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Do propane forklifts run crappy in cold weather ?

  • Thread starter D. Thomas
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D. Thomas

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Yesterday was amazingly cold and windy here, esp considering today is back to 64 degree Spring like conditions. Anyway, my Toyota lift started running terribly yesterday (outside), but today is running fine again. Was it the mid 30's temps or just coincindence ?
 
I had a large propane powered fork lift way back in the early 70's.It would sometimes act up in cold weather.Hyster service man traced it to condensation freezing up the regulator.Solution: warm the regulator with my wife's hair dryer.The hand held type.Worked every time!
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Also check the engine coolant level.

If the coolant is low, it will not warm the vaporizer properly. And liquid propane doesn't burn good. Something about them lumps.
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Ray
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I know how those double post happen.
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I clicked "Send Now", and the response was document blank.
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I could see text so I clicked "Send Now" again. When I was redirected back I had a double post.
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So I edited it to explain what happened.

Ray
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[This message has been edited by timekiller (edited 02-28-2004).]
 
Yep, check the rad level, also check the heater hoses going to the vaporizer. When the engine is fully warmed up both of the hoses should feel the same temp. If one is cold there is a restriction.

Also make sure the thermostat is in place and operating. A stuck open stat will keep the engine cold and freeze up the vaporizer.

Is this forklift running a real fork lift tank ( liquid draw ) or a gas grill tank ( vapor draw)? A vapor draw will work if the temps are warm and / or the load is low.

My old Cat 422S runs in 20* weather without a problem. I did freeze the vaoprizer when I was flushing the coling system on a cold day. Too much cold water and no time to heat up.

Your truck might just be in need of a tune up and the cold weather made it more noticeable.

Harold
 
I've never had a problem with it, but early this winter I was down near Indianapolis (I think?) picking up a Davenport parts machine for a bud, and the guy loading it had to keep one hand down in the motor comp and squeezing the intake hose to keep it running. Like a choke I guess? LOL!

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Timekiller:

There is a much easier method to dbl posting... Alls you have to do - is once your new thread loads, just hit "back" to go back to the front page. Never fails on this site for me at all. LOL! I have to try to remember where I am at when I'm here b/c this is diff than I am used to. LOL!


Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
A friend who works on Liftrucks for a living asvises me to change the spark plugs for any running problem even if they seem to look ok. He further advises me to run a very rich mix of antifreeze as the vaporizer will freeze from the expansion of the fuel.
 
Don,

I am not sure about now, but 30 years ago, you did not really buy propane in the South. It was actually butane. RV's that had their 20# tanks filled in the South and came back north before the end of the winter, had to have the valves removed and the butane poured out and the tanks refilled with propane to get through the winter.

Butane is cheaper than propane, but won't volatilize at as low of a temperature as propane. -- mm
 
Try to start a propane vehicle at -50! Lots of boiling water poured over the heat exchanger, build a small fire under the oil pan, more water. It stays liquid at that temp.
 
Don - In shopping with a friend for a scissors lift about a year ago we decided engine powered was better for our needs than battery type. All of the ones we looked at were dual-fuel--propane + gasoline. I asked why and the man said "so you can run it outdoors in the winter". Apparently propane can be a PITA in cold weather unless the vehicle is especially equipped for it.
 
I put together a propane fired forklift and below about 20, it doesn't seem to want to fire. Like on a gas engine if the choke isn't completely shut. But it seems to flood too. Once it is running it is fine.

I would like someone to give me a short lesson on posting pictures here. I would like to put a picture of it here but can't figure out how. I made several pieces for the forklift with my old lathe that is worth more as scrap iron than a machine tool.
 
Have run Chrysler (318's) trucks on propane for the last 20 years and never had a problem. Temp. here rarely goes below -25 deg. F. and I always run a 50/50 antifreeze mixture, be sure to keep the level up as the vaporizer will frreze easily even in summer heat. In fact those engines run the smoothest when the weather is cold and they are unmodified in any way.
 
For pics - you need to first find a host site as Davey doesn't have pic hosting. What a tightwad! LOL!

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
The ignition system for lpg (LIQUIFIED PROPANE GAS) has to be spot on.
You see,the gas is an insulator and it is very hard for the spark to jump the gap at the plug.
if your mixtures too rich it will insulate even more....see tuning notes below
plugs have to be changed every or before 8000 miles......also the dizzy cap has to be spot-on and also the ht leads.
it is also recomended that you reduce the sparkplug gap by about 20%

tuning ...pinched from
uk.rec.cars.fuel.lpg


I tune mine by ear. Probably not quite as spot-on accurate as it would
be with a meter, but good enough for me (and the emissions test).

With the engine fully warmed up and at idle, twiddle about with the
'mixture' screw on the vapouriser - slowly unscrew it to enrich the
mixture until it begins to run lumpily. Now screw it the other way to
weaken it until the engine starts to lose revs and run unevenly. Don't
rush it, as it may take a few seconds for the engine to respond and
settle down to your adjustments - take your time and find these two
spots carefully. Aim to set it midway between the two. It's much like
setting the mixture on a carburettor. After this, you may need to
adjust the idle speed control at the throttle body to adjust the idle
revs. If you do this, go back and re-check the mixture setting.

Now move to the flow control in the pipe between the vap and the
mixer. Screw this down to about half closed. Now rev the engine to
about half its maximum and fix the throttle there (a screwdriver
wedged in the linkage does it for me). Screw the valve in further
until the revs pick up a little. Screw past this point and then back
off to find it's maximum again. This should now be set at the optimum
for maximum power - too far out and it will be too rich up the rev
range, leading to flat spots. Some people suggest screwing it in a
turn or two for better economy.

hope this helps
all the best......mark
who runs his daily driver on lpg

BTW ......THE VAPORIZER.....is the round circler thing that vaporises the propane and is heated by water.......from this a pipe go's too the top of the carb were there is a dohnut shaped thing called a mixer.....this mixes the vaporized propane with the air.
 
Another potential problem is the vaporizer getting gunked up on the coolant side and heat not transferring from the coolant to vapourize the propane. Thus, even if coolant temp and flow are okay you don't get enough vapor.
 
youngden,

that is the most MESSED UP thing ive ever seen. where can i buy one?! lol whats moving it? slat six, or a ford 300? did you correct it so it has more forward gears (now driving in reverse), or do you have one speed only going forward? whats the axle from??

very cool. ive always thought tugs were really cool.. maybe ill own one some day...

DON,

my generator's engine came from a forklift. its a flathead 4 continental using a brand new impco lpg system. i once drained the block (the regulator is teh LOWEST point in teh system), when i refilled it aparently i didnt get the regulator primed up. started and ran it, all the sudden my eyes burned and then motor shut down.. looked at the regulator, it was a block of ice.. boiled soem water and thawed it. i had to take off a hose and pour water in to prime it..

my eventual solution was this: on the bottom of the regulator i installed a T fitting, one side going to the coolant hose, the other side going to a ball valve and then to a garden hose bib. when i drain the block now, all i do is hook up the hose and open the valve until water comes out the radiator. works fine and havent had a problem since. perhaps youc an run watre from your hot water heater through a hose and do the same thing on cold days... just an idea.

-m
 








 
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