"SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas wrote in news:gku5q5-qtb2.ln1
@news.infowest.com:

Today, I saw a company that is promoting a propane/diesel fuel system.
Touted to have all kinds of upsides including increased horsepower and
double fuel efficiency.

Anyone hear of this or can provide info?

Steve


Propane augmentation of Diesel engines has been around for awhile.

The goal of these systems is similar to Nitrous Oxide augmentation of
Gasoline engines: boosting power beyond normal output levels.

As with other augmentation approaches - "chipping", reprogramming, etc. -
one must be cautious lest one "blow" the engine.

The claims of each type of augmentation product are based upon
1. Higher HP/Torque as demonstrated on a Dynomometer
2. Increased fuel economy when driven "conservatively"
rather than in a "performance" mode

The problems with a Propane Injection system is that the small Propane
bottle has to be refilled relatively frequently and, once installed, are
difficult to remove when taking the vehicle in for Warranty repairs.

The problem with "chipping" via add-on boxes that modify fuel delivery to
the engine is that they're hard to remove and/or replace easily when
taking the vehicle in for Warranty repairs.

Re-programming the engine's computer requires no modification to the
manufacturer's wiring or mechanical systems and can be easily reset to
"factory" while waiting for the Service Writer to appear and, later, to
be reloaded before even leaving the Dealer's lot.

The reason that I brought up the Warranty issue is that some vehicle
owners like to keep their Warranty intact rather than having a Service
Writer take one look under the hood and start beaming with big dollar
signs in his eyes in the full knowledge that he'll get to charge the
owner big bux since the Warranty has been voided.

BTW, if you DO decide to augment your Diesel, be sure to install Exhaust
Gas Temperture and Boost guages first.