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Propane - Liquid vs Vapor

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jeffah20

11-07-2007 06:08:23

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Got a question... I bought a propane truck - 1969 Loadstar 1600. Vapor and Liquid valves are connected to line feeding engine. I was told that you should crank on vapor and run on liquid once warmed up. I was told at the local propane store that if you run on vapor, it will burn the valves. Is this true because I was told by another guy that you can run on vapor until you get a load on the truck (no power from vapor). Help.

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buickanddeere

11-07-2007 18:43:33

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

If the LP tank temp drops/pressure falls too low due to high volumes of vapour being drawn off. The engine will run leaner and hotter during this time of high load. The engine components can be damaged with high temps or detonation caused by high heat & lean mixtures. I'd worry more about detonation.

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the Unforgiven

11-07-2007 14:30:33

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

We ran lp tractors, combines, pick-ups and trucks for a long time, always opened the vapor only, but occasionally they didn't want to run right unless you opened the liquid, but it was always the same tractors, and not very often. The tractors that were lp conversions and a couple of the pick-ups were vapor only.

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KIP in MX

11-07-2007 11:41:58

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

We had LP tractors, pickups, windrower, pump engines and cottonpicker. Only time I remember using vapor was to start in cold weather. All the rest of the time ran with only the liquid valve open. On the pickups that ran on gasoline or LP, they had a prime button to shoot LP vapor into the carb for starting when cold. Or, we would switch to gasoline, start, then switch back to LP when engine was warm.

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Gerald J.

11-07-2007 08:42:10

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

Generally the rule is start on vapor, warm up the engine lightly loaded, then open the liquid valve and close the vapor valve. That's because the ordinary 30 or 40 gallon propane tank can't gather enough heat from the air around it to evaporate liquid at the rate the engine needs at full load. My multifuel standby generator needs two 100 pound bottles to evaporate enough for 5 KW.

If you don't load an engine much, it could run on vapor all day, plowing or working it hard its going to need to be on liquid with the vaporizer working to give gas to the carburetor. Else it will run lean and too much running lean can burn the exhaust valves.

Gerald J.

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big jt

11-07-2007 08:33:01

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

Don't know about burning valves because of running on Vapor. If you are pushing hard you need to be pulling Liquid. The small tanks won't boil off enough vapor to run the engine when the fuel is cold.

The Convertor (regulator to some) uses engine coolant to warm the fuel and vaporize it. All the owners manuals I have say to run the engine on liquid unless you are having problems with the convertor vaporizing and then use vapor just to warm the engine. My Cockshutt 40 which is a factory setup doesn't even have a vapor valve.

Run it on Liquid unless you are having problems.

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Jim James

11-07-2007 07:34:51

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

I have a 49 case standard or wheatland d on LP and The guy I got it from said to run it on vapor, so I never have even cracked the liquid valve as I have owned it 11 years and only ran off of the vapor??? Maybe I am doing something wrong or hurting something, but so far, so good.

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Jim James

11-07-2007 07:34:43

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

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Jim James

11-07-2007 07:34:40

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

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colekicker

11-07-2007 07:19:36

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LP Repair Parts in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

Well, while everyone is on this subject, is there a good place to have LP tractor parts repaired or has anyone gone through this process? I have an LP tractor that needs all new seals since it has been sitting for years.

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big jt

11-07-2007 08:41:02

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Re: LP Repair Parts in reply to colekicker, 11-07-2007 07:19:36

Try it stuff lasts a lot better due to sitting with LP than Gas or Diesal. The fuel doesn't go bad like Gas does.

Allan is right about Impco and there are some others that are still in the biz.

However if you have A Ensign or Century you have a little different situation. You can get a Convertor kit from Everhart 2-way & LPG Supply Box 169
Lone Wolf, OK
73655-9762
ph 580 846 5633

Hold on to your shorts though. Ensign kits are like $75 Centurys are about the same money.

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37 chief

11-07-2007 09:24:07

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Re: LP Repair Parts in reply to big jt, 11-07-2007 08:41:02

After Dad passed away in the early 90's I was in need of parts for the Ensign fuel system on his A/C Model M's. I went to the A/C dealer and told them I was looking for parts for the Ensign fuel system. They told me sorry they got rid of all the parts some time ago. The parts man said they gave all the parts to a farmer. I asked who it was thinking I may be able to get what I needed from him. They told me his name, and I said, that was my Dad. I go hime and and start digging through stuff. and found several boxes of new Ensign parts. The parts lasted quite a few years. Stan

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335LP

11-07-2007 08:38:38

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Re: LP Repair Parts in reply to colekicker, 11-07-2007 07:19:36

Check with your local LP dealer and if they aren't much help several online places for parts and one with lots of online education of how a LP system works is propanecarbs.com

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Mike (WA)

11-07-2007 08:01:44

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Re: LP Repair Parts in reply to colekicker, 11-07-2007 07:19:36

There's a very good article on rebuilding the LP system in the latest issue of Oliver Heritage magazine- If you're not into Olivers, you can buy single issues. Website is www dot oliverinformation dot com.

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Allan In NE

11-07-2007 07:28:34

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Re: LP Repair Parts in reply to colekicker, 11-07-2007 07:19:36

Depends wheather or not it is a factory setup or an aftermarket hang-on like an Impco, etc.

Any propane fuel supplier can get parts for the Impcos. Darned things are everywhere.

Now, a factory configuration might be a little tricky. Evenso, it is not much of a chore to just hang a different evaporator on the tractor.

Allan

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colekicker

11-07-2007 07:19:32

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LP Repair Parts in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

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colekicker

11-07-2007 07:19:32

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LP Repair Parts in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

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iowa_tire_guy

11-07-2007 07:12:44

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

On my Dad's combines we very rarely opened the vapor valve, always ran on liquid. Started in on some pretty cold mornings in the winter too. In theory if it is too cold you might not get enough of liquid vaporized to start the engine, but never saw that. On the other side, the engines would have been starved for fuel running full load on vapor. Also my forklift only has a liquid valve and starts fine in the winter.

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Teebogr81

11-07-2007 07:02:35

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

My grandfather has 3 propane tractors M&M and IH and runs them all on vapor only, he always has. I also have my own propane M&M and I run it soley on vapor as well. I have experimented with running liquid as I have heard that it will give more power but under a full load with a 3 bottom plow I could tell no difference between vapor or liquid. So I stick to vapor.

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Allan In NE

11-07-2007 07:15:59

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to Teebogr81, 11-07-2007 07:02:35

Yes Sir,

It's kind of confusing the way they set those things up to start with.

Once that fuel leaves the vaporizer it is all the same darned state anyway (read: vapor). No such thing as actually running on "liquid".

It's a question of what state the fuel is in when it enters that vaporizer.

Allan

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Jon Hagen

11-07-2007 06:48:41

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Re: Propane - Liquid vs Vapor in reply to jeffah20, 11-07-2007 06:08:23

Both may be right. The fuel lines are sized for liquid propane and may run the engine lean from fuel starvation when on vapor only. My pickup truck with IMPCO brand dual fuel conversion starts better on liquid than on vapor. The fuel tank does not even have a vapor tap, but when I run the tank below 5%, the fuel dip tube can no longer reach the bit of liquid propane in the bottom of the tank and must run on vapor. Under those condition, a cold start involves a lot of cranking, a few lean spits through the carb, and will stall 2-3 times before it finally idles on vapor. The only downside to starting on liquid in cold weather is that you need to allow the engine to idle a bit to heat the coolant to keep the vaporizer working at making propane vapor from liquid propane.

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