Volvo RWD 200 Forum

In northern Canada we have been running propane (waht you call LP) for years in many of our vehicles. While the price difference between it and gasoline has shrunk over the past few years, it is still very economical. I hink its about 15 to 20 cents less than gas right now (we pay a buck a litre at the moment for gas)
The performance loss that I see is avidly pronounced by many people is actually very minor. Ask anyone that has actually used it and is not just repeating what they heard someone else say. I have run a few vehicles on it, mainly 3/4 ton pickups, and the power loss is negligible, maybe 10 percent maximum.
Your engine will like running propane, just make sure you have hardened valve seats, as it is hard on older heads.
As to correct venting, if you install your tank correctly, you will also install a blowoff vent. It's the law here. Most people place the valve and filler behind the gas filler door.
The tanks are high pressure, but are designed for vehicle application, and are every bit as safe as a gas tank, if not more so.
The size and shape of propane tanks are numerous. You may be able to locate a small dual setup that you can mount in place of your cerrent gas tank, unless you want to run dual fuel. I used two tanks on one of my trucks, slung under the rear of the truck. They were good for about 70 Cdn gallons. Taxis here use smaller tanks under their vehicles, maybe 25 gallons each. Some guys I know mount large 100 gallon (Imperial) saddle tanks behind the cab of their trucks. THis allows them to build a jockey box on top and still have a clear rear view.
If you do a lot of highway travel, and are unsure of where you may be filling up (I am sure there are more stations than you think), consider going dual fuel, as it will allow you to run on gas when you are low on propane. There is no power tradeoff for dual fuel.
Finding filling stations may be an effort where you are, but if you find one, ask if they have other locations along your route. Call a propane company and ask for a map of their fill locations; many companies offer this. In BC, most gas stations also fill up propane powered vehicles.
Installation cost may be high, but see if you can find a federal or state subsidy (sp) available for using alternate fuels; a few years back this country was rife with them.
I ran Natural Gas for a year or two in one of my trucks. Now that was a pig. Poor mileage, poor power, very few filling stations, and I couldn't get a tank big enough to get me more that a couple of hundred km.
JD