Yes, you can switch between fuels at the touch of a button on the dash in some instances.
How much natural gas will my vehicle use?
The amount of fuel used is dependent on the vehicle and engine sizes, the MPG rating, highway or city miles, and driving habits, just as it is with gasoline or diesel fuel.
How is the conversion kit installed?
Your conversion kits can be professionally installed by certified professionals. We can work with you to find local installers who are qualified.
Can a diesel engine be converted?
No, a vehicle powered by a diesel engine can be repowered by substituting a dedicated natural gas engine for the diesel engine. The addition of compressed natural gas (CNG) mixing capability is another possibility. Some diesel engines include this technology, which allows them to run on a controlled blend of diesel and CNG.
Will I be able to pass my state inspections?
Yes, you will be able to pass all of your conversion’s inspections. If you test while running on natural gas, your emissions will be far lower. In all 50 states, conversion kits are intended to meet or exceed the most stringent emission standards.
Can the natural gas tank explode in an accident?
A natural gas storage tank must adhere to stringent regulatory safety regulations. Unlike a plastic or metal gasoline tank, these tanks are incredibly durable and safe. Millions of cars have been safely powered by natural gas on a global scale. Many federal, state, and local government vehicles fall within this category.
Can I install more than one tank?
Yes, you can install multiple tanks to extend your driving range, especially in heavy-duty vehicles or cars that drive great miles on a regular basis.
Where can I purchase a new Natural Gas Vehicle?
There are a variety of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) within our service zones that deliver vehicles with EPA certified technology, depending on your location and vehicle type.
What is the cost of converting a diesel engine to a natural gas engine?
Low compression pistons, natural gas fuel injectors, and ignition components, as well as an innovative electronic control module and several sensors, are all included in the Omnitek Kit to convert a diesel engine to a natural gas engine. Omnitek may also provide catalytic converters for applications demanding ultra-low emissions, such as EURO IV or EURO V.
The following are the steps involved in the conversion:
- Taking apart the original engine.
- Checking and replacing components as needed.
- Adapting pistons for use with gas (lower compression ratio).
- Changing the cylinder head to accommodate spark plugs.
- Camshaft sensor and timing wheel installation.
- Putting the engine back together.
- Throttle body, ignition system, gas mixer, or fuel injectors installation.
- Engine fine tuning (fuel and ignition).
The cost of converting a non-turbocharged engine ranges from $7,000 to $10,000, including the Omnitek Kit, Engine Modifications, and Labor. Extras include gas tanks, engine overhaul parts, and installation. The cost of conversion for turbocharged engines ranges from $8,000 to $12,000. In one week, a team of five to seven technicians may convert five to seven vehicles.
The rise in the price of diesel has impacted truck and bus operators particularly hard, to the point where switching to natural gas is often the only way to stay in business. Not only would switching to natural gas lower fuel expenses, but it will also reduce pollution. It was critical for us to create a system that is both economical and yields a one-year return, and I believe we have achieved.
Is it possible to convert a diesel engine to run on LNG?
Omnitek’s patented technology solves the unreliability and poor performance issues associated with first-generation gas engine technology, outperforming competitors in all essential categories such as cost, efficiency, performance, emissions, and dependability.
Diesel engines are classified into two types based on their size:
Without a turbocharger, a basic reducer/mixer system can be used (CIMS).
The vast majority of diesel engines can be converted to run on natural gas. The engine’s power output after conversion is determined by a variety of factors, including natural gas quality, the power output of the original diesel engine, the required pollution limits, and so on. Converting diesel engines to natural gas typically necessitates the addition of components as well as certain mechanical adjustments to the engine. Essentially, the diesel engine is completely overhauled and is being converted from a diesel to a natural gas engine (CNG, LNG, or RNG).
Every year, thousands of diesel engines are overhauled. These engines can be converted to natural gas engines using Omnitek’s conversion technology; the cost difference is small. Diesel engines are routinely overhauled over the course of their extended service life, which can be up to 20 years. The infrastructure, capacity, and knowledge base are all in place. Converting diesel engines to natural gas makes financial sense and is the only way to grow the number of natural gas vehicles in a reasonable amount of time.
Trucks, buses, generators, industrial, rail, and marine applications can all benefit from DNG technology.
Is it possible to convert diesel engines to LPG?
You can, but the savings won’t be as impressive. One of the key advantages of diesel is that it has a longer range than gasoline-powered vehicles. If you primarily run on LPG, you’ll lose that advantage.
Overall, the use of diesel and LPG does little to reduce emissions or improve air quality. It’s possible that it’s not worth your time.
Despite the fact that most vehicles are diesel-powered, sales of petrol vans are increasing due to the stigma of ‘dirty diesel.’ This is a shame because the newer diesel Euro 6-engined automobiles are extremely efficient and environmentally friendly.
If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, you might want to think about electric vans as well. Especially if you conduct a lot of short hops or stop/start driving in the city center.
What is the cost of converting a truck to natural gas?
It turns out that there aren’t many technological hurdles to overcome. Converting existing vehicles to run on natural gas is actually rather simple. Unfortunately, if you tried it yourself, you’d almost certainly break the Clean Air Act’s prohibitions against changing gasoline systems, a violation that could cost you up to $5000 in fines for each day you drive the altered vehicle. So, if you want to go green with your wheels right now, you’ll need to hire a licensed compressed-natural-gas (CNG) installer. I went to NatGasCar in Cleveland to learn more about aftermarket CNG systems. It’s a start-up company that installs a natural gas fuel system alongside gasoline cars. They showed me their newest innovation, a dual-fuel Dodge Caravan that would be used as an airport taxi. It runs on gasoline at first, then changes to natural gas as the engine warms up.
The compressed-natural-gas fuel tank located behind the rear seats in the cargo area is NatGasCar’s most important and expensive component. The company employs a Type 4 tank, which is the most modern type available. It has a plastic composite core coated in carbon fiber that helps it to be lighter, and it’s rated for severe impact and puncture resistance.
The fuel regulator sits between the tank and the engine, reducing the 3600 psi fuel tank pressure to an useable 125 psi fed to the engine. The fuel regulator is heated to keep it from freezing due to gas expansion. The lower-pressure gas is delivered to the engine, a Chrysler Pentastar V-6 that can run on a variety of fuels. It’s crucial to have a flex-fuel engine since it has toughened valves and valve seats, which are required for CNG operation. A parallel fuel rail carries the natural gas, and a second set of injectors is plugged into a smart adaptor that allows both gasoline and CNG injectors to be used on the same injection port. For the Pentastar engine, natural gas has an optimal air-fuel ratio of roughly 16.8:1, whilst gasoline has a happy ratio of 14.6:1. As a result, the new injectors’ programming must be slightly modified. The wire harness in the NatGasCar intercepts signals from the engine-control module and turns on either the gasoline or CNG injectors, depending on which fuel is selected. The signals for the gasoline injectors are changed so that the natural gas injectors get the right amount of fuel. This method, only minor fine tuning is required, and the car’s engine-control unit takes care of the majority of the work.
Fueling Woes
So, with a new gasoline tank and a little fiddling with the fuel injectors, I should be good to go, right? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Natural gas is distributed to millions of residences around the country. However, what appears to be the ideal distribution network is actually the natural gas cars’ biggest headache. Natural gas is given at roughly 0.5 psi at home, but it must be pressurized to 3600 psi in cars. You’ll need a compressor if you wish to use CNG in your car. Because compressed gas storage in residences is prohibited by a National Fire Protection Association safety requirement, a stand-alone multistage compressor pump in the garage must be hooked up to the vehicle’s fuel tank and immediately fill it. This results in up to 22-hour fuelling times (even longer than equivalent home charging times for electric vehicles). Honda’s Civic Natural Gas comes with a Phill ($4500) home compressor system, which is the only one of its kind on the market. NatGasCar is working on a compressor system that can fill up a car in eight hours; the current goal price is $3500. Some states have subsidized the construction of high-speed filling equipment at petrol stations, which can take as little as 4 to 5 minutes to fill, similar to gasoline. However, because these systems are expensive to establish, just 941 high-pressure CNG filling stations are distributed across the country, largely in New York, California, Utah, and Texas.
Economics
It’s true that fueling CNG vehicles is inconvenient, but is it worth it? Natural gas costs between 79 cents and $1.50 per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) across the country. Because natural gas has a higher octane rating, CNG vehicles have the same or better relative fuel economy per Btu as petroleum-based vehicles. Our test drives revealed no degradation in performance and a range of roughly 250 miles. However, there are some astronomical early setup fees. The cost of a fully installed conversion ranges from $6500 for a simple system to $12,000 for a top-of-the-line installation with a high-capacity, composite fuel tank. Add $3500 to the total if you want a home fuelling compressor. Even at the low end, the conversion will cost you enough money to buy over 1800 gallons of gasoline at today’s pricing.
The destiny of CNG vehicles will eventually be determined by these pricing. High gasoline prices have historically sparked a rush of investment in less expensive, cleaner fuels, followed by a drop in demand when costs decline. For the time being, CNG has a high entry cost, making it only practical for taxi services and other fleet operators, but economies of scale may reduce costs for the average car buyer in the future. And if the price of gasoline remains above $3 per gallon, the change may occur sooner rather than later.
Is it possible to convert my truck to run on natural gas?
A vehicle or engine that has been converted to run on a different fuel or power source is known as an aftermarket conversion. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can modify conventional vehicles and engines to run on propane, natural gas, or electricity.
Models, fuels, and technologies vary, and many OEMs provide alternative fuel and advanced technology automobiles. When gasoline engines are adapted to run on alternate fuels, these vehicles are classified as conversions. In the same way, vehicles that are currently in use can be transformed. Models, fuels, and technology are all different.
What Fleets Need to Know About Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversions, Retrofits, and Repowers was published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Important considerations, “pro tips,” and best practices for converting automobiles to run on alternative fuels like natural gas and propane are discussed in the research.
The EPA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and state agencies such as the California Air Resources Board have established emissions and safety criteria for all vehicle and engine modifications.
Is it possible to run a diesel engine on gasoline?
Gasoline is a combustible liquid, as we all know. Petroleum has a distinct environmental impact. As a result, diesel engines are unable to run on gasoline, while gasoline engines are unable to run on diesels. Diesel must be thicker than gasoline to work well in gasoline engines, because gasoline creates too much of an explosion at each step.
Is it possible to convert diesel to CNG?
While upgrading diesel-powered vehicles to CNG is an unproven and costly technology, cab drivers are searching for assistance. Expert CNG Solutions in Delhi, which is authorized to sell CNG kits for vehicles, is owned by Malchand Chauhan, who maintains that diesel conversion is a costly solution.
How do I convert my diesel truck to run on compressed natural gas?
CNG-to-Diesel Conversion CNG-to-Diesel Conversion Heavy
- Dismantle the engine.
- Checking and replacing components as needed.
- Pistons should be modified for usage with gas.
- Make a cylinder head modification to accommodate spark plugs.
- Assemble the engine again.
- Place the throttle body, ignition system, and gas mixer in place.
What is the operation of a natural gas engine?
Vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) are similar to those that run on gasoline and have spark-ignited internal combustion engines. The engine works similarly to a gasoline engine. Natural gas is kept in a fuel tank, or cylinder, usually in the vehicle’s back. The CNG fuel system transports high-pressure gas from the fuel tank through the fuel lines to a pressure regulator, which lowers the pressure to a level compatible with the engine’s fuel injection system. Finally, the gasoline is injected into the intake manifold or combustion chamber, where it is combined with air and compressed before being ignited by a spark plug. Learn more about the advantages of natural gas automobiles.
Is LPG less expensive than diesel?
As previously stated, LPG is roughly half the price of gasoline due to a lower fuel exercise duty. Petrol and diesel cost 57.95p per litre, whereas LPG costs only 31.61p per kilogram.
In comparison to 1.25 for fuel, this equates to just 60-67p per litre. Making the move would result in a roughly 50% reduction in your monthly fuel bill.