I have something that may be a good deal.

[Scoundrel]

I've come across a short school bus.  It's about 20 years old and about 80,000 miles on it for $3000.00.  The catch is it runs on propane.  I have some experience with propane trucks and am worried there aren't enough places to fill up out on the roads across the USA.  I'm told in can be converted to gas, but I can't find anyone that knows how to do the job.

Any thoughts?

 

[highdesertranger]

put a gas carb, pump, tank, and fuel line. propane and gas are interchangeable. there are dual fuel carbs out there also. propane is available in any small western town that has gas. highdesertranger

 

[Patrick46]

leave the propane in it.
I had a stepvan that ran great on the stuff, and it's like $1.50 a gallon.

When the guys at the filling station, whether it was a U-Haul center, or an RV park , asked if it ran on the stuff, I simply said that I used it for my heat and cook stove (which technically WAS correct.)

 

[akrvbob]

Can vehicle tanks be filled like any other propane tank? If so finding a place to fill it shouldn't be hard.

My experience has been vehicles converted to propane lose a LOT of power and a bus would already be marginal.

I drove school bus for 5 years and I had some minor hills on my route so they gave me a full-size bus converted to propane to test. Of course I was loaded with children so it was heavy, but it could just barely climb this hill and I told them it was unsafe. They never adapted them. The buses were IH with the 345 V8 and 5 speed. My gas engine never had any struggle with that hill, I never had to downshift on it.
Bob
Bob

 

[highdesertranger]

true you will have less power with propane. less btu's for the same amount of fuel. highdesertranger

 

[Scoundrel]

I used to drive a propane powered semi truck between Dallas and Austin. The main difference I noticed (compared to diesel) was the propane trucks had a much shorted range between fill ups. But i guess no car, van, bus or RV is going to have the range of a semi between fill ups.

I think I'll keep looking. Thanks for the input.

 

[compassrose]

Track down a Schwan's food truck. They all run on propane. The guy who used to deliver to us in TN would fill his truck at the same fill station where I got my BBQ tanks filled. I don't know where the others in the other states filled.

 

[Willy]

Propane can save you a pile of cash, but can be problematic to fill. Friend of mine went down south for the winter, all the way to Texas and then Arizona, with her propane powered mini schoolbus. She ended up paying a bit less, overall, than she would have if using gasoline. she just had to plan her trip a bit more carefully.

If the engine has been modified for propane (higher compression being the main mod) it could get pretty close to the power output of gas, but would then be a propane only unit and pricy to convert to gas/dual fuel. I have a propane only stepvan (stock 350 chev) and end up paying considerably less per month for fuel vs when I had my gas only truck/camper. ..Willy.

 

[ZoNiE]

Not sure about anywhere else, but you get $1 off a gallon of propane in AZ if it is for a vehicle. Part of the clean air incentives. I get the discount when I fill my Forklift tanks, as it is a vehicle.

The lower cost is worth the lower energy. If I could carry enough, I'd convert my truck.

 

[eDJ_]

I would see it being set up as a Propane fuel vehicle as a big bonus. 

Propane is rather available nation wide. 

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/propane_locations.html


I would also suggest that you try to find out what motor oil that they have
been using too.  A lot of Propane fueled motors used a "low ash" content oil. 

But Propane engines run "CLEAN" and last quite awhile. 

Lubrication Issues

Although CNG, LNG and propane-power engines are clean burning, they do require special motor oils that have unique additive packages designed for these applications. A natural gas or propane motor oil will typically have a low ash additive package that minimizes valve stem and combustion chamber deposit formation. The oil will also be formulated for longer service intervals and to withstand higher operating temperatures with less viscosity breakdown. Ordinary diesel motor oil should not be used in a spark-ignited CNG, LNG or propane engine because it can leave ash deposits that can cause piston scuffing and reduced spark plug life.

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2015/05/cng-and-propane-engine-builds/

 

[Canine]

Willy, that is a very important point. Those engines that were gas and converted by simply replacing the carburetor with a mixer are a bit of a dog.

Propane is cheaper largely because it doesn't have taxes associated with it like gasoline or highway diesel. It is like buying red-dyed, off-road diesel.

Propane has more difficulty starting when it starts getting about 20 degrees Fahrenheit below zero; otherwise, it starts amazingly well as it atomizes extremely well.

There are quite a few places that one can fill up with propane, but you need to fill up when they are open. With gas and a credit card, you can fill up any time you want almost anywhere. Very convenient. I remember in the old days, when it was past 11:00 p.m., I had to wait until the next day to fuel up. It might sound weird, but I bet I would have difficulty adjusting back to that if I had to. I'm spoiled! lol

You said you were passing on the vehicle, but wanted to include this info in case someone else did a search on this thread.

 

[66788]

I would pass on that one. Here in CA propane vehicles go to the junkyard as nobody will buy them.

The power is less, the mileage is less, it's hard to find propane in some areas, and the only good thing I can think of is the engines run cleaner.

Gas or diesel are viable, not propane.