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CNG conversion

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  #1  
Old 03-08-2012 | 12:26 PM
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Default CNG conversion

I have a 97 SL1 and am looking at installing a compress natural gas conversion kit. Does anyone have any experience with these on any saturn?

thanks
 
  #2  
Old 03-08-2012 | 12:31 PM
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You will be better served going to a CNG conversion website. An internet search should get you results in locating a site.
 

Last edited by sw2cam; 03-08-2012 at 12:33 PM.
  #3  
Old 03-08-2012 | 08:05 PM
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However - do us a favor, and let us know how the conversion comes out.
 
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Old 03-08-2012 | 09:45 PM
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Thing is every single person I know that runs a conversion does not get close to the mileage they got with gas and every one of them says they had a loss of power.

The lower the temp the more problems arise.... Not that I'm pleased with the price of gas I'll stick with it.

Makes me wonder why anyone would want to have less power then a SL1 has burning gas.
 

Last edited by RjION; 03-08-2012 at 09:57 PM.
  #5  
Old 03-09-2012 | 07:52 AM
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I guess that's a possibility. I know people are squawking about the ethanol in their fuel causing reduced power and loss of mileage. Guess the conversion to CNG would be a major issue too. I just don't know ....
 
  #6  
Old 03-09-2012 | 10:12 AM
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I've found a slight loss at the track running 10% ethanol and slightly reduced mileage. But to pay $500 for the CNG kit then pay for the install or at least a tune to make it run right I wonder how long it will take to recover the expence. Knowing that a tune does not exsist for any S-Series I then ask how will my car run, and how much of a mileage drop will I have. Now if I were driving a Chevy Tahoe I could see a reason to go with CNG.
 
  #7  
Old 03-09-2012 | 10:34 AM
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Seems like if the CNG burns at a cooler temp, then you'd definitely need a hotter plug.
 
  #8  
Old 03-09-2012 | 11:30 AM
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I have been to several sites researching but wanted some more detailed info and decided to check here.
http://ewsews.com/cngwhat.html (The kits are sold here for $500 as someone already mentioned)
They also have a youtube video showing how it is installed but now how to install it.
Some people mentioned saving close to $500 running CNG in just a few months after installing a conversion but on what vehicle I do not know.
 
  #9  
Old 03-09-2012 | 11:56 AM
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exactly -- one what vehicle, and how are "savings" defined by these folks

Based on feedback above, just doesn't sound good for an SC1 -- unless you want to try to drive a go cart on the interstate
 
  #10  
Old 03-09-2012 | 12:05 PM
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Right now in my area gas is $3.84....CNG is $2.54 If you were to have a 12gallon CNG tank that matches the tank size of your SL1 and got the same mileage from both. Burning 4 tanks of fuel a month gas would cost you $184.32 a month and CNG would cost you $121.92 a month. A savings of $62.40 a month. Over a year you would save $748.80 in fuel costs. Problem is CNG does not deliver the same mileage per gallon. Problem is no Saturn SL, SL1, or SL2 has a tuner program for the onboard computer. Now my cars computer can be programmed with HP Tuners system. If I buy the program it has a cost of $600.00 bucks. That leaves me spending $1,100.00 minimum to convert. Seeing I use about two tanks of fuel a month I'll save much less.
 

Last edited by RjION; 03-09-2012 at 12:09 PM.



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