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With today's gas prices surpassing $1 dollar mark people are becoming more interested in other fuel alternatives. Hybrid vehicles are getting more and more popular as well, but what other alternatives do we have?

It has been proven for years that our cars will run perfectly on fuels such as liquid propane (also known as LP) and natural gas. This technology has been around since mid 60's and is currently being used by approximately 350,000 vehicles in North America. Most popular vehicles include forklifts, taxi cabs, public buses and some trucks. Now this kind of technology is getting more attention from everyday car owners.

Advantages to converting your car to liquid propane (LP) are:
- cost, average price for propane is at around 50% less than regular gasoline
- you'll stop destroying the air we breathe
- easier on your engine, no build up, your spark plugs will breathe easier too
- your engine performance and mileage per litre are about the same
- you can simply switch between running your car on regular gasoline or propane
- equipment can be uninstalled for use in your next vehicle.

Disadvantages to converting your car to liquid propane (LP) are:
- costs involved in switching (parts, labor, etc.)
- Fewer stations are equipped with propane filling station (you have to get accustomed to which stations have it - and there are lots of them - this is not a big deal) Be sure to visit our pages on propane filling gas stations.
- Heavier wallet with all the money saved driving on propane.

So, how do you convert your car to run on propane or natural gas? There are lots of places where you can take your car and have it converted to LP. Please stay tuned as we are working hard to locate some for your convenience. Some of the parts you will have to purchase for the conversion are the fuel tank (to hold liquid propane or natural gas, usually stored in your trunk or underneath the car if you decided to completely get rid of your gas tank), converter which converts the liquid to gas, spud-in jet and the rest is hardware.

The installment of the above mentioned equipment is not something we would recommend for you to try at home. This is not a do it yourself project, as this is a precision process and the equipment has to be fine tuned by a licensed professional in order for your car to work properly.

For more information and resources please visit following:
Canada:
Propane Gas Association of Canada
Ontario Propane Association
USA:
National Propane Gas Association


*If you have already converted your vehicle to liquid propane or natural gas send us your comments or photos and we'll post them on our site.

Gas prices in Ontario on the rise - should we start switching to liquid propane (LP) or natural gas

Ontario Gas prices- Sept. 1 05

Sunoco - April 2006

April 2006 -
Gas prices stay at around $1 dollar mark.

Average price of unleaded - $1.15*
Average price of propane - $0.45*

*Prices as of Apr. 2006

Propane Tank in shape of spare tire

New propane tank design.
Shaped to fit in place of your spare tire.

 Comments:
  From: Shayne, Kelowna BC (11/25/2005 3:32:02 PM)
  Comment: I have recently converted my truck from gasoline to propane, new quoted $4000 after taxes, with used components it cost me a total of $3000. Are there any government incentive programs, tax breaks etc to absorb this cost? Shayne, Kelowna BC
     
  From: Cdnauto (11/26/2005 2:32:51 PM)
  Comment: Yes, you should get a tax break from your provincial government. For the province of British Columbia please visit http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/bchighways/
     
  From: Cdnauto (12/16/2005 8:33:23 PM)
  Comment: We are currently acquiring more information from one of the local shops in Mississauga (20 min. west of Toronto) specializing in converting cars to propane. Owner claims to be importing all his parts from Europe where this practice is much more popular. Since European gas prices are much higher than ours, their equipment is much more stable and far more efficient than north american products.
     
  From: Chris, Ontario (4/16/2006 6:13:42 PM)
  Comment: What different is it about propane and natural gas? Is there a difference between these two. Can you get same mileage on propane as you would on natural gas? Also, is there a difference in your car's performance, less horse power etc.
     
  From: Rob Keelen, B.C. (4/26/2006 9:37:02 PM)
  Comment: As far as I know natural gas can not be compressed same as propane. Propane you can liquify, natural gas you can only compress it, therefore you will get more propane inside the tank.
     
  From: Shawn (4/27/2006 5:04:49 PM)
  Comment: That's why they call it LP (Liquid propane). I know that natural gas can be liquifed, question is: can you liquify natural gas for use in cars? as compressed natural gas in cars is simply not practical.
     
  From: Question. (4/28/2006 9:01:55 PM)
  Comment: I have 1996 Ford (will not last much longer), if I switch it to natural gas and my car dies 6 months later, what then? Can this be transferred between vehicles?
     
  From: Neil CLark (5/15/2006 1:38:44 PM)
  Comment: your milage is only 3% worse when properly set up. The biggest problem is that in California they make it so you can't get a converted vehicle registered.
     
  From: Richard (5/16/2006 4:39:49 PM)
  Comment: If you live in Toronto area please call Propane Conversion Auto Centre at 1-800-220-5513. They will be able to help you.
     
  From: Stan (Chicago) (6/4/2006 1:34:15 PM)
  Comment: I guess all the SUV owners would be really interested in this. All the money gone down the drain.
     
  From: Jack Boston 6/6/2006 (6/6/2006 10:23:33 AM)
  Comment: I would like to find out the amount of time it would take to pay back the cost of switching over to propane. My car averages about 25 MPG can you estimate the milage with propane and an update estimate for the cost to switch ver from gas to propane? Thanks, Jack
     
  From: RIck (6/6/2006 3:49:24 PM)
  Comment: Jack - You can't calculate it based on time. It all comes down to how much you drive. Driver doing 100,000 km per year will get his money back much faster than someone who only drives 20,000 km.
     
  From: law trainee (6/21/2006 12:02:21 AM)
  Comment: they are resistent because the state makes billions a year in gas taxes. its easier for people to sneek around conventional fill up places. One would just take natural gas from your home heating instead or propane from other places based on use.
     
  From: Jim from Buffalo NY (7/4/2006 3:47:00 PM)
  Comment: I am researching a possible conversion of a Dodge Intrepid to natural gas/gasoline, but have been unable to find any shops in this part of NY. Where would be the closest in Ontario?
     
  From: Cdnauto (7/4/2006 4:03:38 PM)
  Comment: Jim from Buffalo - Please see above 1-800 number posted on 5/16/2006)
     
  From: Peter (8/11/2006 10:54:48 AM)
  Comment: I just want to update that Propane Auto Conversion Centre with a new website: http://www.allautopropane.com They have fuel injection systems for under $3000 installed.
     
  From: Alex from Vancouver (8/21/2006 8:57:26 PM)
  Comment: Where i can get propane tank design *(Alex, did you try the above number, please be aware that this is in Ontario) Shaped to fit in place of your spare tire or under the trunk? Thanks a lot for your site.
     
  From: Cng Kit For Sale no Tank (8/22/2006 6:47:47 PM)
  Comment: If anybody is interested in buying a CNG KIT, give me an email at sm9764@msn.com...... It will cost you $1500.00 + shipping. Top of a line made in ITALY called "LANDIRENZO" and ACCUMULATER made in ARGENTINA. All parts(Hardware) is included in a kit. The Tank is not included in that kit. you should buy a tank from a certified dealer. If you wanna buy just a CNG kit with out accumulater than it will cost you $1200 + shipping. Kit comes with a installation instruction. Let me know if you have any question...email: sm9764@msn.com
     
  From: Frank (2/12/2007 10:58:33 AM)
  Comment: You can find information about propane conversions at http://www.rasoenterprises.com and a discussion forum at http://fuelsforum.rasoenterprises.com
     
  From: Bang Gully (2/15/2007 11:51:25 AM)
  Comment: The advantage of CNG is that it will be more efficient (saves a lot of money) but the disadvantage is that it will take life away from your engine (eg if it were to last for 5 years, it would be cut down to may be 3.5 years). There are plenty of CNG/propane filling stations throughout Toronto. Plus it really helps out the environment and takes away money from these ruthless corporations.
     
  From: Cdnauto (2/15/2007 3:51:29 PM)
  Comment: Thank you for the information Frank
     
  From: Dominik (3/6/2007 2:11:56 AM)
  Comment: For Canada Conversion Stations: http://www.tssa.org/regulated/fuels/programs/fuelsQuality02.asp Weekly Gas / Propane Price List: http://www.mjervin.com/WPPS_Public.htm Half of Europe drives on Propane. Why won't you? Gas shortage my you know what. Imperial Oil's refinery burns, so why do all other guys jack up the prices? Boycot unleaded, go with a Diesel car which does 1,000 km on a tank (VW TDI for eg.) to better yet go with propane. If you have a newer vehicle and plan to keep it, convert and start saving
     
  From: Big Stu (4/16/2007 3:52:23 PM)
  Comment: I see a lot of people asking for information on Natural Gas Vehicles. I got My 1980 Chev Pickup adapted to run on Both Gasoline and Natural Gas back in 1991, in Vancouver. Since then, I've only had to replace a $70.00 part. This technolgy is bullet proof, and Natural gas is very clean burning. My oil and spark plugs stay amazingly clean. After using this technolgy for 16 years, I highly recommend it. For information on where to get your vehicles adapted to run on both gasoline & natural gas go to www.cleanenergyfuels.com
     
  From: Peter (7/4/2007 11:04:52 AM)
  Comment: Why have a kit shipped from Italy? Convert your own car with a Canadian designed and winter condition tested fuel-injection system for approximately $1100 CDN (depending on vehicle make and model). All new parts and help with installation available right here in Mississauga. 1-800-220-5513. www.allautopropane.com
     
  From: Frank (2/25/2008 5:39:27 PM)
  Comment: For those people looking for a conversion shop in Canada or the USA, try the following web pages from rasoenterprises. American Propane Conversion Shops and Canadian Propane Conversion Shops You can convert your Prius to LPG or CNG but the payback would be uneconomic. It is also impractical to refill your vehicle from your house because the fuel would transfer too slowly.
     
  From: Joseph Interdonato (6/8/2008 5:16:07 AM)
  Comment: I live in Italy and own a 1994 infinity J-30. It's a real gas guzzler, so i had it converted to LPG. The smartest thing i did, considering i spend half the money to fill up now and don't pollute anymore. Today's PLG systems are truly efficient, and highly recommend the conversion.
     
  From: GM (6/18/2008 10:04:18 PM)
  Comment: For those who converted your vehicles to Natural Gas, Have you had any problems to register the vehicle?
     
  From: John (7/3/2008 5:03:37 PM)
  Comment: GM, before anyone answers you wrong, there is no right answer. All depending on where you live, which province or state the laws may different, however, times have changed and I would be shocked if anyone was giving you a hard time registering your vehicle. So, to be safe, call your local registry office and make sure.
     
  From: GM (7/8/2008 1:39:30 PM)
  Comment: John, Thanks for the info.
     
  From: sasha (9/8/2008 9:52:53 AM)
  Comment: Hello all, I am considering a 2004 Lincoln town car that is an ex limo it has a million KM on it and is propane and gas. I am concerned about Bang Gully's comment that the engine is only good for 3.5 years... Everyone says the cars last for a long time. Can anyone please comment on this. Thanks Sasha
     
  From: Sam (9/9/2008 8:51:33 PM)
  Comment: I had my truck converted at Downtown in Kitchener with a new product from Italy BRC Gas Equipment I am saving 42% on my monthly fuel bill and my truck runs better on propane 2007 chev pick-up
     
  From: Glen (9/23/2008 8:44:34 PM)
  Comment: I live in Vancouver Canada and have had both a natural gas unit and propane unit and by far propane was the better of the two. Far more availability, more storage capacity and therefore more mileage on a full tank and less break downs with the system. Have a friend in the auto glass industry whose company used natural gas vans and also said they were tons of trouble. My advice is go with propane and check for some used tanks on Craig's.
     
  From: Rick (9/28/2008 8:31:21 PM)
  Comment: Sasha, 3.5 years is not true. Too many factors, mileage is the most important and how was the car taken care of previously.
     
  From: MichaelSean (10/25/2008 10:51:25 AM)
  Comment: Saying that the engines last only 3.5 years is something that only an oil executive could say with a straight face. A cleaner burning fuel is going to result in less engine life? The mechanics of that escape me. As with any engine, change your oil, avoid pedal to the metal starts, and all will be well.
     
  From: chuck (11/1/2008 1:45:25 PM)
  Comment: I have a avalanche and want it to run on gas and natural gas and be able to fill up at home. I live in Whitby Ontario, who do I see about this?
     
  From: Cdnauto (11/2/2008 6:12:11 PM)
  Comment: Chuck, you may visit allautopropane in Mississauga, they're info is posted by Peter above.
     
  From: Frank (11/12/2008 5:46:14 PM)
  Comment: GTA & Hamilton residents can also visit Robinson Auto Tech Services in Hamilton (905-545-9705) for both CNG and propane conversions.
     
  From: Cdnauto (11/12/2008 9:47:35 PM)
  Comment: Thank you for the info Frank
     
  From: Erness Wild (1/21/2009 3:12:19 PM)
  Comment: Natural Gas is stored as a compressed gas. Propane is stored as a liquid and changes to a gas only when released from the tank to burn in engine.
     
  From: Joel (2/10/2009 11:45:57 PM)
  Comment: Yes, a cleaner burning engine will result in shorter engine life if the greater combustion efficiency results in higher combustion temperatures. Does anyone know how hotter does propane burn than unleaded fuel?
     
  From: Brian (5/15/2009 12:24:50 AM)
  Comment: I have a 1990 Ford E150 302cu in V8 engine auto. van converted to dual fuel propane/gas. I drove over 400,000km almost trouble free km with propane. The engine runs nice. doesn't burn oil. I only replaced the spark plugs about 100,000 - 150,000km because I thought I should. The oil stayed fairly clean replaced every 5000km. I did replace the distributor cap and rotor annually to make sure it had a good hot spark. I saved a lot of money on fuel. I could have easily converted many more vans with the money I saved. It was used in a business with careful bookkeeping and close track of expenses. I was very pleased with the propane.
     
  From: Jack Toronto (5/19/2009 11:34:06 AM)
  Comment: I have recently converted my 2003 Mitsubishi Montero to an BRC Italian system called Sequent 4 Plug & Go . What a difference, the truck runs smooth and the most important thing half the price at the pomp. There are more and more people doing it in Ontario. Half Europe is going on propane and its the smart thing to do (for now) sooner or latter the gas companies will have to something about it, like increase the price of propane.
     
  From: Jake (8/5/2009 3:06:45 PM)
  Comment: We install the BRC Kits for both propane and CNG we have had great success with the BRC, If anyone is looking for info feel free to contact Me through Hi Tech Auto Care, we have been installing/converting vehicles since the early 80's
     
  From: Matt (8/16/2009 8:34:55 AM)
  Comment: Jack of Toronto, How much did you pay in total for installing the BRC Sequent 4 Plug & Go and where did you get it done in Toronto. I believe this is the latest and best sequential fuel injection technology from BRC (http://www.brc.it/). If the price is right I am considering to have the dual system installed.
     
  From: Alex (9/21/2009 5:02:15 PM)
  Comment: For any info for any Canadians with propane, or wanting great propane conversion prices, please go to http://www.autogaspropane.com/PDF/2009_ConversionFlyer.pdf
     
  From: Frank (10/5/2009 11:58:47 AM)
  Comment: For those people interested in converting their diesel-powered vehicles, Technocarb (www.technocarb.com) has recently introduced their new EcoDiesel System, which is a diesel-propane dual fuel system. It lowers fuel costs by supplying propane to a diesel engine, which reduces diesel fuel consumption.
     
  From: Cliff Oshawa (11/14/2009 7:34:04 PM)
  Comment: I have a 1976 Chevrolet Class A Motor home with a 454 cu in engine and have traveled across both Canada and the U S A and love the fuel economy and savings that I get compared to what I would get from gas. I have done approx. 500,000 miles on it.
     
  From: Rudy Grant (12/5/2009 9:27:51 PM)
  Comment: Check out www.autopropane.com We are the largest conversion centre in Canada. We install the Prins Vsi system. Most of our customers have limos and put over a million kilometers on their vehicles. We have been converting vehicles for over 25 years.
     
  From: Stephen V.B (12/14/2009 4:42:35 PM)
  Comment: One problem with propane that's not mentioned is what happens if you run out - you can't just get a can of propane. I have heard of adapters to use a small portable tank but don't know it works. I have a truck with a permanently mounted tank and an outside fill. I can't just dangle a tank off the side of the truck. I have room to add a compartment for a spare tank. Does anyone know if and how I could hook up a spare tank with a selector switch? If you do please email me at stephenTheObdurate@gmail.com. Thanks
     
  From: Frank (1/8/2010 9:45:51 AM)
  Comment: Modern propane and CNG conversions are all dual fuel. This allows the system to keep all of the systems (including emission control) in the vehicle intact and fully functional. You can set the propane/CNG system to never use gasoline but that doesn't make sense if the gasoline tank is still in the car. As for the spare tank, this is possible but likely impractical according the installation code. If you're in the GTA, Robinson Auto Tech Services (905-545-9705) does first class work at a fair price. Niagara-area residents should contact Brock Ford Sales (905-357-5450 - service). Either one can help you find a solution.
     
  From: JJ Joseph (1/11/2010 12:33:49 PM)
  Comment: If you're concerned about engine life with LPG/CNG, one of the biggest reasons that fork-lift trucks use LPG/CNG is long engine life. The oil doesn't get dirty, and the cylinders & rings last "forever". Lift trucks run at full throttle all day long, year after year. You can't do that on gasoline!
     
  From: Victor (3/24/2010 7:42:59 AM)
  Comment: For those mentioning various systems be careful, with the new rules governing propane conversion equipment in Canada adopted July 2009 many of these systems are not approved for installation in Canada including BRC, at this point only 2 systems are approved and they are Prins and Landi Renzo. These two are number 1 and 3 in the world for market share with Landi leading the way. I hope this helps and remember keep it legal.
     
  From: Lina (5/6/2010 7:55:36 PM)
  Comment: Where I can find information about approved systems and components?
     
  From: EDUARDO (5/14/2010 11:13:05 PM)
  Comment: i live in albuquerque nm and i cant find a mecanic to fix my f-350 nobody wants to mess with propane does anyone know somebody please respond to ebarajas3804@live.com thanks
     
  From: Steve (5/31/2010 11:14:14 AM)
  Comment: If you are near the Bancroft area and would like more information on getting your vehicle converted to propane email me at stevenyanch@hotmail.com
     
  From: Frank (6/23/2010 5:55:40 AM)
  Comment: There is directory of propane and cng conversion shops for both Canada and the USA at www.rasoenterprises.com.
     
  From: Bernd (7/4/2010 11:56:22 AM)
  Comment: I am German, with a small vehicle workshop and build an LPG Autogas installations. I am planning my move to Canada in 2012, Nova Scotia-Richmond County. There I set up an automotive workshop, in which gas facilities with European top brands to be installed. Are there interested in this County for r an installation of an LPG system?
     
  From: Clyde Murray (7/6/2010 4:35:40 PM)
  Comment: I have a used "Tartarini RP/76" CNG/auto fuel conversation for sale. crmurray@telus.net
     
  From: Canack (7/9/2010 7:12:11 PM)
  Comment: Bernd, Do your research before your move, make sure you are familiar with our loving governments rules and regulations. Things may not be as easy as you may think. Yes, our country is all about being “Green” and stuff (not !) yet our governments do everything possible so little person like me has one hell of a time trying to do the right thing. I tried to connect solar panels to my house (and the grid), city of Toronto has a plan for people like me. They will “allow” me to do it, but! My property taxes will increase (because my house is more valuable) and I would have to pay taxes on any income my panels would generate for me (that’s if I pump more into the grid then I use) In the end I gave up on the idea, I pay for my electricity, I loose, government wins, everybody’s happy. Welcome to Canada.
     
  From: Steve (8/4/2010 10:01:46 PM)
  Comment: Can I convert my Nissan/Murano 05? and where is the best/good price to do it...
     
  From: Robert (8/22/2010 6:51:51 AM)
  Comment: Steve in mississauga,service and price for injection system will be approx $3400
     
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