My $900 RV

CrazyKGB · 07-29-2019, 05:40 PM

Not really sure why I did this but I bid on a airport shuttle bus and won it. Now I have 2014 Starcraft Allstar powered by natural gas and waiting to become my little RV refuge.
First thing is to remove seats inside and light blue wrapping on the outside.

Johnny Mullet · 07-29-2019, 06:06 PM

That is a hell of a cheap price for a 2014 anything let alone a Ford Superduty chassis. Welcome aboard!

PNW_Steve · 07-29-2019, 06:20 PM

Where are you located?

Do you plan on traveling around the country or sticking close to home?

https://maps.cngnow.com/

CrazyKGB · 07-29-2019, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

Where are you located?

Do you plan on traveling around the country or sticking close to home?

https://maps.cngnow.com/

TX and WA
Usually just fly but this brings brand new horizons. I already downloaded app for CNG locations. A lot more than I thought. I have 5 with in 10 miles of my house in Dallas.
Just got to be careful not to get stuck without gas.
What do people do if they run out of gas on CNG vehicles? Is there emergency service that can refill you or tow is the only way?

CrazyKGB · 07-29-2019, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

That is a hell of a cheap price for a 2014 anything let alone a Ford Superduty chassis. Welcome aboard!

I was surprised myself.
There should be more auctions with those buses. I talked to main guy in charge of salvage yard and surplus.

PNW_Steve · 07-29-2019, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyKGB

TX and WA
Usually just fly but this brings brand new horizons. I already downloaded app for CNG locations. A lot more than I thought. I have 5 with in 10 miles of my house in Dallas.
Just got to be careful not to get stuck without gas.
What do people do if they run out of gas on CNG vehicles? Is there emergency service that can refill you or tow is the only way?

I looked at CNG and found the nearest fill station to me is about 30 miles away. The bummer was that they are not open to the public. Transit only.

I suspect that if you ran out of gas towing would be the likely outcome.

I just looked again and I can't find a CNG station within 100 miles. I should probably stick to diesel

Sleddgracer · 07-29-2019, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

I looked at CNG and found the nearest fill station to me is about 30 miles away. The bummer was that they are not open to the public. Transit only.

I suspect that if you ran out of gas towing would be the likely outcome.

I just looked again and I can't find a CNG station within 100 miles. I should probably stick to diesel

any body know what has to be done to convert to propane from CNG? - there is, or was, a bus for sale here in BC that is dual CNG and gas

CrazyKGB · 07-29-2019, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

I looked at CNG and found the nearest fill station to me is about 30 miles away. The bummer was that they are not open to the public. Transit only.

I suspect that if you ran out of gas towing would be the likely outcome.

I just looked again and I can't find a CNG station within 100 miles. I should probably stick to diesel

Easter WA looks abandoned by CNG people. But for now I'm just doing Western area. Our son is doing bio-med in UDub .. Go Dawgs ;)

CrazyKGB · 07-29-2019, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

any body know what has to be done to convert to propane from CNG? - there is, or was, a bus for sale here in BC that is dual CNG and gas

Anywhere from $3K to $10K from what I see on the web. Plus there is expiration on a tank, but that's like 15 years.

peteg59 · 07-29-2019, 08:55 PM

Convert it to gasoline?
CNG is not a practical fuel for cross country trekking.
But for $900 you have invested in your new rig, an engine change if needed, could likely be done and still have a good vehicle to convert to RV/camper usage...

PNW_Steve · 07-29-2019, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyKGB

Easter WA looks abandoned by CNG people. But for now I'm just doing Western area. Our son is doing bio-med in UDub .. Go Dawgs ;)

Yeah, CNG is tough out here. Utah is the place to be. CNG $1.35 a gallon....

I do have to agree with Pete. Cross country would be very challenging.

Good luck.

Sleddgracer · 07-29-2019, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyKGB

Anywhere from $3K to $10K from what I see on the web. Plus there is expiration on a tank, but that's like 15 years.

for propane, it's not the tanks that expire ( unless they are obviously damaged ) it's the valves - the valves have a shelf life, but they aren't very expensive to replace - had to replace a leaky valve on one of mine, and it wasn't expensive enough for me to remember how much it was 4 months later - lol - I would imagine it would be the same for CNG tanks

CrazyKGB · 07-30-2019, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

for propane, it's not the tanks that expire ( unless they are obviously damaged ) it's the valves - the valves have a shelf life, but they aren't very expensive to replace - had to replace a leaky valve on one of mine, and it wasn't expensive enough for me to remember how much it was 4 months later - lol - I would imagine it would be the same for CNG tanks

Maybe different here in Texas. Tanks have exp. date and need to be inspected I think every 2 years. But I'm going the Vermont route, so don't really know.

"CNG fuel tanks have a useful life of 15, 20, or 25 years, depending on their construction and how they were certified by the original manufacturer. Because there is no way to safely "requalify" tanks for extended use, once a tank reaches its expiration date, it must be replaced"

CrazyKGB · 07-30-2019, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

Yeah, CNG is tough out here. Utah is the place to be. CNG $1.35 a gallon....

I do have to agree with Pete. Cross country would be very challenging.

Good luck.

Nice.
I thought its regulated by feds, but just looked it up and it does vary by state.

bus-bro · 07-30-2019, 01:57 AM

A bolt-in replacement gasoline engine is probably the way to go. What type of engine is in it? Diesel or Otto? Could you buy a same model used liquid fuel engine and do a parts swap? That CNG engine just won't work for an RV in this world.

Ronnie · 07-30-2019, 06:46 AM

It has been a while since I have messed with propane as a fuel for engines, but if I remember right re jetting the carb, new fuel tank and a different fuel regulator is what is needed to convert from CNG to propane.

Do the newer engines use fuel injection? I have not seen anything but a carb on a forklift. Can not imagine how you would do fuel injection with a gaseous fuel instead of liquid.

CrazyKGB · 07-30-2019, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bus-bro

A bolt-in replacement gasoline engine is probably the way to go. What type of engine is in it? Diesel or Otto? Could you buy a same model used liquid fuel engine and do a parts swap? That CNG engine just won't work for an RV in this world.

I don't really plan on RVing "full time". I think this will be more like a fun bus to drive from Dallas to Austin or to Pensacola. Lots of CNG stations down here. Driving to our house in WA is probably a stretch but we can give it a try.

HazMatt · 07-30-2019, 08:46 PM

GasBuddy may need to add CNG to the already available flavors.

desparado · 08-07-2019, 04:55 PM

Last time I checked it was around 1000 to go from gas to lp think it would be less the other way around

dgorila1 · 08-07-2019, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyKGB

Not really sure why I did this but I bid on a airport shuttle bus and won it. Now I have 2014 Starcraft Allstar powered by natural gas and waiting to become my little RV refuge.
First thing is to remove seats inside and light blue wrapping on the outside.

Awesome price!!! What auction site did you buy it through?

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