at 606000 miles and I’m here to tell you, my engine looks new on the inside, no carbon sludge deposits, and my cylinders and head have no deposits, I run 250 over injectors and a heavy tune and the propane allows me to produce very little smoke after stage 1 kicks, and zero visible emissions once stage 2 kicks. I should also mention I’m a hotshotter and most of my 600 miles have been above 35k lbs gross (max scaled weight of 48k lbs and some change) propane is a simple way to provide a boost.
I went from 7.4 mpg (diesel only) to 10.2 mpg (diesel with propane) loaded now as I have said before I run ALOT of gas, I do not save money (at least not very damn much) by running propane, it takes longer for me to fuel, sometimes it’s a PITA to find propane, or at least somewhere that I can fit a truck and trailer, BUTTTT I will say this, I attribute propane with having saved me COUNTLESS dollars on maintenance costs, I run oil analysis on this unit and even at 35,000 mile engine oil service interval, I am taking samples that pass and a service has never actually been recommended by wheeler cat. Oil filter is changed around every 10,000 miles as well as both fuel filters (FASS 185 dual filter head) and air cleaner serviced regularly (K&N vacuum gauged for service interval)

anyway there is my soap box guys thanks for letting me rant :) best of wishes to anyone that tries it out.