Old Diesels and Propane Injection

[Prairie Oyster]

In the late 60s, many tractors appear to have been using LP to boost NA diesels before turbos got popular. How did this work and what were the limits? How did this damage some engines and why? I'm younger than this old gadget, so I've never seen it. Anyone got their 2 cents... or more?

 

[big shooter]

As exhaust tempererature rises, there is a thermoswitch that screwed into the exhaust manifold that would close and allow an adjusted amount of propane into the intake manifold. As far as limits, if you hear the engine start to ping, you are getting to much. Pinging can burn a hole or take the side off of a piston. I have seen a camper bottle on the platform of a tractor with a hose stuck in the intake of a tractor also.

 

[Anonymous-0]

the kits were called "Red Roosters" and if I remember correctly they had a red and green light on them. It added fuel and would clean up the smoke . Some case owners said that the 30 series case dsl's ate lp like candy!

 

[north puller]

Has anyone ever tried feeding compressed oxygen into the intake of a diesel?

Turbo in a bottle??

 

[VicS]

We had a propane Inj on out 4010D for a few years. Dad put it on himself. What I remember was that it had a century 150 hp demand regulator, and a pyrometer in the exaust, when it got up to about 950 it would turn on, if you had the master switch on. It also had a M & W pyrometer on the dash ( still there). He would turn the LP up till the meter was up to 1200. Dad loved it, he used it like a torque. just turned it on, on hills and hard spots. Later we learned that putting more diesel in done the same thing, and he took it off.

 

[Mike Bock]

i agree Vic tried it on a d17 diesel didnt do a thing was getting all the fuel it could burn needed more air not fuel if you put nitros oxide with it our a turbo hold on

 

[sws55]

Two neighbors tried using propane injection around 1970. One had a MF Super 90 and the other had an Oliver 1750. Both tractors gained a lot of power and were worked hard. I think the Super 90 went to almost 90 HP. Both tractors broke their crankshafts within 2 or 3 years of adding the propane. The Super 90 was traded for a new MF 1100 and the 1750 was traded for a new JD 4230 in late 1972. The new tractors held up well.