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Will my engine have to be modified?
The Gaseous Fuel System™ conversion technology has been designed to allow for retrofit of diesel engines without the need to change or modify the design of the engine. The The Gaseous Fuel System™ conversion hardware is mounted externally to the engine and does not require modification of the engine.
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Will the system affect my engine warranty?
Most OEM engine warranty programs do not prohibit the use of aftermarket parts or technologies. In brief, the policy of OEM's is that they neither recommend nor endorse aftermarket technologies, however, the use of these products does not automatically void the validity of the engine warranty. If the cause is unrelated to Gaseous Fuel operation, the OEM's have historically honored the warranty and repaired the engine. Additionally, any GFS components that fail within the warranty period will be covered under the GFS warranty policy.
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Why can't my diesel engine operate on 100% natural gas?
Sufficient heat is not generated during the diesel compression stroke to ignite a natural gas-air mixture, due to the very high ignition temperature of natural gas (approximately 1300 deg F / 700 deg C), In order to operate on 100% gas, the engine would have to be fitted with spark plugs and an ignition system to facilitate combustion of the air-natural gas mixture. In contrast, during Gaseous Fuel operation, a reduced quantity of diesel fuel acts as the ignition source for the air-gas mixture; this process is often referred to as “pilot ignition”.
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Will my engine lose power after conversion to Gaseous Fuel?
Under normal circumstances, engines converted to Gaseous Fuel operation do not suffer any horsepower losses. Because the system maintains engine compression ratio values and does not incorporate an air-throttling device, peak horsepower and efficiency levels of the converted engine remain on par with 100% diesel operation.
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Will my engine run hotter using natural gas?
The Gaseous Fuel System™ has been designed to maintain OEM specifications for all engine temperatures including engine coolant temperature, oil temperature, exhaust gas temperature and intake air temperature.
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What about efficiency?
The Gaseous Fuel System™ replaces diesel fuel with an equivalent quantity of natural gas, based on the caloric value of each fuel. This process results in the same net fuel burn vs. load as would be experienced during 100% diesel operation.
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What effect will GFS's System have on the durability of my engine?
Generally speaking, operation in Gaseous Fuel mode has no negative effects on engine wear rates and durability. As explained above, because engine thermal loads are equivalent to 100% diesel operation, no excess wear of combustion chamber components (pistons, rings, valves, injectors, etc.) occurs. In addition, many users of Gaseous Fuel have reported positive benefits relative to engine wear including extended oil change intervals and extended time between overhauls. This is primarily the result of the cleaner burning characteristics of natural gas compared to diesel fuel.
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What are the economic benefits to operating on Gaseous Fuel?
Fuel cost savings resulting from operation in Gaseous Fuel mode will vary according to the respective cost of each of the fuels. If there is a significant cost differential between the cost of diesel fuel (per gallon, liter, etc.) and the equivalent quantity of natural gas (heat value basis) in favor of the natural gas, significant fuel cost savings would result. The closer the fuels are in price, the lower the fuel cost savings will be during Gaseous Fuel mode. In addition to fuel cost savings, engine maintenance savings (as explained above) may also contribute to the economic benefit of Gaseous Fuel operation.
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