Gasoline is a much "dirtier" fuel than natural gas. Gasoline gives off a lot more harmful emissions. Natural gas is a cleaner fuel which is used up more wholly than gasoline when fueling an engine. Natural gas is usually bought in the form of compressed natural gas or CNG. Natural gas conversions are used almost exclusively in automobiles.

Is It Worth the Cost?

Before you decide on converting your car engine to natural gas, you should check if it is really worth it. If your car engine has a lot of miles and is somewhat decrepit, converting it to natural gas would actually be a waste of money. The best time to convert a car to natural gas is when the car is brand new. That would make the savings of using natural gas actually amount to something.

Converting the Engine

Consult your mechanic to see if your car is able to use natural gas; some cars cannot use it. Your car has to be able to support the added 200 to 500 lbs. of the CNG canisters. Unless you are a specialist yourself, you should let the mechanic do all the work for you because CNG canisters can be very dangerous if not handled properly. When you are converting the engine to CNG, you must keep in mind that your car has to follow EPA regulations. You must also obtain a certificate of conformity to show that your engine is compatible with a natural gas conversion.

Other Thoughts

In order to refuel a car that is running on natural gas, you must find a place that sells natural gas or refills CNG canisters. You can also invest in a refueling station at your home which is the most common option. If you want your car to run on gasoline or diesel as well as natural gas, you can install a "dual fuel" system which allows you to switch which fuel you are burning with a flick of a switch on you car's dashboard.

Source:

Clean Vehicle Education Foundation

CNG Now

CDNauto.org