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Below is a collection of Jim Grant's Tech Tips sorted by Vehicle Make. These Tech Tips were answers to questions submitted to Jim by ALLDATAdiy.com users over the course of many years.
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  Jim Grant's Tech Tips

Chevy Silverado, Propane Back-fire

Q: I run my Chevy Silverado 1500 with a 4.3 engine on propane. The engine sometimes gets blowback in the air intake. The last time it damaged the air intake. I have heard this can be a common fault on some propane conversions. What can I do to stop this?

- Dave A.

A: That is a problem on many newer vehicles that are converted to operate on propane. Part of the problem has to do with the new style intake manifold designs. The newer manifolds have long passages called runners that the air entering the engine travels through. Also the newer style intake manifolds are designed to manage/optimize air flow to the engine. The fuel injectors introduce fuel just as air enters the cylinders. With propane, it is mixed with the air as it enters the intake manifold. With long paths for the air and propane to travel you have created the near perfect conditions for a lean backfire as the throttle is first opened. When this happens it can ignite the air & propane as it enters the intake manifold. This creates a propane torch, which does great things to the plastic and aluminum used in todays intake manifolds. If this condition is a common event on your vehicle then something isn't installed correctly; you have ignition, fuel control or engine problems. A tech working on these systems has to know his/her stuff to rid your truck of this problem. A lot of people install these systems, but it is few and very far bewteen that know how to optimize their operation. Once the system's working right it's better than gas, real clean and the engines go/last longer.

 
     
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