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| European conversion system manufacturers cater to the smaller vehicles that most people typically drive. Due to the emission control requirements imposed by the US EPA, no European manufacturer has any equipment available for sale in the USA. European systems meeting EN67 can potentially meet Canadian standards. Because of the unsuitability of using LPG fumigation equipment on EFI engines, many people have been left without a viable option for converting their personal vehicles. Technocarb has created universal DIY bi-fuel vapor injection parts packages to fill this void for 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder, & 8-cylinder engines. Installing these parts is a bit more work than bolting on an Impco mixer and converter but injection systems eliminate any possibility of intake manifold failures from backfires. Windows-based configuration software is included in the package and a laptop computer and an interface cable is required to complete the conversion. If there isn't a model-specific SVIS conversion available for your EFI vehicle, we recommend using Technocarb's ESIP conversion package. The work involved with an ESIP system is very similar to the SVIS Chevrolet Impala conversion.
For older carbureted cars (pre-1987), Impco carburetors can usually be retrofitted quite easily. Dual-fuel systems are a bit harder to install because a propane mixer must be mounted upstream of the gasoline carburetor and hood clearance becomes an issue. With suitable adapters and mixers slowly becoming obsolete, these types of dual fuel conversions are best done on pickup trucks and vans with plenty of hood clearance. Raso Enterprises has dual fuel conversions available for these vehicles. One of the systems we developed is the adaptation of Technocarb's mono-fuel off-road carburetor kit for dual fuel use:
For older carbureted cars, installing a propane injection system using the MegaSquirt® EFI Controller is another possibility. For those people who are familiar with this controller, Raso Enterprises has developed a propane injection kit, which is ideal for hot rods and race cars. It can be used in both a mono-fuel and dual fuel modes. (This item will be added to our e-store shortly.) Dual fuel (with a gasoline carburetor or EFI system) is possible with MS2-Extra's Table Switching Control capability. Our MS Propane Injection kit for 8-cylinder engines contains the following parts:
Mono-fuel (or straight) conversions are easiest to do but have more difficultly passing emission tests because emission regulations generally require ALL emission controls to be in place and functional. As such, a mono-fuel conversion will then have trouble passing a visual inspection. This is the reason that these types of conversions are recommended for off-road use only. Adding a dual fuel propane injection system to a carbureted engine will not disable any existing emission controls and so will likely not fail any emission tests (check with your emission testing authority to be sure before ordering). While there are a few importers of propane conversion equipment into North America, offshore equipment generally can not be legally installed in new on-road conversions unless the components meet the requirements of CSA B149.5 (in Canada) or NFPA 58 (in the USA). However, for people wanting to convert their personal off-road vehicles to propane operation, the following manufacturers are most likely to have suitable kits to convert their vehicles.
North American ManufacturersEDPRO Equipment Inc.ECO Fuel Systems, Inc.Technocarb Equipment (2004) Ltd.Technocarb Equipment held 44 US EPA certifications for GM, Ford, and Chrysler vehicles (which totaled more than all of the existing certifications by other manufacturers added together) until the EPA cancelled all existing EPA Certifications under Option 3 Memorandum 1A for ALL manufacturers. Technocarb is in the process of recertifying their systems to meet the latest EPA regulations.
European Manufacturers
Lovato SpA
Prins Autogassystemen B.V.
Vialle Alternative Fuel Systems BVDealers can call the wholesale division: Private purchasers can call Proquip's retail store: Please keep in mind that Vialle does not produce thousands of mixers for older conversions anymore. They concentrate strongly on new vehicles in the European market using their Liquid Propane Injection system. Proquip carries the most common parts for the system aimed at keeping the thousands currently on the road converted in the 1983 to 1995 period. Their Vialle inventory consists of repair kits for the Series D and F regulators, new regulators, rebuilt regs, solenoids in the new style only, and the control module for the system. To conserve older conversions, they collect and save as many used parts in good condition as they can, however, the quantities are limited for older, obsolete regulators. They do have other sources to access mixers that work with Vialle convertors. |
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