Old Diesel Technology - Propane Injection

Prairie Oyster · Jul 7, 2011

Before the widespread use of turbos on diesels in the 1960s and 1970s, I see companies experimented with adding propane to diesel fueled engines. How did this work exactly? I know some guys that loved it, but with the "more is better" mentality, I heard other guys bending rods and destroying engines. Can anyone give me a little engineering and history on this old technology? I'm too young of a pup to have seen this first hand. Thanks!

Coloken · Jul 7, 2011

Friend swore by it. I think he had several 500 Case tractors. I think that it added more fuel (like opening up the pump)but also cooled the air. No question that he increased the HP. At the same time one of the best mechanics around at the Case dealer ship played with an 830 Case and said he could get no increase and he had a PTO HP unit to check it with.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 7, 2011

Unless pouring out black smoke and fire from the exhaust which indicates excessive overfueling, diesel combustion always has excess air. Can't run an diesel very long with that much overfueling so they added propane which burns cleaner to utilize the excess air and produce power. Does cause an increase in peak cylinder pressures but not near what would happen by overfueling. Twenty or so years ago we had a project funded by the government used a very small pilot diesel fuel injection to start the combustion and used natural gas to generate the remainder of the power. Pretty much was a standard diesel engine with added electronics to control the pilot injection and natural gas injection in the inlet manifold. Worked Ok and ran quite a few endurance hours, but when project funds ran out it never went any further. Believe Red Rooster was the big aftermarket for adding propane to diesels.

Coloken · Jul 7, 2011

engineering? He simply ran a small tube from the bottle to the intake manifold and when pulling, leaned over and opened the propane bottle valve.

mudcat49 · Jul 7, 2011

We had a John Deere 5020 with a propane tank on the front. It had a line running from the tank to the manifold( Intake) There was a electric switch you could flip and it opened the valve and let propane run into the manifold. when you needed extra power you flipped the switch and got the extra power.

bobs old iron · Jul 7, 2011

propane to diesels is like nox to gas engines for racers.it helps cool down temp for better firing/power when needed, if you have seen on racing channels, engines blow up when not injected at the right time, or tooo much for engine to handle. some truck drivers had it installed on trucks to help get more/keep power to climb hills/passes/mtns. now days with the comp on newer engines to do the timing to get max power out of engines, you don't see propane on big rigs now.

Mark-Ia · Jul 7, 2011

They're going back to it on over the road trucks. Since the gov. made the emission levels lower on the newer trucks that have a Regeneration System that traps the particals in a filter inside the muffler on them. A few outfits are injecting propane on their over the road truck. More power and less emissions. Hy-Vee in Iowa is one of them experimenting with it.

John M · Jul 7, 2011

What do you mean old? Still being done today, check any diesel truck forum and youll see. Works just like mentioned below, NOX for diesels, and when used without putting your foot in it, can increase mileage.(Although, I dont see it being cost pronibitive) Dont know about the new ones with regen, wont help too much as regen cycles are computer controlled, at least in the limited experience Ive had with regen trucks.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 7, 2011

Years ago they had a kit to add LP ,,,I think it was called a red rooster,,,corect me if im wrong!!!!!!

U.P.John · Jul 7, 2011

I drive a bobtail propane truck and have a line from the tank to the engine, (a mercedes diesel)...They say it adds about 25 horse and a couple miles per gallon. There's no switch to turn on, so I couldn't tell you how much more power it adds...

chess · Jul 7, 2011

Years ago there was a magazine called---Diesel Ehgineering in North America i think an story was about use of propane or n gas in irigation units in California. I think the ratio was 50/50 an at that time saved few dollars per hour. Worked well on CONSTANT RPM ENGINES an was used not to develop more power or rpm -just for cost savings.Maybe reason Case 830 didnt develop more power as just turning on propane into intake the diesel governor would just reduce amount of diesel fuel injected an just keep rpm constantThat is how irigation units worked as i remember in the story.

Old Diesel Technology - Propane Injection

Prairie Oyster

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Coloken

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Anonymous-0

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Coloken

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mudcat49

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bobs old iron

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Mark-Ia

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John M

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Anonymous-0

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U.P.John

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chess

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