authorized propane/natural gas conversions?

gary 32

07 ncv3 pv
Re: technocarb anyone?

World Leaders in AFFORDABLE
LPG or CNG Conversion Systems

Has been granted E7 Certification by the European Union!
Certification Number E7*110R 1594702 for CNG
Certification Number E7*67R0 1594701 for LPG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
August and September special pricing on ESIP Package
Propane or Natural Gas conversion systems
Economy Sequential Injection Packages

E.S.I.P. LPG (Propane) or CNG (Natural Gas)
Sequential Injection Packages
for 3-4-5-6-8 Cylinder Fuel Injected Engines
*****For NON EPA/CARB Applications....Packages Contain Basic Components Only...Prices are in $US Funds

5 or 6 Cylinder Component Packages:
LPG Packages $1579.00 NOW $1195.00
CNG Packages $2295.00 NOW $1525.00

TCE does not supply LPG or CNG fuel tanks, please contact our
sales desk and we will try to refer you to a supplier near you.

Contact your local Distributor or TCE for details on these items
or ask for information on TCE products!
TOLL FREE PHONE NUMBER: 1-877-888-5666
 

gary 32

07 ncv3 pv
Punter, inspired by popular mechanics I looked into Sprinter cng injection.
These are dual fuel kits, you start on diesel and run a percentage say 50-75% cng and diesel.
If you bought a 25 gallon tank and all the parts from technocarb $3,000. The most critical part is to program the piggyback ecu.
CNG interstate in Utah would sell me their kit with tank and program the ecu for 5,800.00 or a turnkey install for 8,900.00 ftb, Utah.
You could compress your own gas off your home gas line, which would be really cheap, but the cheapest cng compressor takes 20 hours for a cycle and costs $3,000. Here in So Cal cng is 2.50 a gallon:thumbdown:, in Oxnard and to the north $1.00.
An oem cng motor would have hardened valves and seats to cope with the dry nature of cng, spark plugs and a lower compression ratio. Also diesel is an important lubricant in our motors so you may need top end lubricants to make it live.
 
Last edited:

talkinghorse43

Well-known member
To me the biggest problem using CNG (methane) in a compression ignition engine (diesel engine) is that CNG is a high octane fuel. So, that means it's very low cetane and our Sprinter diesel engines like high cetane fuel. It's likely that unless you fitted a different head to lower compression ratio and added spark ignition, our engines on CNG would make lots of smoke and run rough with low power. Plus, once converted, power would be reduced.

If, however, you happen to own one of the few Sprinter gas engines, the conversion should be very doable.
 

gary 32

07 ncv3 pv
To me the biggest problem using CNG (methane) in a compression ignition engine (diesel engine) is that CNG is a high octane fuel. So, that means it's very low cetane and our Sprinter diesel engines like high cetane fuel. It's likely that unless you fitted a different head to lower compression ratio and added spark ignition, our engines on CNG would make lots of smoke and run rough with low power. Plus, once converted, power would be reduced.

If, however, you happen to own one of the few Sprinter gas engines, the conversion should be very doable.
There are lots of diesel pickups running this type of conversion. A friend of mine in Arizona uses one with a well programmed Bully Dog ecu and there are no side effects or power drop when you run a percentage of cng, he has a home compressor and his savings over straight diesel are considerable and what comes out of his tail pipe is cleaner.

You are correct, a gas Sprinter would be a better candidate for full cng conversion. Hardened valves and seats would have to be added to run straight cng, or run dual fuel meaning a percentage of gas and cng and skip the valve changes.

The best would still be oem straight cng with a nice warranty.
 

gary 32

07 ncv3 pv
If, however, you happen to own one of the few Sprinter gas engines, the conversion should be very doable.[/QUOTE]

th43, gas or diesel Sprinter lpg, cng INJECTION does not pencil out, limited savings dual fuel specialty vehicle, no support.
Install a kit on gas or diesel, even if runs well you have smog inspection issues, no epa or carb approval and no one to fix it.
Per your suggestion, an affordable gas Sprinter with a single fuel cng CONVERSION and epa certification makes more sense but the installer has to be certified and you would be faced with one servicing mechanic and a trip to the referee station for further certification.:thumbdown:
 

Top Bottom