- Dec 4, 2011
- 563
I was just reading that a US average of $4.50/gallon is expected this Summer, and as it looks more and more like peak-oil may be a reality this time, I thought it might be interesting to start a thread on alternatives for the new site. Propane and natural gas seem to be the easiest choices in terms of conversion cost and refills. Electric and hybrid could be possible, but require new engines and computers. And of course the SS folks may wish to explore jet-engine options while muttering "I'm Batman!" under their breaths. 
Propane... There are a lot of conversion kits available for various vehicles. Propane has the advantage that you can find it almost everywhere. If you fit your vehicle to take a set of 20# bottles, you could pick up a refill at nearly any grocery or hardware store.
Natural Gas... This option is supposed to have a much better cost per mileage than propane, and nearly every home has it available to provide fill-ups while sitting in your garage, however natural gas is generally found available only in very low pressure and requires an expensive compressor to fill your vehicle tank. Then you have to consider if you need to carry your compressor with you to allow refills while on the road. If your typical commute is close to home, this could be a great option to really save some money, but refills during a road trip could prove to be a real problem.
Both of these options may require only minor adjustments to the PCM (if memory serves me correctly?), and both allow dual-fuel options so you can switch between gasoline and alternative fuels. User experiences that I've read in other vehicles suggests that your horsepower will be lower with either of these options, but depending on how you drive, you may not even notice a difference. One common advantage expressed about propane and natural gas is that neither breaks down engine oil as harshly as gasoline, and some people have reported getting 50-100,000 miles out of an oil change (although I doubt most people would trust the oil for that long).
That about does it for my limited knowledge of the subject. Anyone else care to chime in to correct my information or contribute usage experiences or recommendations on conversion kits?

Propane... There are a lot of conversion kits available for various vehicles. Propane has the advantage that you can find it almost everywhere. If you fit your vehicle to take a set of 20# bottles, you could pick up a refill at nearly any grocery or hardware store.
Natural Gas... This option is supposed to have a much better cost per mileage than propane, and nearly every home has it available to provide fill-ups while sitting in your garage, however natural gas is generally found available only in very low pressure and requires an expensive compressor to fill your vehicle tank. Then you have to consider if you need to carry your compressor with you to allow refills while on the road. If your typical commute is close to home, this could be a great option to really save some money, but refills during a road trip could prove to be a real problem.
Both of these options may require only minor adjustments to the PCM (if memory serves me correctly?), and both allow dual-fuel options so you can switch between gasoline and alternative fuels. User experiences that I've read in other vehicles suggests that your horsepower will be lower with either of these options, but depending on how you drive, you may not even notice a difference. One common advantage expressed about propane and natural gas is that neither breaks down engine oil as harshly as gasoline, and some people have reported getting 50-100,000 miles out of an oil change (although I doubt most people would trust the oil for that long).
That about does it for my limited knowledge of the subject. Anyone else care to chime in to correct my information or contribute usage experiences or recommendations on conversion kits?