Know anything about these trucks???

[teknitroxdiver]

I looked at all the brands and ended up with a Silverado 1500 that gets 18.5 mpg highway (327 with a heavy foot on the gas). I like it a lot, has the LT3 leather trim and all that.

What about LPG? AS mentioned a friend in my village runs his Chevy Avalanche 4x4 Vortec on LPG/propane. Here it is fairly available and much cheaper than gas, and if not available one can run on gas just like normal. A lot of Volvo V70 taxis run on LPG in Oslo, from what I know.

It's very hard to get vehicles designed to run on LPG to run clean (forklifts, etc). The few that do have several computers involved. So running something designed for the higher BTU gasoline isn't going to make out too well. They just don't last very long. Plus, you lose quite a bit of power, and LP prices are going up.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

I looked at all the brands and ended up with a Silverado 1500 that gets 18.5 mpg highway (327 with a heavy foot on the gas). I like it a lot, has the LT3 leather trim and all that.



It's very hard to get vehicles designed to run on LPG to run clean (forklifts, etc). The few that do have several computers involved. So running something designed for the higher BTU gasoline isn't going to make out too well. They just don't last very long. Plus, you lose quite a bit of power, and LP prices are going up.

Nope,this ain't correct. As a former full time taxi driver I had years of up to 50.000 city miles myself, and another driver with the same milage on the car =100.000 MILES a year. -The car? Volvo V70 with LPG. It runs clean, it looses so little power you don't notice it, and it lasts. My best friend, the taxi owner, has an LPG car with som 400.000 miles on it now, with no major overhaul. -So please don't tell me they don't last! :14:

LPG prices (and availability?) in the US is another matter, and you've answered my questions so thanks!

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Nope,this ain't correct. As a former full time taxi driver I had years of up to 50.000 city miles myself, and another driver with the same milage on the car =100.000 MILES a year. -The car? Volvo V70 with LPG. It runs clean, it looses so little power you don't notice it, and it lasts. My best friend, the taxi owner, has an LPG car with som 400.000 miles on it now, with no major overhaul. -So please don't tell me they don't last! :14:

LPG prices (and availability?) in the US is another matter, and you've answered my questions so thanks!

That is impressive.

 

[RICHinNC]

Well....for me....every thing is a moot point for a while. I was just told by my boss at noon today...my butt will be on a plane for Europe Friday. I have a unit to get ready for immediate deployment. I will be there until at least 2 May. Dang I really wanted to get me a truck this week end. Oh well.....keep on posting....I will read them when I get back
rich

 

[RonDawg]

I have to admit I was more hoping for something like that you had moved up to at least 95 octane these days. Our VW 1,6 FSI should only be run on unleaded 98 octane. We would have to rebuild our cars to make it even run on 87, but it hasn't been available ever.

Remember that Europe and America calculate octane differently. Europe uses exclusively Research Octane Number (RON), whereas America uses the average of RON and MON (Motor Octane Number). The differences between the two can be found in this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating As stated in the article, 87 American octane is the equivalent of 91 European.

Especially in this day of rising fuel prices, the only people who should use the "premium" grade 91 are those whose cars require it (such as certain VW's), and those whose cars have knock sensors that take advantage of better fuels (such as my Nissan). Otherwise, it's a total waste of money, despite what the oil companies and their marketing blitz want you to believe.

It's very hard to get vehicles designed to run on LPG to run clean (forklifts, etc). The few that do have several computers involved. So running something designed for the higher BTU gasoline isn't going to make out too well. They just don't last very long. Plus, you lose quite a bit of power, and LP prices are going up.

Actually LPG vehicles are considered "clean burning." Much more so than gasoline or diesel. From the "Drive Clean CA" website: Vehicles operating on propane can produce 30 to 90 percent less carbon monoxide and about 50 percent less smog-producing emissions than gasoline fueled engines.

I agree that LPG-fueled vehicles have AWFUL smelling exhaust. However I'm not sure if it's from the actual propane (which naturally is odorless) or the scent that is added afterward to warn you of any leaks, like with natural gas.

 

[RICHinNC]

I have seen LPG in Europe....but I cant ever remember seeing it in the states. Gotta have something everyone sells.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Remember that Europe and America calculate octane differently. Europe uses exclusively Research Octane Number (RON), whereas America uses the average of RON and MON (Motor Octane Number). The differences between the two can be found in this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating As stated in the article, 87 American octane is the equivalent of 91 European.

Especially in this day of rising fuel prices, the only people who should use the "premium" grade 91 are those whose cars require it (such as certain VW's), and those whose cars have knock sensors that take advantage of better fuels (such as my Nissan). Otherwise, it's a total waste of money, despite what the oil companies and their marketing blitz want you to believe.

I didn't get your link to work but I found the article. This is interesting! I never really understood why you guys would accept such "low quality" gas, or even how you made your engines even run on it!

Anyway, as you've cleared up your normal 87 octane = our 91 octane, except we don't have anything lower than (our) 95. And we don't call it premium either, just normal or "95" (= about US 91 then?). Some older cars need (our) 98 octane, but also some brand new cars like the VW with FSI engines runs on (our) 98 octane. It think is has something with how these new low volume high output engines work, with the variable injection and all. -As if I understand it, NOT!...

Thanks! I never though I would learn anything about cars here at Scubaboard, but I just did! (I still prefer diesels 3:1 though...)

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

I have seen LPG in Europe....but I cant ever remember seeing it in the states. Gotta have something everyone sells.

Of course! I had to ask if it is available. Apparently it isn't. But it works great and pollutes much much less. -That is, it moves the pollution to where the LPG is produced instead of in the engine. What comes out of the exaust pipes is more or less water...

 

[tracker]

Toyota is a little more $'s, but I've owned the 4x4 pickup, 1984, the SR5, and a couple of Toyota cars. They just won't die. Anyway, just had to defend my fav.