Test Running a diesel on propane
- Thread starter Farmall
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plaindave
Bronze Member
I've built up large diesel engines to operate as a "dual-fuel" configuration. You use diesel to start the engine and then ramp back the diesel while increasing the natural gas (or propane) into the air intake. It's a pretty complex electronic control system but it works and works well.
It is used typically in stationary applications (ie. power generation) where you want the lower fuel cost of natural gas and the lower emissions that are possible with a natural gas engine.
There is no practical reason to use it on a tractor though...
It is used typically in stationary applications (ie. power generation) where you want the lower fuel cost of natural gas and the lower emissions that are possible with a natural gas engine.
There is no practical reason to use it on a tractor though...
mopacman
Silver Member
union pacific rail road had some engines that would run on diesel fuel or natural gas.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Just curious - were the dual fuel diesels two cycle?
Egon
Egon
DK_Farms
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I apologize for coming in late on this thread. Back in the late 60's, we had an old International 870 diesel tractor that had a 10 gallon propane tank on the front of it and a switch on the console marked "Powermizer". Dad said it was used to inject propane along with the diesel to increase power when needed and was only supposed to be used for very short periods of time. You IH mechanics correct my failing memory, but I believe it was plumbed in to the air intake. Regardless, I can't attest to it's functionality because we never put propane in the tank that I can recall. Propane was a precious commodity used to boil crabs and crawfish, and not to be wasted by doing productive work with it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
plaindave
Bronze Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Just curious - were the dual fuel diesels two cycle?
Egon )</font>
No - They were mostly CAT 3500 series engines. A few DDC Series 4000 also. These were projects in New York for stationary power.
Worked pretty good. Personally I'd have put in straight natural gas engines given the opportunity, but we couldn't make the economics of the projects work out with new engines.
Egon )</font>
No - They were mostly CAT 3500 series engines. A few DDC Series 4000 also. These were projects in New York for stationary power.
Worked pretty good. Personally I'd have put in straight natural gas engines given the opportunity, but we couldn't make the economics of the projects work out with new engines.
Bugsy
Member
As a note there ARE actual propane conversions available in both spark ignition engines and compression ignition engines. These are not aftermarket conversions and they actually are sanctioned and supported by the engine manufacturers.
Personally I do not like propane power but there are quite a few fleets that are configured this way, and they love them.
To really get more information on "moving" applications, all a person would have to do is call any Chev, Dodge or Ford dealer and speak with an EXPERIENCED salesperson.
They are still around and yes even available NEW, although they are rare.
Personally I do not like propane power but there are quite a few fleets that are configured this way, and they love them.
To really get more information on "moving" applications, all a person would have to do is call any Chev, Dodge or Ford dealer and speak with an EXPERIENCED salesperson.
They are still around and yes even available NEW, although they are rare.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Thanks Plaindave.
Egon
Egon
Volfandt
Veteran Member
I have seen a Detroit Diesel 671 slant 6 run WOT on it's own oil only!
It was a "run away". The fuel had been cut off and it still kept on keeping on!
The valve cover was off to replace a bad injector and when it was test started, the rack got jammed in the wide open position. Then it was Katie bar the door /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The oil shooting out of the rocker arm lubricating holes as well as what was splashing about in the head was being drawn into the wide open unobstructed intake. The air cleaner assembly had been removed to gain access to the valve cover/head.
So you had a supercharger drawing in everything that just so happened to splash near it's intake openning and this diesel ran WOT on it!
It was shut down only after enough rags were stuffed into the intake to suffocate it!
OH & btw, it ran WOT for approx 2 to 3 minutes like this and survived to run for many more hrs afterwards..... Those 2 to 3 minutes seemed like hrs /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Volfandt
It was a "run away". The fuel had been cut off and it still kept on keeping on!
The valve cover was off to replace a bad injector and when it was test started, the rack got jammed in the wide open position. Then it was Katie bar the door /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The oil shooting out of the rocker arm lubricating holes as well as what was splashing about in the head was being drawn into the wide open unobstructed intake. The air cleaner assembly had been removed to gain access to the valve cover/head.
So you had a supercharger drawing in everything that just so happened to splash near it's intake openning and this diesel ran WOT on it!
It was shut down only after enough rags were stuffed into the intake to suffocate it!
OH & btw, it ran WOT for approx 2 to 3 minutes like this and survived to run for many more hrs afterwards..... Those 2 to 3 minutes seemed like hrs /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Volfandt
Taylortractornut
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Volfandt Internations Farm tractors will do the same if the wrong oil bath filter tank isintalled on them to. Dad had an old B414 with oil bath and he picked up the wrong resvoir and filled it to the right line which was about 3/4ths of an inchshorter and had the same diameter as the stok one. Dad filled it up and started it. It ran wild, looked like a prostock puller with all the smoke blowing out.
As for running one on propane many landfills are using propane and methan converted diesels for use in landfills off methane gas pockets that come from decomposing waste. Ive seen a few Cats and Perkins on this set up to. At our landfill we may go the methane route to make our own electricity.
As for running one on propane many landfills are using propane and methan converted diesels for use in landfills off methane gas pockets that come from decomposing waste. Ive seen a few Cats and Perkins on this set up to. At our landfill we may go the methane route to make our own electricity.