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Street legal propane?

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Street legal propane?
« on: September 16, 2010, 07:17:03 PM »
'87 Samurai - I have the typical problems with the Carb. From Hell.  I'm going through all the options:  Weber, Empi, new stock carb., rebuilt stock carb, fuel injection swap, 1600 swap, VW diesel.  I'm not after more power - it's already a hell of a lot faster than my '56 Land Rover; I just want it to run well and cheap when you turn the key.  I'd love any opinions (informed by experience, please) about any of these!  BUT...

Last night I was reading about the propane conversion kits - I converted an old forklift to propane and love it.  Got all excited, and thought that would be perfect.  For the last couple hours I've been reading about "AFV Conversion", "Certificates of Conformity", "Vehicle Conversion Certification", etc. and my head is spinning.  Has anyone done this?  Done this and then run it on the road?  Don't ask, don't tell?  Has anyone taken a propane conversion to an Emissions Test?

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Offline FireCkrEd

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Re: Street legal propane?
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2010, 07:22:49 PM »
This place in Arizona has kits for the Samurai but they are not street legal.

http://www.gotpropane.com/
                                                   Ed
93 4dr Kick, stock, + 95 4dr W/TTough kit, Toy axles, 4.24 xfercase gears, 5.71 gears, Ramsey 9500 winch, twin stick xfercase, 33" BFG's
97, 4dr with a 2" lift (needs an engine re-build)
Spirit Filled Christian

Re: Street legal propane?
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2010, 07:28:27 PM »
Yeah - one of the sources I looked at.  They seem to sidestep the issue of legality by saying "For Off Road Use Only".  Half the accessories sold for 4X4s say that, just for liability purposes.  Compared to gasoline, it's much cleaner and safer - it's crazy if you can't do this!

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Offline ack

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Re: Street legal propane?
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2010, 06:10:44 AM »
Yes you can run Propane on the highway.

Just don't get caught and do expect to pay more for it than gasoline.  Plus - the conversion is at least twice the cost of a decent carb conversion JUST for the kit alone!  Don't get me wrong - Propane IS a safe and viable alternative for offroad use only!

You did not mention Zuk's Off Road's MySide Carburetor conversion in your post.

I do not have one (I've been using a Sarge-prepped Weber DGAV32/26 since 2001), but I understand that this carb setup really works better than the Weber in a number of ways.  Bonus: you get great support AFTER the sale - something that cannot be said about just about any other carb conversion.

Check out the MySide systems at ZOR MY-Side1 and ZOR MY-Side 2

(I am not compensated for this plug - Myron is a great vendor with lots of great products!  I own - & paid for - the ZOR brass shifter bushings and a ZOR Samurai front bumper.)

I'm Just Sayin'...
Ack

'88 Samurai, '88.5 Samurai TT, '11 Ford Transit Connect XLT
Ack's FAQ  http://www.acksfaq.com

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Offline wildgoody

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Re: Street legal propane?
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2010, 07:43:21 AM »
Legal or not, I don't think you would get any raised eyebrows if someone
saw you were running propane.

As a side note, you could always retain the gasoline system and just shut
off the gasoline when you run the propane, the term is dual fuel, and is
quite common, that is unless the conversion eliminates your carb, then
you would be a single fuel vehicle and loose that flexibility

Wild
Real Trucks Are Built, Not Bought,
And Chrome Don't Get Ya Home.  

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Offline grats

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Re: Street legal propane?
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2010, 08:36:55 AM »
In BC we have a ton of propane conversions and they do work well, but on the deul feul route ther is one problem,
timming, if timming is set for propane and then you switch to gas it run like a bugger, if you set the timming for gas,
then propane runs like a bugger, no happy medium. And if you are running just propane, don't run out, you can't pour
a can into the tank like gas.
1982 SJ410
1997 Tracker
2008 SX4

Re: Street legal propane?
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2010, 10:14:06 AM »
I've done a few conversions in the past (pickup, van, motorhome) and have owned 2 Ford F150's with the factory bi-fuel conversion.  I have a propane refuelling system in the back yard and have pumped over 13,000 gallons of propane into vehicles with it.

I see no advantage and many disadvantages.  Cost of conversion, weight and cost of LPG tank, where are you going to mount the tank, propane is generally more expensive and will normally get less MPG's.  Limited refueling sites.  You don't say where you are, emissions requirements vary by state.  I give the idea a big thumbs down. 

I also have a propane forklift out back, it's great.

Re: Street legal propane?
« Reply #7 on: October 06, 2010, 10:09:59 PM »
Great feedback, guys - thanks!  I guess, if it ain't broke, don't fix it - and the only thing broke is that ridiculous stock carb.  A Weber seems like the most cost-effective way out - as long as I can get it through emissions once (In CT, emissions exempt when 25 years old - and she's 23)!