Convert your car to NG now! Get the auto NG market started now!
Updated 10/8/2008 --
I've decided that we need to get the NG market started NOW in NW Louisiana. Presently, the NG Phil'ing stations are limited on the roads, so for right now, we need to add the NG conversion onto our vehicles and to be able to temporarily switch back to gasoline for longer trips >250 miles. This trip length also depends on your gas mileage (make that NG mileage!). For starters, I have seen a $2000 price tag only on the "net" for a NG conversion kit for vehicles. I am not sure that people realize that even someone with a larger SUV getting 20mpg can recoup this money in ~16 months (assuming NG from a home natural gas line is $1/gal-unit, cost of gasoline=3.50/gal, and their annual mileage is 15,000 miles/yr). Then their "gas" savings will really kick in. A better gas mileage vehicle recoups this expense even quicker. It's already a good investment for any vehicle that you're going to keep for 3-4 yrs!
Stuff we need to find out...
1) The natrual gas home Phil compressor unit can be installed in the garage and fills from your house gas line. I've gotten 1 price so far for this item. One can be bought from a company in Baton Rouge and they have 1 certified technician. Price:$4500 + installation @$1000-1500. Another price was seen listed by Consumers Report of $3900 and $500 to install (article written 2006). Tax credits available: state = 20% of total cost => $1100-$1200 of the $5500-$6000 mentioned first from Baton Rouge. Federal tax credit = $1000. This offsets the total cost to ~$3800. The Consumer Report price would be offset to $2600. So still researching this ...
2) Where can one buy a conversion kit to add NG capability to our vehicles AND who are the local mechanics who can add these conversion kits onto cars and trucks (gas & diesel). One price seen for this was $1900 for a large car (ie, 8 cylinder car) , $2200 for the tank, and $1500 labor (although my post farther down states this job takes 1 day and I am surely not paying a mechanic $150/hr) . Still researching this too. No local mechanic found so far. I'm not sure about any federal tax credit for this conversion. The only info I have seen so far says... a "bi-fuel" vehicle is not eligible for the tax break of 30% of the conversion cost. It may be proposed for 2009 though. I do not think I want to go straight CNG cold turkey just yet because the "PHIL'ing stations" are nonexistent in this area. We'll have to be able to switch over to gasoline for a couple years or so. Write/call your reps and senators to push such bill!
Anyone with names, phone numbers, &/or urls to answer
any or all of the above, please write in!
Drivers...start your engines... and let's start 'em with NG!
I've decided that we need to get the NG market started NOW in NW Louisiana. Presently, the NG Phil'ing stations are limited on the roads, so for right now, we need to add the NG conversion onto our vehicles and to be able to temporarily switch back to gasoline for longer trips >250 miles. This trip length also depends on your gas mileage (make that NG mileage!). For starters, I have seen a $2000 price tag only on the "net" for a NG conversion kit for vehicles. I am not sure that people realize that even someone with a larger SUV getting 20mpg can recoup this money in ~16 months (assuming NG from a home natural gas line is $1/gal-unit, cost of gasoline=3.50/gal, and their annual mileage is 15,000 miles/yr). Then their "gas" savings will really kick in. A better gas mileage vehicle recoups this expense even quicker. It's already a good investment for any vehicle that you're going to keep for 3-4 yrs!
Stuff we need to find out...
1) The natrual gas home Phil compressor unit can be installed in the garage and fills from your house gas line. I've gotten 1 price so far for this item. One can be bought from a company in Baton Rouge and they have 1 certified technician. Price:$4500 + installation @$1000-1500. Another price was seen listed by Consumers Report of $3900 and $500 to install (article written 2006). Tax credits available: state = 20% of total cost => $1100-$1200 of the $5500-$6000 mentioned first from Baton Rouge. Federal tax credit = $1000. This offsets the total cost to ~$3800. The Consumer Report price would be offset to $2600. So still researching this ...
2) Where can one buy a conversion kit to add NG capability to our vehicles AND who are the local mechanics who can add these conversion kits onto cars and trucks (gas & diesel). One price seen for this was $1900 for a large car (ie, 8 cylinder car) , $2200 for the tank, and $1500 labor (although my post farther down states this job takes 1 day and I am surely not paying a mechanic $150/hr) . Still researching this too. No local mechanic found so far. I'm not sure about any federal tax credit for this conversion. The only info I have seen so far says... a "bi-fuel" vehicle is not eligible for the tax break of 30% of the conversion cost. It may be proposed for 2009 though. I do not think I want to go straight CNG cold turkey just yet because the "PHIL'ing stations" are nonexistent in this area. We'll have to be able to switch over to gasoline for a couple years or so. Write/call your reps and senators to push such bill!
Anyone with names, phone numbers, &/or urls to answer
any or all of the above, please write in!
Drivers...start your engines... and let's start 'em with NG!
Tags: NG mechanic, cng, convert to NG, natural gas, phil
Views: 254
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Grice on -
Here's one https://www.cngoutfitters.com
They offer a locator map, so you can see where, and how much, cng is being sold (hint: expand to see the dallas area)
You can order the home filling station at http://www.myphill.com , or contact the Louisiana dealer: Sullivan Oil Company Baton Rouge, LA 225-952-7900.
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Permalink Reply by Rozzy on
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Thank you Grice for the information. I wonder if the same applies to Texas?
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Permalink Reply by The ShaleRider on
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Found in chat room on CNGoutfitters URL provided by Grice-----thanks Grice!
Message by Tedd
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:13 am Post subject: Converted 1994 Mercedes C220 SUCCESSFUL!
I finished converting my mercedes C220 just last week. It took about 3-4 days but I was only working a few hours a day so you could do it even in a day. I already have 900 miles on CNG! I get the same gas mileage +/- 1-2MPG as with gas. I still can't calculate it absolutely right because the fill up always depends on the pressure at the station. I have 9GGE at 3000PSI and my range is about 215 city / 265 highway. Costs me $5.8 to fill up from empty to full and go 215+ miles.
Here is some info:
The car is a 4 cylinder 2.2 liter 150HP Electronic fuel injected. I will post a video and some pictures with some more info as soon as possible. The kit was absolutely complete ! I only had to buy one high pressure fitting to connect the high pressure line to the tanks. The tanks I bought used and they are good trough 2015, they are 32x16 inches each and are rated at 3600PSI but don't forget the system is only rated at 3000 PSI! and they have electronic solenoid valves.
Here is what I got with the kit:High pressure line, Pressure regulator, Inner fill valve, shut off valve, mixer, all the hoses and brackets, timing advance processor, injector emulator, anticontaminating device with electric motor, pressure gauge, switch with LED display of the fuel level and some other things.
I will later explain more about all these things and how to install them. Also about the backfiring which usually occures and how to avoid it.
EDIT: Here are some pictures of the car. The video is coming soon too.
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Permalink Reply by OGCalifornia on
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This is good information. I noticed yesterday that the buses here in Los Angeles have switched to CNG as well as some of the local government vehicles. There are large CNG logos on the sides of buses.
I hope the trend continues we have a huge number of cars on the roads. I have not see any filling stations yet.
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Permalink Reply by Dorcheated A1 on
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Was that before or after California asked for 7 billion dollars.
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Permalink Reply by OGCalifornia on
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Dorcheated
I'm not going there with you on this thread.
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Permalink Reply by Grice on
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There is a program established to encourage more cities to begin using alternative fuels....
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities
There is a company (I can not recall the name) that will convert city owned vehicles for free. The program includes for the city to purchase cng at fossil fuel price for 1 year (?). The price variation of the two fuels will be used to reimburse the company that converted the vehicles. In simple terms, it would initially cost nothing for the city departments to switch to cng, and would cut their long-term fuel budget. Its a win-win situation. We (the average tax payer) need to see more political handshaking to take place before we (as a whole) can see the true benefits of city-wide conversions.
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Permalink Reply by Grice on
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When searching for the company that offers the free program for city owned vehicles, I found this...
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/aos/863840046.html
Being as that offers is locale to you, maybe you (or someone you know) can take advantage of the offer.
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Ted>1994 Mercedes C220 CNG
Slideshow showing pictures of the conversion in his Mercedes.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cngconversion/1994MercedesC220CNG#slide...
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Here's 1 example of a company that adds NG to a gasoline vehicle. They are in Utah.
These prices seem to follow the principles of the fact that there's no competition yet....:-)..if you know what I mean.
Kit Prices
* 4 Cyl. Engine Complete CNG Kit - $1450.00
* 5 Cyl. Engine Complete CNG Kit - $1550.00
* 6 Cyl. Engine Complete CNG Kit - $1650.00
* 8 Cyl. Engine Complete CNG Kit - $1900.00
* 10 Cyl. Engine Complete CNG Kit - $2500.00
Tank/Cylinder Prices
* Car - 15.2" x 35.4" - 6.7 gallon, 66 lbs - $2200.00 + Shipping
* SUV - 16.1" x 52" - 11.4 gallon 121 lbs * - $2780.00 + Shipping
* Truck - 15.9" x 60" - 13.6 gallon 121 lbs * - $2980.00 + Shipping
Basic Install is $1500, due at install time. (may be more depending on vehicle).
(The price for Installation seems pretty high too...since the guy with the mercedes says it should take 1 day. I'm really not accustomed to paying a mechanic $187.50-$200/hour for their 8-hr day.)
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Permalink Reply by Grice on
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I somewhat agree with you, but also consider the alternative method of reducing yearly fuel expenses. If someone were driving a "gas guzzling" SUV, and wanted to reduce their yearly fuel expense, they could opt into buying a more fuel efficient vehicle. If they were to do that, what would their cost vs. time ratio be? The margin of offset would be great, if they only drove the new vehicle on rare occasions. But, if they were to drive the more efficient vehicle on a daily basis, over the duration of time, that margin would slowly decrease. The same principle applies to cng conversions. The initial investment may be a "sticker shock", but the long term benefits would soothe those effects. I am not trying to degrade your assessment, but you did not include the alternative fuel tax credits.
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