I asked the same thing about converting to propane, but there isn't anything on the market that allows for over the road vehicles. If cng is available this looks like a good option. The website has the kit at $950 for a 6 cyl engine. They say that cng is $1 to $2 a gallon cheaper then gas, so break even isn't too bad...

 

They say that cng is $1 to $2 a gallon cheaper then gas

Because it isn't taxed like gasoline. If very many people start to use it as a motor fuel, they will though. But I hope someone does start making more kits (nat. gas demand would be good for my business).

 

Venezuela has started a program where they are installing these kits for free. So that they can provide Natural gas for cheap to the country and then sell gas to the rest of the world.

 

I thought they were only paying .
$.12/gallon anyway?!?!?!?

 

we have a fleet of cng vehicles and if you think the range of the FJ sucks as it is now then forget a cng conversion.

 

You can always opt for the new Solar Power Mod :rofl:

 

At current hi side NG prices it will cost about 1.75$ for the equivalent power of 1 gallon of gasoline. This price includes the following things. Hi end therm price $1.20, electricity to compress and clean NG. Prepayment of a new cat on your refueling station.
Doesn't sound bad does it. But here is where it gets a bit expensive.
A fuel tank for NG vehicle must handle 3000+ PSI, these tanks are not cheap at all. They can run upto 5k$ and are not included in the price given from a previous post. You will at most be able to store about 8 gallons, which is a big tank. So your range will be limited. Also, you will need to buy a refueling station (unless you can refuel cheap somewhere) and this station will cost 4k$ and it takes it upto 16hrs to refuel a 8 gallon tank. NG from your house is impure and is low pressure.
So in total you will definitely spend about 10k$ for your conversion and that is without labor. But hey, at some point you'll get your ROI...it just won't be in 1 year. You are better off looking online and find a used NG vehicle.

Honda civic makes a nice one for 24k$ .. it would apply in many states for alternative fuel tax break.

 

Ouch.....

 

A friend of mine is from Utah and he says that many people have the conversion and the fuel works out to about 67 cents a gallon.... But look 2 posts up and it takes a lot of money to get to 67 cents. I thought it would be a great conversion till I heard the facts.......:simmadown:

 

x2 on the conversion costing more than the difference in gas. Figure out how much gas you would have to buy to make up the $6000-$12000 (not sure where the FJ comes in at) to do the conversion.

Another thought though is my buddy has his car set up and runs CNG until it's out and then switches back to his unleaded. (there's your spare gas tank for increased distance) Only bummer is the amount of cargo room the extra tank takes up.

 

I heard T. Boone Pickens last night and visited his website....sounds like a fantastic idea, but reading thru this thread....holy crap! Is he really that out of touch re/ the cost of these NG conversions? It looks impossible to me, well, let's just say it is economically unfeasable at this time.

Oh, I've been asking other people about the MPG they are getting with many different cars and trucks. Actually, our FJ's aren't really that bad all things considered.

Hydrogen is the key to this whole mess and it will be the dominant fuel in the years ahead but probably not within some of our lifetimes.

 

CNG is a common motor fuel in other countries. For about the same price as a Toyota Prius, in the state of California and those with California emissions/ HOV lane access, you can buy a factory Honda Civic that runs on CNG

2008 Honda Civic GX - the Official Honda Web Site

There are probably Federal and State incentives to make purchase of the car more attractive. Probably the at-home refueling station is the easiest and most convenient option, again there may be Federal/State incentives

CNG is most useful for urban commuting. Going on a long road trip, well that could get interesting. You may have to plan your route to find CNG refueling stations

One thing to keep in mind about CNG. It burns very cleanly and - in theory - a motor should last a very long time. However, burning natural gas in a spark ignited engine does increase nitration of the motor oil. Usually, you will need a special motor oil that keeps nitration under control

These are motor oils I'm familiar with that are certified for use in natural gas transport and prime mover applications. I'm sure there are other brands too

http://esso.ca/Canada-English/Files/Products_Lubes/IOCAENINDESEssolube_G.pdf

http://esso.ca/Canada-English/Files/Products_Lubes/IOCAENINDESGMA_Plus.pdf

 

CNG is a common motor fuel in other countries. For about the same price as a Toyota Prius, in the state of California and those with California emissions/ HOV lane access, you can buy a factory Honda Civic that runs on CNG

2008 Honda Civic GX - the Official Honda Web Site

If you can even get one. I hear that waiting lists are over 1 year now, and you can only use CNG (no dual fuel capability for these). With the limited fueling stations available, these are commuter cars only. There are home refuling units available and it is cheap to fill, but it takes 16 hrs to fill from empty and the compressors start at $4G's.

 

I know a guy who did a CNG conversion on a Chevy Astro van. He did it while he was living in Tucson and got some sort of spectacular AZ tax credit.

He now lives in CO. He raves about CNG.... Fuels up at home via his home supply line. Says the engine had work done at one point and the cylinders looked like factory new....

 

I know a guy who did a CNG conversion on a Chevy Astro van. He did it while he was living in Tucson and got some sort of spectacular AZ tax credit.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

......that program ran thru Az a few years back and just about bankrupted the state.

the governor's son (or someone like that) bought like three of them while the program briefly ran.

my neighbors have one......hunny's co worker......there are a few lucky peeps here and there who got in on it while it lasted.....which wasn't long.

 

i Found This , i signed up mine is a 2007 and someone did a 2008
sign up you got nothing to loose there is no obligation.
CNG List of Vehicles Signed Up

 

just a note about propane or cng conversions. the kits you see are typically for carbarated vehicles. A fuel injected vehicle brings in a load of new requirements: something to turn the injectors off, something to fool the computer into thinking that are still on, the entirely new timing curve, and the list goes on. I have done a propane coversion on a carbarated vehicle and it is really easy once you have aquired the proper regulators and mixing valve. We recently converted a generator to propane for a friend, entire project cost $35. We found an old forklift in a junk yard and robbed all the parts off of it. The guy at the yard looked at all the parts and says "how about $20?" i told him i only had $15. He told us "good enough." the rest of the money was fittings and such.

 

Interesting...... They let you drive your modified vehicle for a year, then pay for the system. DEWFPO

Natruell

 

a good read on the topic:

The Oil Drum | How Much Natural Gas Do We Have to Replace Gasoline?

 

If one factors in the clathrate hydrates in the Arctic, we could be sitting on enormous quantities of natural gas

Gas Hydrates

https://www.llnl.gov/str/Durham.html

Mallik 2002

NETL: Methane Hydrates - All About Hydrates - Arctic Regions

Japan and the USA are investing large sums of money to research deposits in the Canadian arctic

 

So, has anyone really converted one besides the Gasco folks?

Toyota Landcruisers with CNG Conversions Race the 2010 Dakar | NGV Global

 

There are a couple of threads down in the tech or engine section somewhere of a couple of guys doing or trying to do them that are fairly recent.