'The Terrorcel'

Post about yourself, your Tercel, or your Tercel projects in here, share pictures of your Tercel, or post trip threads!
TURTCEL
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:42 am
My tercel:: 1985 4WD SR5 Wagon, Brown (TURTCEL)
Location: Everett, WA

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by TURTCEL »

As far as propane goes I have heard that you can't run strictly on propane because propane can cause damage to valves since there is a lack of necessary fuel additives. Most propane converted vehicles I have seen need to run an alternating fuel useage between propane and gasloine to keep the valves lubricated.

Are you familiar with these issues?

Peace
1985 Tercel 4wd SR5 Wagon, WEBER Carb, Brown (TURTCEL)
1988 Corolla DLX All-Trac Wagon, 4 speed AT, Silver (Wife's new car)
1993 Ford Escort Wagon LX, 5 Speed, Smurf Blue (Smurfette)...selling
User avatar
marlinh
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1584
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:15 am
My tercel:: 'Everett' Blue 87 4WD Wagon (Rocky 86, recently retired)
Location: Kootenays

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by marlinh »

I believe exhaust valves need to be replaced with special ones (can't remember what they were called) to handle the higher temperatures. You can run a vehicle exclusively on propane but it needs to be built for it.
TURTCEL
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:42 am
My tercel:: 1985 4WD SR5 Wagon, Brown (TURTCEL)
Location: Everett, WA

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by TURTCEL »

Makes sense.

Peace
1985 Tercel 4wd SR5 Wagon, WEBER Carb, Brown (TURTCEL)
1988 Corolla DLX All-Trac Wagon, 4 speed AT, Silver (Wife's new car)
1993 Ford Escort Wagon LX, 5 Speed, Smurf Blue (Smurfette)...selling
User avatar
ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Didn't member Mattel - or an inactive OZ member have a T4WD with a propane conversion? If he did not possess one, he posted some info and photos of such a conversion.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
larry mcgrath
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 606
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:23 pm
My tercel:: 83 tercel v20 B/T (The ROCKET)98 toyota t100
Location: Wilds of Montana

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by larry mcgrath »

The valves need to be sodium cooled ( valve stem is hollow and filled with sodium to disipate heat away from the tulip and valve seat ) you need to instal stelite valve seats to withstand the elevated temp, if this isnt done the elevated temp WILL beat the valves right through the seats. I worked around these engines that ran 100 percent propane and this i'snt BS. You can get by for maby 20,000 miles stock until it's trashed the haed. parts to do this are verry--verry pricy Larry.
TURTCEL
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:42 am
My tercel:: 1985 4WD SR5 Wagon, Brown (TURTCEL)
Location: Everett, WA

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by TURTCEL »

Nice to hear from someone who has seen it first hand. My friend had a '75 F150 HighBoy that was stroked out and ran on propane and regular gasoline. That is correct...hardened seats needed to be installed in his heads for the heat change.

Peace
1985 Tercel 4wd SR5 Wagon, WEBER Carb, Brown (TURTCEL)
1988 Corolla DLX All-Trac Wagon, 4 speed AT, Silver (Wife's new car)
1993 Ford Escort Wagon LX, 5 Speed, Smurf Blue (Smurfette)...selling
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by Petros »

I do not think it is a lube issue, the valves are lubed by seepage past the seals down the guides. The higher octane will allow you to run much more advance, which will cool the exhaust temps. If you do not advance the timing you will damage the valves from heat damage, the fuel burns a bit slower and it means when the valve opens part of the fuel is still burning, causeing much higher exhaust gas temps. The Tercel valves already suffer this problem with the emissions based 5 deg advance, with the 118 octane you likely should be running 16 to 20 deg advance, and that should take care of the problem. It also means you will get much higher fuel efficiency.

However, it also means you can not run it on gasoline again unless you reset the timing back to 10 deg. So I suspect if you want the duel fuel capability you will need to use the better exhaust valves and seats as mentioned. I have no intention of using gasoline when I do the conversion, you can buy porpane on the road almost anywhere (about as common as deisel), it cost more than the bulk price I get when delivered to my home, but still much less than gasoline.

If I was to do this conversion I would want to build up an engine specifically for propane; I would strip ALL of the emissions equipment out of it (except the PCV), raise the compression ratio to 12 or 13:1, remove the catalytic converter, the old fuel tank all other unnecessary equipment. I should hope to get as much as 40 mpg with fuel that cost less than $2 a gallon. That should save me about $1500 a year in fuel cost. If I did it for all our vehicles, it would save our family about $4,000 a year.

If I install another 500 gallon tank, or even a 1000 gal tank on our property, I will get an even lower price on the delivered propane for even more savings. And should some idiot decided we need to ration gasoline again, I will never be affected. Plus having over 1000 gal of fuel available, with my propane powered generator, I can be completely self contained on my properly for up to six months with careful rationing. No utilities needed at all. And if the everything really goes to hell, I will have all that fuel for barter, and likely be the only one with a car to drive.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7305
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by dlb »

Petros wrote:And if the everything really goes to hell, I will have all that fuel for barter, and likely be the only one with a car to drive.
then you'd just have to worry about people trying to steal it, or worse yet, kill you so they could steal it.

the apocalypse (or whatever) will be a cheery, delightful time for all.
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by Petros »

but I live too far from town for them to walk to my place. People in the city have this problem, that is why cities are always dangerous places in emergencies, even short term ones.

You have been there, you know. most of my neighbors are also pretty much self sufficient. When we get the occasional rare heavy snow that cuts off our neighborhood from the main hwy for sometimes several weeks, often without power, all of my neigbors just camp out and enjoy the time off. There are a few of us that get out and make sure everyone is doing fine and is not in a desperate condition without heat, water or power, and most are just enjoying the time off. All had plenty of food and heat. This is very different from when I lived in the city, when the power was out many were very angry, some even rented rooms in hotels that has their own generators. they did not know how to live without power.

I do not expect the end of the world, I am half joking when I talk about that. I would not be doing it for that reason, but to save money on fuel costs. But it is nice to know I can if I choose.

but local emergencies happen somewhere in North America every year, be it weather, flood, earthquake, something. Those prepared to be self sufficient for a month or two always fare much better. There are still people in New Jersey waiting for government assistance from hurricane Sandy last year, their houses wrecked and they have no where to stay, and likely will be waiting for a long time. There were several people in NY that died from chronic medical conditions that needed regular treatment during a heavy snow storm. They could not call a taxi nor could an ambulance get to them, to go get a routine treatment. Another woman gave birth in a stairwell for the same reason, too much snow, no heat. Quite a sad situation. All of this could have been prevented if these people planned ahead.

Those that depend on the government during widespread emergencies usually end up in very bad shape, or worse.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
tercelebr8
Top Notch Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:02 pm
My tercel:: 83 4ac

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by tercelebr8 »

dlb wrote:
tercelebr8 wrote:screw gas i might have to go to wvo
i had to look it up but wvo = waste veggie oil, yes?

are you bummed with the cost of gas? one forum member is working on a diesel engine swap:

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5475

i just searched the forum but couldn't find the info on propane conversions. i believe an aussie member has done it but i'm not positive.
yea ive almost got a gravity fed filter system setup.. aquired most of the few parts. i already have a flatbed ford diesel 4x4 that IM AM LITERALLY DYING to convert..! i think that would be the raddest setup for free gas/toy hauler..

speaking of toys, i also picked up an 85 runner.. its bad ass enuf said. but the real toy is the fact that i
A. created a shop in my girls garage (No one was using/had used this garage in years! literally found a set of chrome 20's w good tires just lying around ha! for sale: stupid chrome 20's

B. am feeling the need to lincoln lock a tercel rear and put it on a set of homebuilt tracks. then i could really start to approach living out in the middle of nowhere w out just depending on a snowmobile:(

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/general- ... up-29.html
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by Petros »

you gonna need a bigger engine to drive that.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
tercelebr8
Top Notch Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:02 pm
My tercel:: 83 4ac

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by tercelebr8 »

http://www.supermotors.net/registry/7029/62149

im sure il figure something out. . . . .
tercelebr8
Top Notch Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:02 pm
My tercel:: 83 4ac

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by tercelebr8 »

Somebody backed into me the other day, made me wanna cry. What do i do? The paint looks fine, but a decent strike none the less.. I will try to upload a shot.. It cracked my rear view mrror butt is only on my door really..

Ilet the dude slide a little because i know i already have a door n mirror, and i dont think i will be replacing this one.. But i haveth no skills w body dent removal, and dude at dent pro told me it wouldnt be worth his time... Im sure he is busy s#%*!n off stupid cars and stupid owners w his plungers: he pulled up in a chevy ssr (thats practical). I wish some how he would have drove away in an aztec or a suby bajahaha... Freakin fruckkedy truckkedy buckedy truck frame what a shame SSarrrrrrRRGh!

Any advice? Like i said decent hit.. but my window rolls up and my door alignment is fine, just a pretty good shot to the side:[
tercelebr8
Top Notch Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:02 pm
My tercel:: 83 4ac

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by tercelebr8 »

Somebody backed into me the other day, made me wanna cry. What do i do? The paint looks fine, but a decent strike none the less.. I will try to upload a shot.. It cracked my rear view mrror butt is only on my door really..

Ilet the dude slide a little because i know i already have a door n mirror, and i dont think i will be replacing this one.. But i haveth no skills w body dent removal, and dude at dent pro told me it wouldnt be worth his time... Im sure he is busy s#%*!n off stupid cars and stupid owners w his plungers: he pulled up in a chevy ssr (thats practical). I wish some how he would have drove away in an aztec or a suby bajahaha... Freakin fruckkedy truckkedy buckedy truck frame what a shame SSarrrrrrRRGh!

Any advice? Like i said decent hit.. but my window rolls up and my door alignment is fine, just a pretty good shot to the side:[
tercelebr8
Top Notch Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:02 pm
My tercel:: 83 4ac

Re: 'The Terrorcel'

Post by tercelebr8 »

Oh and one more gripe... I have the most finicky starter tranny wire? It only starts when it wants to, and its in another bad spell.. It would see, that the terc only wants to start when its

A) not tooooo cold outside, or

B) when its good and runnin and hot? Sounds like this dumb ass wire on the bottom of the starter, but i wiggle it and it works sometimes, and other times nothing. Im i so stupid that it could just be corrosion all around on this ONE wire?
Post Reply