>Has anyone researched alternative fuel systems that might bolt into an M-37?
>Did the military ever develop anything down this path for the M-37 series
>vehicles?
About the simplest bolt on mod for an alternative fuel is to convert to LP
and/or CNG. LP carbs are really simple as is the required
vaporiser/regulator unit. If you hunt around you can find used tanks cheap.
I got an 80 gallon cross bed type tank for $100 with the carb and all
related parts and another 80 gallon for under $100 and then I picked up a 60
something gallon that would fit inside a mini pickup bed for all of $50. LP
is easier to deal with because parts have been around much longer and CNG
seems to be a bit trendy at times which means your not going to find things
cheap. You can use the same LP carb for both LP and CNG and you can T into
the carb one of each type of regulator and have it dual fueled as well.
From everyone I have talked to you are best to avoid the dual fuel
LP/Gasoline setups, stick to one of the other. The best part is that your
truck could sit for 10 years and all you need to do is open the valve, maybe
a fresh battery, and turn the key and it's running just like when you left it.
Of course you could build a producer gas setup (wood burner) and make money
on the side smoking mosquitos out!
Now if your talking Diesel, I think a really good convertion would be a
Cummins 4BT. My local heavy truck junk yard got a contract to scrap out
potato chip trucks all of which have 4BT's with THM400's attached. He put
one in a full size Ford 1/2 ton and drives to Alaska with it, even towed a
car on a trailer back last time. I got one set up from him which I am, as
we speak, putting into my Dakota. They are relatively compact and have
plenty of power. Of course the *** B I G *** problem is that your not going
to be going over 40 mph unless you find an add on overdrive and/or change
the axle gears but I doubt that those 4.88's are even going to work. My
project is running 2.5 gears for example.
Best of luck,
je
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 23:18:32 PDT