Automotive regular gas cheaper than propane

[speedog]

Automotive gas cheaper than propane, the time has arrived. But does anyone actually run propane anymore and especially so on a new vehicle?

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[The Cosworth]

Last one I remember seeing was probably 2005 in Coventry Hills. It was a big contractor bastard from the 80's.

[ExtraSlow]

Propane is an awful automotive fuel. CNG and LNG are both better, but hey, oil is cheap, just burn gasoline.

[Darell_n]

Propane is an awful automotive fuel. CNG and LNG are both better, but hey, oil is cheap, just burn gasoline.

Propane direct liquid injection + lots of boost = madness

[ExtraSlow]

Suppose so. Never seen that done. I mean, if you want to get wild, every fuel has possibilities.

[Maxt]

Suppose so. Never seen that done. I mean, if you want to get wild, every fuel has possibilities.
It was big in Australia, they had more fuel tank size and material options earlier on which spawned the propane performance trend over there.
I had some Aussie speed mags that were full of propane hot rods. A lot of supercharged v-8's and turbo'd imports, direct injecting propane making really big power.
Part of the difference is climate, it's warm enough over there they could direct inject it under its own bottle pressure and the air is warm enough to vaporize it in the intake tract. Here we have to pre- vaporize it into vapor and on the coldest days, the bottle pressure is low.
Back in the 80's, the propane cars were treated like diesels in winter, they let them idle all night. The oil would stay clean for a long time, but the valves, guides, and seats were cooked from heat, direct injecting the propane with efi would give the intake charge some latent heat cooling and maybe take care of that.

[AndyL]

Hey I was running a propane truck not too many years ago, 8 specifically. 454 on pane was still awesome since it was cheaper to run than my Toyota 4runner.

It's pretty silly the government doesn't bring back those subsidies to alternative fuels. They're all about natural gas these days but the oil companies are flaring or giving away propane since we don't have a market for it.

[blueToy]

Had a cousin who started his landscaping business in the late 80's with two early 80's dual fuel Chevys. He eventually got a Dodge half ton on it too for his personal vehicle. Loved them!! Business competition was pretty tight in those days and profit margins were slim, yet they did well cause they saved a truckful of money on getting gas, and they drove mega miles each day. When things got cold, they would always switch over to gas before they were parked, so they always statred on gas then once they warmed up a bit, they'd switch them over back to propane. He eventually sold his half of the business to his partner, but kept his Dodge for another ten years. Engine oil was always sparkling clean, even after crazy miles on it, and he filled up this huge tank that would last him for months for so cheap. Eventually sold the truck as the rest of the chassis and body had rotted out.

I also remember a group of off roaders, think it was the Rocky Mountain 4x4er's, who had a bunch of monster trucks on big blocks that ran on propane back in the 90's. Made it a whole lot funner when you're not worried about fuel mileage in the mud and bush. Way cheaper to go out and play too.

Personally, never liked the smell! LOL

[Darell_n]

Propane was great for off-roading before fuel injection was common because bouncing around and tilting a carburetor can cause flooding and stalling. The old propane systems could run upside down if the engine didn’t lose oil pressure.