Comments on: With gas prices so high, why no rush to propane?

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:18:03 +0000

Have any of you fine folk making these comments, driven the latest propane technology? I have been driving propane vehicles for 24 years and have never had a major issue. Cold starting was a installation issue and not a “propane issue”. Lack of power was an issue 20 years ago with throttle body technology. I’ve seen dyno results from the latest propane tecnology showing less then 1% power difference on a 5.0 litre 2011 Ford F150, all while doing it at more than 50% cheaper than gasoline. Propane is being utilized all over the world, and doing it with 26% less green house gases and 50% less toxins. Supply is not an issue especially here in North America where Shale Gas abounds. Go give it a try and then send in your comments.

By: Jack

Jack — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:08:20 +0000

The negative experiences I see in the comments date from the 1980s, when fuel injection systems were in their infancy and propane conversions were not yet electronically controlled themselves or integrated with the electronic systems that were just becoming common in gasoline engines. Propane systems now are mostly vapour or liquid injection, and communicate with the ECM. Night and day. Police departments, courier companies, service vehicles – vehicles that have to start and run with no loss of power – are racking up millions of km on propane.

By: JimB

JimB — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 18:29:15 +0000

Propane has been tried, and has been found wanting. It is heavier than air, and leaks ‘pool’ and there is a very high explosion risk factor if there is a leak. I use propane at home for my range–I do not have a basement (slab instead), the house is on a rise with steady breezes that will disperse leaks. I would never consider propane if all those conditions were not there, and that is for a stationary house and range. New tank outdoors started developing a leak one day for no reason, leak too fine to smell yet but you could see the wavering in the air like heat waves. By the time the tech arrived, it was leaking vigourously ( I had turned the valve off to the range) In a moving vehicle slamming over rough roads?–no thanks, and I’ve driven propane and CNG vehicles. All the previous comments about the drawbacks are oh so true.

By: domenic

domenic — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 18:14:10 +0000

Great article, now we have to get the Provincial Regulators onboard to allow propane stations throughtout the province. Alot have close due to “over regulating” and making it expensive to obtain the station licences. And then the major stations, I’m sure they would not be thrilled to have an alternative fuel, beleive I have asked them.

By: Dredge

Dredge — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:44:51 +0000

Comments saying that propane vehicles didn’t run well in the 60s and 70s, so they won’t work now, are kind of missing the point. Guess what, technologies like computers were also much poorer performing 40 years ago, but we don’t still hold them to that standard.
I’ve seen a couple of the new propane/gas trucks and they run just as well on both fuels.

By: I_bRAD

I_bRAD — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:41:13 +0000

Is it safe to assume he drove his full size V8 pickup all the way to Kingston, and then on to cornwall by himself, with no cargo? Tell me about your fuel savings.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:17:27 +0000

I see a couple of things here that from personnel experience come to mind. One is a temperature issue, another the power issue and thirdly a supply & demand issue.
The first two I can attest to from having served with the Cdn Forces when we tried out propane powered vehicles, which was sadly a huge failure. Why? The vehicles failed to start in some of the colder areas of Canada including Borden. As well, these vehicles sorely lacked power. Now maybe it was the type of vehicle and the engine they were outfitted with but these vehicles proved frustratingly gutless going up inclines and on the 400 series of highways.
Lastly, prices of propane are low, partly in effect because of Supply & Demand. Propane is in abundance but what might happens hould the demand sharply increase? I am not saying prices will sore but more then likely costs will increase and if the front end costs of having a propane engine are high, like the EV’s out there, the individual may not be ready to part with his hard earned dollar as capital costs usually outweigh long term benefits.
And lastly last (such a term?), just because Europe does something does not mean we should follow suit. I have lived in europe and there are many things that look great but aren’t so spectacular (take seatless toilets in Italy, lol)!

Have a great day

By: Jayson

Jayson — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:27:39 +0000

A friend of mine (Ralf Frisken if you’ve heard of him) who was a team member of front running CanAm racing in the 70′s explained the nuances of propane/natural gas running engines. Petrol is a wet fuel meaning even as it burns it is still a lubricating property in the engine. Propane is a dry fuel and leaves the engine dry internally. There’s less lubrication and the engine tears itself to pieces over time. propane works in short stints but over years of everyday use it destroys the engine. That’s why it’s not out on the market.

By: Accremonious

Accremonious — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:39:22 +0000

One only needs to remember the huge explosion and fire in Toronto at the miss managed Propane Distribution Center, and you have the answer to why the general public don’t want to be anywhere near this gas. Yet it is used daily in many fork lifts in the majority of warehouses and industrial plants! Even Durham Region had their large tank blow up and burn in Bowmanville. They have not replaced it , but did get rid of the police cruisers that were fueled at it.
Older people recall the earlier models using propane or Nat. gas were gutless performers, and in this get it done yesterday society, that does not sell!
I am 72, but recall Dad’s cousin driving a 1953 Reo truck in 1955 fueled by propane delivering gasoline and diesel to farmers. I rode with him once and listened to him complain about how gutless it was on those Alberta hills! Yes, it has been around a long time, but has not gained many fans!

By: robert

robert — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:20:47 +0000

I had a conversion kit to propane in a Ford pickup truck in the late 80s and 90s and saved a lot of money with it but it was very hard to pass the etest. Our town vehicles used propane too and they also had trouble passing. Seems strange that it burns clean but government etest rejects it……