Retrofitting Diesel to Natural Gas or Propane
09 September 2004
After 10 years and $20 million dollars of research, IMPCO Technologies is making a push to commercialize its conversion system that allows diesel engines to burn natural gas and propane.
The Eclipse Heavy Duty Management System requires taking the cylinder head off the engine, removing the injectors and electronic control unit, machining the head for a spark plug, machining the piston in situ, then reassembling the engine and adding the Eclipse system. A close-coupled oxidation catalyst is added to the exhaust. The entire process typically takes about 75 hours.
The company originally developed the technology in a project with vehicle and engine manufacturer Scania UK.
“They were responding to their customers in the U.K. that had an interest in low-emission natural gas trucks, but didn’t want to spend the high premium to purchase a new NGV,” [Lorne] Gettel [technical director of corporate business development for IMPCO] says. “To service this market Scania came up with an approach to supply re-engineered natural gas heavy-duty trucks based on three- or four-year-old diesel trucks coming in off lease.”
IMPCO converted 200 of the trucks for Safeway, which operates them 450 to 600 miles a day hauling produce to grocery stores. Safeway’s testing indicates NOx emissions of around one gram per brake horsepower hour, meeting the stiff Euro V standard. The low emissions enabled Safeway to get a government grant covering 75 percent of the trucks’ differential cost. That combined with fuel cost savings of more than 40 percent allowed the fleet operator to recover the entire differential in less than one year. Safeway continues to operate the trucks, which typically travel more than 100,000 miles per year. San Joaquin Valley Clean Cities Coalition site.
IMPCO’s tests show that the Eclipse system reduces NOx, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxides by more than 85% over diesel powered engines and that PM was virtually eliminated.
Mike Laplante, IMPCO Director of Sales/Marketing said, “field testing on a fleet of over 150 Eclipse equipped, heavy duty trucks has accumulated 5 million miles and has shown the same fuel economy with equivalent power as compared to running the same fleet of trucks on diesel fuel." Mr. Laplante further added that, "each truck saved over $28,000 per year in fuel costs by using natural gas." Natural gas worldwide is 40-60% less than diesel fuel.
Retrofitting could be a big business. The EPA estimates that there are 11 million in-use diesels that will either need to be retrofitted or replaced during the next ten years to meet emissions standards. The question will be: retrofitted to or replaced with what.
I WANT TO PUT ONE WORK SHOP TO INSTALL AND CONVERT CARS AND TRUCKS TO GAS PROPANE SYSTEM
PLEASE SEND ME INFORMATION AND PRICES OF THE SYSTEMS
THANKS
Posted by: darius | 28 June 2008 at 12:24 PM
LOOKING TO CONVERT OUR FLEET (APPROX 75 ENGINES) TO PROPANE.
PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH INFO.
Posted by: gary | 16 July 2008 at 09:12 PM
Thinking of converting my Chev 350 work truck.
Posted by: Norman Albert | 18 July 2008 at 04:43 AM
We have about 50 delivery trucks ranging from 26000 GVW straight trucks to 40000 GVW tractors and would like to know more about converting them to LP or propane. Please have someone contact me.
Posted by: Pat Carpenter | 28 July 2008 at 09:50 AM
looking for info on converting an 02 golf tdi, 81 300sd turbo diesel mercedes from diesel to natural gas. I live in nys. Are there government tax credits offered for converting? Are there shops that will convert in nys?
Posted by: Creepy crowley | 29 July 2008 at 06:23 AM
dear sir\miss
we are mansour company frome palestine .we are wourking
for counverting car to lpg system.and we to hapy to know more about the counvert the desil car to lpg or naturul gas .and we are rady to make agood busness
and good corbortion
Posted by: bassem mansour | 06 August 2008 at 01:34 AM
I'M WANT TO KNOW THE FEASIBILITY AND DETAILS OF CONVERTING A 1989 MODEL 8V92 DETROIT GM DIESEL ENGINE IN A 40' MOTORHOME (48,000 LB. GVW) TO LP POWER.
Posted by: Evers Ward | 19 August 2008 at 04:02 PM
I would like information about starting a business converting cars and trucks to natural gas
Posted by: Von | 29 August 2008 at 09:09 AM
i have a 2004 f350 deisel i would like to switch to lpg where do i get the info to do thil
Posted by: richard hackett | 10 September 2008 at 03:29 AM
your site is minimally informative.
where are the web sites to give us information?
all i see are people asking for help.
YOU DON'T HELP.
I'll take it all back if YOU tell me where or how to convert my 93-6.5TD to CNG/#2.
Posted by: Doc | 16 September 2008 at 09:38 PM
where are the answers to these questions? convert dodge diesel to lp gas.
Posted by: ted armould | 20 September 2008 at 10:19 AM
this site sucks
Posted by: dude | 23 September 2008 at 12:21 PM
I am interested in converting my 04 Ford F350 to CNG or Propane and perhaps one of these and gas. I live in a rural area where all choices are not yet readily available to consumers. Where can I find out if my F350 is convertable.
Posted by: M. Gray | 27 September 2008 at 01:28 PM
This site is one F UP Site
Posted by: BLA | 28 September 2008 at 09:31 AM
Sir(s),
I am requesting a ball park figure cost for converting 8 cylander diesel engines to propane power. Just a general price range so I can look at budgetting for conversions.
Thanks
Posted by: David Throop | 30 September 2008 at 09:18 AM
I am seeking a ballpark price on retrofitting a 300 catepilar diesel engine to natural gas or propane.
Posted by: Jeremy Dorsey | 07 October 2008 at 09:23 AM
im totally on using saltwater
Posted by: yo | 12 October 2008 at 12:14 PM
the corn is a great idea except not efficient
Posted by: yo | 12 October 2008 at 12:15 PM
I have more than 1000 equipments working by diesel and I need to convert it to Gas, this equipments work in agriculture. I need how much this convert cost me.
I am living in Egypt, really I need infomation.
Posted by: Samuel | 17 October 2008 at 09:24 AM
I'm intrested in converting automobiles to natural gas. Can you send info ???
Thanks
Posted by: Danny Walling | 21 October 2008 at 02:05 PM
You do know that propane is a by product of gasoline production from oil? If you want to really save and get away from the OPEC umbrella convert to Natural Gas... The US has a lot in reserves and is burned in its natural state...
Posted by: Kelly Bybee | 22 October 2008 at 02:06 PM
I have a Ford F 150 300 6cylinder and I'd like to convert it to propane. Dan
Posted by: D. Nelson | 11 November 2008 at 04:19 PM
what would have to be done to convert a class 8 semi truck to run on propane or natural gas? Can it even be done considering the mpg ratio? I don't want to lose my mpg,or my horsepower.
Posted by: William Lagois | 21 December 2009 at 08:50 AM
also,converting a class 8 truck to propane or natural gas is it going to be dot legal?
Posted by: William Lagois | 21 December 2009 at 08:52 AM
i would like to retrofit all engines to lp or ng in my mechanic shop. i would also like to get information on supplemental lp injection into diesel engines. please help me in finding resources to accomplish my desires. thanks john
Posted by: john zielke | 25 February 2010 at 10:47 PM