So I have been working on one of my vans lately so i insured my spare van '92 E350 for a few weeks because I had a floor job and didn't want to have to use my carpet van. I had just bought this van about 6moths ago and never drove it other then when i brought it home, it runs on propane only and I generally don't want any propane vehicle plus the system was not really up to code so i bought a complete fuel system for it at a wreckers and was going to put it in but haven't had time so the van has been parked. n So I have been using the van for the last week to do errands and the used it on the floor job last night and it has been running well. This morning we went to head out on a job in it and it hit the key and it didn't start right always (pretty normal with propane I find) so I cranked it again and put my foot on the gas a little (I always do because it start better i find) then there was a very loud bang like a gun shot! Popped the hood and the propane had built up in the intake hose and exploded, it split the hose for about 8inches! Also it lifted the dip stick up about an inch. Anyways i needed to get to the job so i patched the hose up with some 3inch ABS water pipe and electrical tape! Anyways I'm guessing it blew the diaphragm out of the regulator since it doesn't seem to get any propane now and won't start. So out with the propane system and in with good old gasoline, it scared the **** out of me and my wife when that hose blew! Hoping it didn't blow any of the oil seals out. No more propane vehicles for me!
Golden rule of Propaine (LPG) cars NEVER NEVER EVER touch the gas pedal when starting it. Can i say it again NEVER NEVER EVER touch the gas pedal when starting it, NEVER NEVER EVER touch the gas pedal when starting it, NEVER NEVER EVER touch the gas pedal when starting it, Did you got that. NEVER NEVER EVER touch the gas pedal when starting it You should prime it with the ignition key twice if it fail to start first time. turn the key on wait 3 sec then off then on again and start it
I'd say it shows the danger of poor installation and lack of maintenance more than anything else... Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk
True enough, but then again how many people out there even give a second thought to these systems in regards to maintenance or how they are installed till they actually fail to work? My point is mine was still working up to the point it blew, it was a decent running vehicle. I'm mechanically inclined so I was able to see the flaws in the installation and the overall poor condition before this event, but many would not question this so long as the vehicle started and ran... This is the second van I purchased with a poorly installed system, the first one being my '89 E250 which had the tank mounted inside the van literally against the back of the drivers seat! I removed that system almost instantly after buying the van since it was a dual fuel system and still ran on gas. My dad is a maintenance man at a large resort and he is often called on to fill propane at their gas station since many don't have the cert. He said that some of the propane vehicles he sees come through there scare him! I don't know about the US but here in Canada propane vehicles don't require reinspection after the initial installation (which is often done by a backyard mechanic!) as a result we have many 30+ year old vehicles with propane systems of the same age that have never been serviced since new!
Here in oz you have to be licensed to install a gas system and if you sell a car it has to be checked over and only a licensed gas inspector can do a gas system. Not saying that there are not bad ones here as well. Over here they put a pungent smell in the gas so you can smell it if it is leaking. Very few cars actually blow up from gas more catch fire from leaking oil. But as you said the point is it happened and could have been a lot worse. Main thing is that nobody was heart
It completely depends on the type of lockoff valve that is installed on the vehicle on how you should prime it. With a vacuum valve (how most vehicles are setup) the gas won't start flowing until the engine begins cranking and creates vacuum. This is the system where it's okay to prime with a floor pedal (very common place on forklifts too). An electric solenoid will start flowing gas as soon as the switch is flipped. Priming this system by the pedal will build gas up in the mixes and blow the seals. Propane is no where near as dangerous as gas. In fact it has a much higher octane and therefor less flammable than gasoline is. I've installed several systems on cars and it's the little things that are dangerous. A bad spark will cause gasoline to blow up just like a bad diaphragm can cause a propane mixer to pop. It sounds like, IMO, you had a leak through your system from a faulty lockoff valve that caused gas to build up in the mixer and intake. This blew back once you started cranking the engine after you got spark. Poor maintenance over anything else. A gasoline carb wouldn't even be running after 30 years without being cleaned and/or rebuilt. Propane mixers, as well as the rest of the system, should receive the same if not better attention.
Thanks for the info. FYI it is a vacuum type system. Believe your assessment of what cause it is probably correct as it has always been very hard to get started so it adds up. I know people say propane is safer then gas and i know it does dissipate in the atmosphere unlike gas but myself i still feel more comfortable with gas, maybe just because I know more about it and know how to safely repair and maintain a gasoline type fuel system...
