Got Propane?

[FJQue]

I think I want to go propane. I know all the stuff about efficiency, cost to do it, etc. but I wanted to do it to my last 22RE but it ran great & I couldn't justify the time & money.
I finally have this beautiful almost original 84 Ranger, had it 3 days and have only driven it the day I bought it. Drove great on test drive but I had a 20 mile drive home & it shut down about 5 times. Seems to have either flooded or starved for gas each kill.

Before replacing both sending units and messing with a mech fuel pump, I'm thinking just go propane. I talked with a company today that is going to work on a kit for me but they said they needed to verify my carb bolt pattern. I took some pics this evening, hoping someone recognizes this carb and can help me figure out my bolt pattern specs for the propane kit..? Pretty please! Thanks so much!

 

[sgtsandman]

From my understanding of propane systems, you still need gas to start the engine them you switch to propane.

 

[snoranger]

I’d recommend Impco parts.... Cobra regulator, vff30 vacuum lock off, and an Impco CA (maybe 100) carb. I’m not totally sure on a carb size, that depends on the engine, expected HP, CFM requirements, etc. I haven’t had to size a carb in 10+ years and been out of the business for 8 years.

@sgtsandman ... propane doesn’t like really cold weather. Other than that, you can run strictly on propane.

 

[sgtsandman]

That explains why all the vehicles here had the system I mentioned then.

 

[FJQue]

Thanks guys, I have been seeing the impco stuff around online actually. I feel like it would not be that hard to piece together a kit like it sounds like you're explaining but a kit would be pretty sweet being I will be learning everything new at once.

Does anyone think the above carb is a 2150? I'm starting to think that's what it is..?.. This guy said he pretty much has a kit ready to go if I can verify my carb mount..

 

[19Walt93]

It's definitely a 2150. We had a propane company across the street from the dealer where I worked that would convert their fleet to run on propane as well as gasoline. Spark plugs lasted a long time and oil stayed clean. The problem was that they never ran them on gas so the fuel systems degraded and rusted by the time they were ready to trade. They run diesels now.

 

[FJQue]

I cannot nail down flange specs for a 2150 to save my life today, I keep running into this, not sure if it is correct though..?

 

[ericbphoto]

Why not just unbolt the carb and measure it? Or do a pencil rubbing of it (like people do with tombstones) then you can get measurements and a drawing from the rubbing.

I’ve seen a bunch of emergency generators over the years that run on propane or natural gas. No other starting fluid. Some of the units ive seen had ford 300ci straight sixes or 302ci v8s

 

[FJQue]

I was asking bc I thought it might be common Ford knowledge but that's what it looks like I'll do.
My reluctance was that it does currently start, not so sure after I pull it apart... Tbc

 

[ericbphoto]

Take a picture of any cables and linkage before you disconnect them. Then it should probably just be 4 bolts holding onto the intake.

You can do this and it should run just as well when you're finished as it does now.

 

[FJQue]

10.4, I should be getting to this soon. So crazy there's not even one documented Propane conversion. I thought everything was on YouTube, ha

 

[Shran]

I'm sure someone has a propane powered 2.8, just not on TRS, or not reading this post. A bunch of my rock crawler buddies have run propane at one time or another, on anything from 4 cylinder Honda and Toyota engines up to 460s. Usually works really well, they run them off forklift tanks.

One thing about 2.8s, they already come with arguably the best carb ever made for offroad use and yours in particular looks to have a Duraspark swap done so you already have some really good parts. If it were me I would try to fix whatever is wrong with yours and enjoy it but that's just me, I really like 2150's.

Propane really shines with the rock crawler crowd because it will run at just about any angle where as many carburetors will not but many people also have fuel injected rigs now so the propane fad is kinda over and done with.

 

[FJQue]

I'm sure someone has a propane powered 2.8, just not on TRS, or not reading this post. A bunch of my rock crawler buddies have run propane at one time or another, on anything from 4 cylinder Honda and Toyota engines up to 460s. Usually works really well, they run them off forklift tanks.

One thing about 2.8s, they already come with arguably the best carb ever made for offroad use and yours in particular looks to have a Duraspark swap done so you already have some really good parts. If it were me I would try to fix whatever is wrong with yours and enjoy it but that's just me, I really like 2150's.

Propane really shines with the rock crawler crowd because it will run at just about any angle where as many carburetors will not but many people also have fuel injected rigs now so the propane fad is kinda over and done with.

Thanks, I really appreciate the time to answer. I've been reading on those carbs, you're right, don't seem so bad. Just thinking with 2 tanks, 2 sending units bad, who knows what else, mechanical pump maybe..?. May as well get that propane kit now & cut out all the gas pumping measures...