LP vs. Gas
I'm thinking about buying another rig (sold ours six months ago). This rig is a GMC (1976) with an Olds 455. It's low mileage and has only run on LP. I've got a couple of questions: 1. Other than i...
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Make DAMNED SURE the engine does not DETONATE (like pinging but much worse) going uphill under load in hot weather. Some engines tolerate LPG motor fuel, others do not. The MoPar 440 L3 engine is one that cannot be "fixed" to cure detonation. I drove a customized 350 Chevrolet in Mexico for years before gasoline improved. An incredibly expensive modified engine. Hardened intake and exhaust valve seats, Venolia 12.5 to 1 pistons, a custom one-off Bruce Crower camshaft, and a 5-row high fin and tube count radiator and engine oil cooler. The engine ended up with as much horsepower as a 275 horsepower 350 gas engine. The radiator threw an immense amount of heat, all lube oil sealing gaskets leaked even after a $200 set of Mr. Gasket silicone gaskets were used. The engine used a dedicated IMCO 425 LPG carburetor and had an extremely modified HEI distributor with 44 degrees of total advance. Unloaded the pickup got 10-3/4 MPG.
I was satisfied, because back then crooks diluted Pemex EXTRA gasoline with Pemex NOVA almost gasoline. And LPG motorfuel cost .45 cents US per gallon. But when Pemex introduced MAGNA SIN gasoline and made the price of it and NOVA so close, diluting became unprofitable, the value of my LPG power became less than useless - it was a giant liability.
To me, LPG is an ideal "short run" fuel for generators, if the LPG tank is large enough to not need refilling during camping. Generators can be started and stopped, spark plugs retain white center electrodes, lube oil remains crystal clear and a thousand starts and stops only wears on the starter motor.
But after owning a converted Superior school bus that was LPG and the pickup truck, a person could not give me another LPG vehicle. I have fought underpowered overheating Onan gensets, Wisconsin powered gensets and have settled into decidedly biased opinion about using LPG as a motor fuel.
I was satisfied, because back then crooks diluted Pemex EXTRA gasoline with Pemex NOVA almost gasoline. And LPG motorfuel cost .45 cents US per gallon. But when Pemex introduced MAGNA SIN gasoline and made the price of it and NOVA so close, diluting became unprofitable, the value of my LPG power became less than useless - it was a giant liability.
To me, LPG is an ideal "short run" fuel for generators, if the LPG tank is large enough to not need refilling during camping. Generators can be started and stopped, spark plugs retain white center electrodes, lube oil remains crystal clear and a thousand starts and stops only wears on the starter motor.
But after owning a converted Superior school bus that was LPG and the pickup truck, a person could not give me another LPG vehicle. I have fought underpowered overheating Onan gensets, Wisconsin powered gensets and have settled into decidedly biased opinion about using LPG as a motor fuel.
