O.K. so my quad is just a diesel Polaris, but with all the high powered quads with petrol injection that are coming onto the market now I'm sure that the e-RAM electric supercharger mod I made to my diesel would have a much bigger effect.

As an easy way of boosting your power with the minimum of modification, in fact there is no change whatsoever to the performance or fuel consumption untill you use full throttle and the e-RAM kicks in, then it's almost like having a kick-down.

 

They now use a propane injection in diesel trucks to improve performance and mileage, it seems propane acts as a catalyst to the combustion of diesel fuel, making a more complete burn, and adding power, almost like a version of nitrous injection in gas engines. I realize there are very few diesel Polarises out there, but a system like that would not only bump up the power, but clean up the exhaust and raise the mileage even more. The trick would be metering the propane correctly ,and carrying a small tank of propane on the quad all the time. In trucks, you can easily see a 15 - 25 percent power increase, and a decent mileage boost.

 

Who uses propane in diesels? What company.

 

Bullydog is one. I believe there are several. Works just like 95wolv stated above.

 

It is an aftermarket system,I read about them now and then in 4x4 and other truck magazines, it is just like a nitrous set up, a manifold or spray bar that feeds into the intake.One system I read about offered 2 setups, one for economy,up to 25% mileage increase at cruising speed, with a mild power increase, and one for power,with a large power increase,but at the expense of a little mileage. Both have the added benefit of a better, cleaner burn with less emissions.

 

I just checked out the bullydog system. Im going to point out the obvious on this one . If you use propane at a 1 to 4 ratio with your diesel fuel . You will get 20% better fuel economy. Hmm The emisions point would be nice though. Would it really be worth it for the power increase. Its hard enough finding diesel stations. I dont know about feeding fuel in before the injector fires. Wouldnt you have a detonation problem. I love the idea of the electric turbos for that ocasional power hit. Im surprised they havent caught on in a big way on quads.

 

Well, that depends. Propane ain't cheap either. And with the weight of the tank and junk, well, thats why I have not done it. You don't have a problem with detonation. Why? I just can't answer that.? Seems like it should, but it dosen't?
As far as the electric super chargers go. The good ones use more juice than a small city when are on. BIG time pull on the whole electrical system.

 

For drag racing or hillclimbing they would be sweet.

 

The e-RAM I fitted on to my Polaris does use a fair amount of juice but it is only supposed to run for 15 seconds at a time and then only at full throttle. My electric system is coping with it quite easily and that power boost is allways there on tap for when you really need it, no need to carry around heavy gas cylinders or get them re-filled.


The reason they haven't caught on in a big way on quads is that until recently there weren't any fuel injected quads, if you tried to use one on a carburettor you would need to equalise the pressure in the manifold with the pressure in the float chamber otherwise no fuel would be sucked through the venturi. It wouldn't be impossible to enclose the whole carb and pressurise the whole thing but it would be a lot more complicated and require a custom build for each model.



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You won't have a detonation problem because propane, like alcohol takes a lot to make it fire. The diesel actually fires, and lights the propane. Basically the propane is just an additive.

The propane injection on diesels also only works at high boost pressures. You'll vapor lock one quick if the propane sprays in before you are making enough boost. So, you must have a turboed engine to use the propane injection. Therefore it wouldn't work on the Polaris.

Doctorturbo is right. It take A LOT of power to make boost. I don't see any electric turbo being able to create enough boost to make it worth the effort. Somewhere I heard that it takes 25+HP to turn the stock turbo on a Ford Powerstroke truck.