CNG Converison...again

[landtoy80]

CNG is $0.62 a gal in UT
This has me thinking again about doing a CNG conversion and home filling.
My thoughts are:
sell the Supra and convert the 80
sell the Supra and 80 and get a younger 80 or 100

Problem with finding a 80 is, they are hard to find, been looking for over a year.
This gets me back to CNG for the old 80.

Anyone know of any new conversion or home filling kits that are new/improved or came out in the last year?

As for converting a LC to CNG, which motor would run CNG better, the 80 or the 100 motor?

 

[Riad]

AFAIK, people in 3rd world countries are doing it for pretty much any vehicle for many years now. From what I hear, the availability of CNG is pretty scarce here in US, although I see (at least in MD, Montgomery county) all buses (Public Transportation) run on CNG. Not sure how fast can you go with that. I rode a taxi few years back in South East Asia and it was running on CNG. The driver never exceeded 40kmph on highway.

Also if every one starts doing it, it is inevitable that the price of CNG will rise too. Bottom line, there's no way out of this gas situation

 

[450 DUDE]

The home fill appliance work good but are very slow.

Curious where do you plan to put the bottles?

ken

 

[landtoy80]

My plan was to mount them (if I could find the right size) where the spare tyre is.

 

[landtoy80]

The biggest expense is the filling system. Home filling machine is $4000 to $8000 and is slow.
Colorado doesn't have any filling stations in the West and only a few in the front range and there must be a monopoly as prices are alot higher than the other states around it.
Thats strange as CO is a major producer of natural gas.

 

[e9999]

wow! $0.60 is really low

don't you need really large expensive tanks to have any sort of decent range, though?

and CNG is not easy to come by IIRC, unlike LPG.

 

[Firedog]

Interesting that this is coming up, i just received a powerpoint training program about car fires with CNG systems.
The program concerned a CNG Honda which exploded in Seattle in '07. The car was set on fire (arson) and
the type 4 composite tank literally exploded (didn't vent properly) The car
was completely destroyed with pieces landing 100 ft. away.
This was a factory CNG car. (not a kit)

 

[landtoy80]

How does a gasoline vehicle compare in a fire vs a CNG power vehicle?

If a gasoline tank didn't vent off, how would it react?

I would think that a CNG would be safer in a fire as if there was no flame the gas would dissipate unlike gasoline that puddles on the ground (just guessing).

 

[landtoy80]

Found a link to how safe a gasoline car is.
YouTube - Top Secret! - Pinto scene

 

[Alvaro]

CNG conversions are very popular in latin america for all kinds of vehicles, here in Colombia you find them installed from tiny chinese/korean taxis to large buses and trucks.

I would not install a CNG kit in my 80 but I know friends who have done it (in 80s and all other 4x4s), some work good, others not as good, engine has to be in very good shape, most put the bottles inside the truck (would never do it), others put them outside in the spare tire place (way better but limited size of bottles).

You certainly feel a loss of power and autonomy is bad unless you put some really large bottles. Do the math of how much gas (and how long will it last depending on how much you drive your 80) can you buy with what you will pay for the GNC kit. In my case doens't make much sense as my 80 is not a DD, so with the cost of the kit I can buy gas for about 3 years...

 

[Alvaro]

Interesting that this is coming up, i just received a powerpoint training program about car fires with CNG systems.
The program concerned a CNG Honda which exploded in Seattle in '07. The car was set on fire (arson) and
the type 4 composite tank literally exploded (didn't vent properly) The car
was completely destroyed with pieces landing 100 ft. away.
This was a factory CNG car. (not a kit)

Would you mind uploading the power point file or send it to me via email? There's a discussion in a local forum about CNG and this will help me support my points.

 

[Firedog]

Would you mind uploading the power point file or send it to me via email? There's a discussion in a local forum about CNG and this will help me support my points.

Sure, but it's 6.8mb and my Powerpoint is too old to downsize the pictures :-( If your email can handle it, I would be happy to send it.

 

[mikeincognito]

Hi,

Im right now starting to import CNG conversion kits from China to the Dominican Republic. Just few facts, first CNG have almost the same safety factor as gasoline, in a collision, a fire and any other scenario i can think of. Is true that CNG have a bit of a power loss, is because the burning power of the CNG is less than that of gasoline. Newest CNG kits come with an ECU that connects to the car ECU in order to balance the combustion mapping to the new fuel, so any year vehicle will operate adequatly if fitted with the right equipment.

Later tonight ill post links and info about different LPG/CNG kits that could fit the 80.

PD: Theres also a Diesel CNG kit that does dual fuel, burning 90% CNG 10% Diesel without power loss. Do the math on the savings.

 

[Firedog]

How does a gasoline vehicle compare in a fire vs a CNG power vehicle?

If a gasoline tank didn't vent off, how would it react?

I would think that a CNG would be safer in a fire as if there was no flame the gas would dissipate unlike gasoline that puddles on the ground (just guessing).

It's hard to make gasoline explode, or even spill out of the tank during a car fire. The heat from the fire rises, and the gas tank is typically low on the vehicle. in 25 years of firefighting (20 as a job) I have seen the lines melt, gas pour out and ignite, but never explode like you see on tv. (not saying that it is impossible, but i have been on literally hundreds of vehicle fires...) In a compressed gas tank, the gas expands as it is heated and pressure increases, the tank should be designed to vent at a certain pressure, if the tank doesn't vent then the pressure becomes too great and the tank explodes.
Here are a couple of pictures from the powerpoint
The car, then the tank.

 

[EricG]

CNG is $0.62 a gal in UT

What kind of MPG can you expect out of a CNG conversion? I expect it's alot less then gas.

I'm wondering if the difference you noted between CNG filling stations and your price is the road fuel tax - sort of like home heating fuel & diesel motor fuel.

 

[landtoy80]

Is it known if the tank vents were plugged by the arsonist?
If the person knew what he was doing, then he would plug the vent to increase the explosion.

 

[Firedog]

Would you mind uploading the power point file or send it to me via email? There's a discussion in a local forum about CNG and this will help me support my points.

Found it online as a PDF

http://www.firetrainingresources.net/items/CNGAutoFire-FIREFIGHTERNEARMISScompressedpics.pdf

 

[jabxyz]

Hi,

Im right now starting to import CNG conversion kits from China to the Dominican Republic. Just few facts, first CNG have almost the same safety factor as gasoline, in a collision, a fire and any other scenario i can think of. Is true that CNG have a bit of a power loss, is because the burning power of the CNG is less than that of gasoline. Newest CNG kits come with an ECU that connects to the car ECU in order to balance the combustion mapping to the new fuel, so any year vehicle will operate adequatly if fitted with the right equipment.

Later tonight ill post links and info about different LPG/CNG kits that could fit the 80.

PD: Theres also a Diesel CNG kit that does dual fuel, burning 90% CNG 10% Diesel without power loss. Do the math on the savings.

I wonder do you have numbers on the burning power of CNG v diesel? Also I'd be interested in the link to the CNG/Diesel kit that you refered to.

 

[chtucker]

Look on Denver craigslist... there is at least 30 80 series cruisers for sale.... Heck there is one montrose for sale with less than 100k right now.