Alternative Fuels: Is there a Solution? Chapter 3, Owning a CNG Truck

My proud CNG truck

Back in 2007 – 2008, Utah got fed up with ascending gas prices and many people searched the valley looking for alternatives. I was one of those people. I had tasted the American dream and started my own business in lawn care, which required a truck. One popular option then was to buy a factory-built bi-fuel CNG truck from a secondhand amateur dealer. Some secondhand dealers would go back east to shady auctions that were selling any old and very used factory-built CNG cars and work trucks. They would go with deep pockets and buy everything they could and then come back to Utah and sell them at outrageously jacked up prices. Their sales pitch would be, "Yeah, they’re expensive, but think of all the gas money you’ll save. 63 cents a gallon!"

Just in those two years, I started to see more of those vehicles driving around town than usual. Mechanic shops frantically pushed to have their technicians learn how to repair and maintain these odd new vehicles. When I bought my factory-built 2001 Ford F-150, I had difficulties getting my credit union to finance an old make and model at such a jacked up expensive price. After many negotiations with multiple loan officers and regional managers for my credit union and finally after selling my 2000 Toyota Camry I was able to get the loan to purchase what I believed was the best deal in the valley, which was still too expensive according to my credit union.

Another option I was mulling around was to buy a new truck and install a CNG system and tank onto it. The cost for this procedure was $10 to $15,000 in parts and labor on top of the purchase of a new truck. I knew this option would never fly with my credit union. I finally purchased this CNG truck in the Spring of 2008. It had its flaws but it was still reliable for my humble business. Fast forward to 5 years later. Now my truck is starting to fall completely apart.

The compu-valve: a very expensive part to replace

Since my truck was factory built by Ford to run off of two different fuels, the system is completely complicated. There is a part in my system called a compu-valve which controls the computer or PCM and the overall CNG operation of my truck. That part is highly sensitive and if handled the wrong way you can completely fry it and then have to replace it. This part is no longer being stocked by Ford and they would have a difficult time ordering you one. If you are lucky, a mechanic who knows about the compu-valve could try to call some re-manufactured parts, and even then you’re looking at about $2,600 - $3,000 range to just buy the part. Be aware, if you ask the dealership to go through this trouble they will charge you more than an independent shop would. When I worked for a Ford dealership, their parts department always joked about how we charge the customer 200% for the part. I know the truth in that joke.

After my last trip to the independent mechanic he learned through his diagnosis that my compu-valve is going out. After paying the loan off along with all the other money I have put into maintaining and repairing this vehicle, I have learned that it is not worth it to keep around anymore. I have talked to all sorts of dealerships, even the shady ones that only sell this type of truck, and no one wants to pay what we believe it is still worth. We will most likely be selling this truck next spring.

Two problems that we faced with this vehicle: 1. The factory-built components to this vehicle and the cost of such in maintenance does not justify the savings in gas prices.  2. It’s a Ford. I know all the Ford jokes, I’ve heard them all. Let me lay these rumors to rest. Around 2003 Ford improved the overall 
quality of their vehicles. 

2011 Ford Taurus

The 2011 Ford Taurus is actually pretty decent competition to the Toyota Camry. Anything older than 2003, yes the rumors are true. Unfortunately, my truck is a 2001 and falls into that category. We have spent tons of money on the typical maintenance issues that every Ford faces on top of the shady CNG system.

So, in my opinion, is buying a CNG vehicle (either dedicated or bi-fuel) the answer to our country's oil crisis? Does it help the environment and satisfy the EPA? No, according to California. Carbon dioxide is still harmful to the ozone. It’s much less harmful than carbon monoxide but that does not satisfy them. Only dedicated CNG vehicles still have the privilege of using the HOV lane. Bi-fuel vehicles, as of last year, are now excluded like any other vehicle.

Does it save the average consumer money from gas prices? Yes, but do you really save anything? No, because now you are being charged 8-10 times more in parts and labor from the mechanic. Even if you have a system installed onto your truck, because of expensive patents on kits, they won’t make the transition easy or affordable for you.

So, my overall opinion about domestic CNG vehicles is poor. If you are thinking of buying one, I do not recommend it.

Have you ever bought or knew someone who bought a CNG vehicle? Please share your story with me.

Alternative Fuels: Is there a Solution? Chapter 2 CNG

CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is methane compressed at high pressure that can be used in place of gasoline. CNG combustion produces primarily carbon dioxide emissions instead of carbon monoxide, which is toxic. CNG is stored in a compressed state instead of liquefied and thus requires a tank that can hold up to 3,600 PSI. 

CNG Tank

It is safer than other fuels in the event of a spill, because natural gas is lighter than air and disperses quickly when released. CNG may be found above oil deposits, or may be collected from landfills or waste water treatment plants where it is known as biogas.

Bi-fuel CNG Ford F-150

CNG is used in traditional gasoline-powered vehicles that have been manufactured for CNG use, either dedicated systems (which is the only source of fuel for the car), or bi-fuel (where is has been added on to your regular gasoline engine and you switch back and forth between the two sources). In response to high fuel prices and environmental concerns, CNG is starting to be used also in commercial transportation like buses and trains.

Pros to owning and operating a CNG vehicle:

• Even though it is no longer 63 cents a gallon, it is still cheaper than gasoline per gallon

• It is more environmentally friendly and if you have a dedicated CNG vehicle, you can legally drive in the HOV lane (car pool lane) on the freeway alone
• Park for free in downtown Salt Lake City

This license plate sticker gives you special driving privillages like HOV lane and free parking downtown

Cons to owning and operating a CNG vehicle:

• The tanks take up space in your vehicle, which could be a problem when loading for a long trip

No storage space for traveling

• Very few stations have CNG pumps. You have to plan your trips accordingly around these few stations and hope that they are not out of order. Questar gas has a small staff of maintenance workers who can’t make it out there to fix every pump that is malfunctioning. If you have a dedicated CNG vehicle you are pretty much stranded at that point.

• The maintenance for your CNG vehicle is expensive! Very few mechanics or technicians are familiar with CNG vehicles. Finding an honest mechanic with that knowledge can be difficult. Parts are expensive to replace. You are looking in the thousand-dollar range just to replace the part.

• 20% less horse power when running on CNG
• Diminishing driving privileges

In spite of the cons, the number of vehicles in the world using CNG has grown steadily at about 30 percent per year and still remains the number one choice for alternative fuel shoppers.

After this rant do you still want to buy a CNG vehicle? Even though I do not recommend it I promised to not hold anything back.

To convert:

            SnoMotion - Salt Lake (801) 281-4766

            Semi Services Inc - Salt Lake (801) 521-0360

            Ashton Motors Kaysville Blair (801) 336-6678 or Jeff (801) 628-0174

            Booker Hatch – Layton (801) 865-5695

Cost to convert a regular gasoline car to a bi-fuel CNG is $12,500.00 As of June 4, 2008. It may be more expensive now.

To purchase an already installed bi-fuel CNG vehicle:

            Semi Service Inc. – Salt Lake Call Joan (801) 209-8979

(This is where I bought my truck from)

            Auto Excellence – 1320 West 7800 South, West Jordan, Marty (801) 301-7499

(Auto Excellence is the biggest CNG Dealer in the valley. You’ll probably find what you’re looking for there. Give Marty a call or look at his website www.myautoexcellence2.com.) 

            Canyon Motors – 610 W. Center Street. Provo (801) 356-1750

(Canyon motors mostly sells bi-fuel minivans if that is what you’re looking for than more power to you. The other dealers mostly sale trucks and cars.)

Kevin Frazier of CNG Utah – Orem www.cngutah.com (801) 224-2499

Alternative Fuels: Is there a Solution? Chapter 1

Anyone who owns and maintains a car, truck, or SUV is usually grumpy about the ascending gas prices in our country. If you’re a Republican then you blame the Democrats for overdoing it with the environmental protection of our country and thus preventing any inland oil drilling that may ruin our sacred eco-system. If you are a Democrat, then you blame the Republicans who were in the 2^nd Bush administration for supposedly being in bed with Halliburton. And if you are a crazy old person living in Utah County, then you blame it all on one big diabolical conspiracy.

I spent 2-4 years studying automotive alternative fuel options both in class and in undergraduate department research for Utah Valley University. I worked for an alternative fuel business installing CNG on work trucks and I have interviewed a few people who have tried or invented other ways to power their vehicle.

Allow me to first state the complaints our country has about burning gasoline for fuel in cars, trucks, and SUVs:

Complaint number 1. The cost is too much for me to bare!

Complaint number 2. The emissions from gasoline is killing our environment...think of the children!

I have found that most people like myself are more concerned about complaint number 1 more so than 2.

I myself am not a tofu farting tree hugger and am more concerned about the economic strain that high gas prices are causing instead of what is happening to the ozone.

Since a few of you, my beloved readers, have asked me to share everything I have learned about alternative fuels (both in my studies and suffering through experiences), I will break this lengthy blog into multiple chapters released once a week until I have covered it all. I won’t hold any of my research or experiences back. At the end I will propose my only feasible solution to this crisis. Enjoy.

What’s your biggest complaint to ascending gas prices is it economical, environmental, or a combination of both?

The Grand Canyon behold in it's majesty!

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the state of Arizona. It is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and has a depth of over a mile. This marvelous attraction is visited by thousands of people from all over the world who gather to marvel at the spectacle this giant canyon has to offer. After a three-hour trip from St. George we were lucky enough to capture this view forever on camera.

This is the view you should see from the Grand Canyon:

This is what I saw from the Grand Canyon:

After seeing this picture do you think the Grand Canyon is by far the biggest canyon in the world?

Halloween craft time with Kirk

I survived another Halloween. 

I wanted to show you how my Halloween project turned out for Halloween 2013!  

Previously in my blogs titled "I Love Halloween part 1, 2, and 3" I had constructed an old western toe-pincher coffin. I then acquired a heavy skeleton meant to teach an anatomy class about the human skeletal structure and planned to decorate it to look like a rotting corpse and live forever in my toe-pincher coffin. Here’s how it was completed.

First the eyes

I gorilla glued some real glass eyes into the ocular cavities of the skull. 

Then the face

After that I melted hot wax and molded it around the face to give it more of a fleshy texture.

Now color

Then I spray painted it all with a tan color with green undertones.

Final facial details

I tried to open the jaw to show the mouth open but I broke the springs holding it in place so I had to wire the jaw shut and settled for a closed mouth expression.

I blackened the teeth with acrylic paint

Mounting the corpse

close up: moss and cobwebs

Finally I bolted an “L” bracket at the head of the coffin, and wired the skull to it. That way I can either lay the coffin down, or stand it up and the body won’t slide around and fall out.

I stapled moss and cobwebs around the interior to add to the aged looking effect.

Now that's curb appeal

Final project on display

I got very few trick-or-treaters this year to admire my handy work. Hopefully that changes in the future. 

Any advice on where I can store this heavy Halloween decoration until next year? Please leave your comments below!