Propane, dual fuel, tank options

[78Buford]

I’m leaning towards converting the Ford to Propane.
The tank(s) issue the deal maker/deal breaker.

The benefits of the system:
It won’t stall.
No fuel pump to fail.
Very simple to hook up.
Very reliable..less change of component failure than efi.

Questions people may have:
What happens if a line blows/I run out of fuel? I would leave my existing fuel tank/system in place and keep a few gallons of gas in it should I ever run out of propane. Converting it back to a carb setup would take less than 10 minutes (remove 4 bolts for the mixer, remove mixer, add carb, replace the 4 bolts, plug wire into fuse box for electric pump, that’s it).

Won’t it add a lot of weight?
With the 19 gallon gas tank down to 5 gallons, and no longer carrying 12 gallons of extra fuel, it will drop almost 200 lbs of gasoline from the truck…also thinking of carrying more of my spare stuff in the tow rig (locking toolbox) on most rides…but that is another subject.

Propane cost/availability: Propane prices vary a lot. The local U-Haul in Zanesville charges $3.00 per gallon. A place in Cambridge charges $2.19. I called the FlyinJ in Kirkersville (I pass it on the way to and from every club meeting). They charge 1.49 per gallon, and all of the propane they sell is considered for off-road use so it knocks a lot of taxes off the price. The only tax I’d pay is state sales tax. Figure a gallon of propane to cost $1.60.

The largest obstacle to keep this a relatively cheap mod: The tank issue.

I’m still debating the tank issue. If I used 4 large forklift tanks, I’d have 40 gallons of capacity. This should be plenty for two full trail rides. I could put these tanks in the back of my pickup truck and fill them on the way to the club meeting…or if I wheeled a lot that month, I could fill them in Cambridge for $2.19 a gallon.

If I used a single large tank, say 50 gallons, I could trailer the truck to have it filled (I’m guessing Zanesville has a propane supplier with a similar $2.19 per gallon price) and ready for the trail. Basically the 4 propane tanks would be easier to get filled by not having to drive/trailer the truck to have them filled. I would have to change the tanks at least once per ride..likely take less than 5 minutes. On the other hand, the larger tank would be easier to mount, wouldn’t have to change tanks on the trail, etc.

One large tank: An ideal size that was used in a lot of pickup trucks that ran on propane is 20”x60”. There has to be one of these tanks lying around somewhere for a decent price. Anyone know of any?

Multiple fork-lift tanks: 33lb (8 gallon) units are the most common, 43 lb (10 gallon) units are out there as well. Anyone know of any good deals on used tanks?

For what it’s worth, I’ve considered the dual fuel option as well. A simple toggle switch changes it from gas to propane….run it on gas most all of the time until I get to a place where the carb burping is a concern (only a few obstacles on nearly all trail rides) and flip the switch to propane to belch-free performance. You do lose a little power (both gas performance, and propane performance) with this setup, but I still kinda like the idea. If I went this route, I’d only need one forklift tank due to the fact that I wouldn’t be using the propane very often.

Thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks,
Roy

[DUG]

Just carry a spare HP line and ditch all of the gas stuff... it is not even alittle bit worth it.

A gril bottle and a special adapter will get you back to your fuel source.

[harkinoff]

Dual fuel is the only to go. One breaks you always have a backup. It takes a second to switch over and run perfect when needed. I run a forklift tank, it will last for several days of wheeling. Power loss, I don't really notice a difference. Is it like you will be running a drag race? People have the power loss thing so over rated, it's how you build the motor......I do carry an extra at camp. The price gouging is bullshit. Been happening for years now. And they say no gouging at the pumps

[DownNDirty]

Just carry a spare long hose. If you keep your hoses in good shape and route them right you won't even need that. I run dual fork lift tanks so when one is empty you shut it down and turn on the other. I also have a third I keep at camp. It comes to basically a bottle a day or $20. Some days less, some more but averages to a bottle. The hoses are something I watch closely on the rig. You could probably find a patch kit like they sell for radiators and heaters that would allow you to fix a small leak.

[Oregon Mudslinger]

this may be a dumb question but i thought you could only run propane on diesels. can you run it on gas engines and does anyone know of a good website i can see how its done (what i would need) i think its a great idea!
i have a 360 in a dodge powerwagon bobtail running 44s with 4:10 gears i get about 6 miles to the gallon

[ROCKILLER]

Propane is to run in conjunction with diesels for more power or in place of gas. There is gotpropan and I think the other one is propane guy. Or you can do some research and piece together the parts. Its a very simple system. Propane likes high compression.