Lehr Propane Outboard?

[Dulcesuenos]

Refill kit looks great one concern i have is i have had cylinders leak in the past at the valve seal? I believe this is due to the propane in liquid form being corrosive, ( why horiz tanks have anti siphon tubes) these little tanks sit around long enough on their sides is it possible that they could eventually leak just from this alone? Also is there something that keeps the liquid from getting into the Lehr when using the bottles and causing issues over time to rubber components ( if there even is rubber components? Otherwise seems good!

[HopCar]

I've never heard of liquid propane being corrosive. Lehr outboards can actually run on either gas or liquid propane. Larger propane powered engines, like those in forklifts, run on liquid propane with no problems. The small tanks were not designed to be refilled and the valve will eventually fail. Lehr actually made a small tank that was designed to be refilled but couldn't get approval for it.

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

Refill kit looks great one concern i have is i have had cylinders leak in the past at the valve seal? I believe this is due to the propane in liquid form being corrosive, ( why horiz tanks have anti siphon tubes) these little tanks sit around long enough on their sides is it possible that they could eventually leak just from this alone? Also is there something that keeps the liquid from getting into the Lehr when using the bottles and causing issues over time to rubber components ( if there even is rubber components? Otherwise seems good!

FALSE! Propane is not corrosive in liquid or gaseous forms!

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

Doesn't anyone here care about recycling?

Why can't the small cans be recycled? AFAIK, they are mild steel.

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

One big issue for cruisers in the USA is finding propane close to the water.

I have never had much trouble finding propane... yes gasoline is easier to find, but considering the advertised 1#/hr burn rate, the 20# I carry should suit my needs fine

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by HopCar

I've never heard of liquid propane being corrosive. Lehr outboards can actually run on either gas or liquid propane. Larger propane powered engines, like those in forklifts, run on liquid propane with no problems. The small tanks were not designed to be refilled and the valve will eventually fail. Lehr actually made a small tank that was designed to be refilled but couldn't get approval for it.

Someone on here told me that liquid propane is vicious stuff, it's used as a really powerful solvent in some weird applications. As long as it's in vapor form I think it's fine.

I was told this because I was laying my normal vertical tank horizontal and some guy who worked a lot with propane told me that was a huge no-no. Propane for forklifts are apparently plumbed differently so it's not an issue.

[HopCar]

Rebel, if you put a normally vertical tank on it's side, it will deliver liquid propane to your stove and you'll have geysers of flames spewing out of your stove. Corrosion is not the problem.

The Lehr engines will accept either because they can vaporize liquid before it goes into the cylinder.

Note that liquid propane is normally stored in plain steel or aluminum tanks with no corrosion problems.

[rebel heart]

?

The regulator changes the pressure so it's vapor after that. I had it laying on its side for a month or so, no geysers of flames. The guy was saying that it's the liquid hitting the regulator that's the problem, they're built for vapor, not for liquid. Something like that.

Which is pretty different than the side-tank style of forklifts which apparently have all kinds of different things going on.

[Dulcesuenos]

Maybe corrosive is the wrong term, damaging to rubber in the regulator may be a better choice of words. This doesn't happen right away but maybe over several months etc. I have had the 1lb tanks leak out after sitting on their side for a few months. But maybe two out of a hundred over the last 6 years. I am not saying g thats what caused it just a possibility.

[Group9]

Regular propane is so non-corrosive to tanks, that seeing corroded propane tanks, is often probable cause alone that anhydrous ammonia has been placed in the tanks, and used to get warrants for meth labs.

[Esterly]

Originally Posted by HopCar

If anybody has been waiting for the 9.9 Lehrs, they're available now.

Hi:

Can you give me a quote on a 5 hp. Lehr Propane Outboard?

I would need it delivered to Punta Gorda, FL

[HopCar]

Hi Esterly,
I'll send you a PM with the price. Lehr is pretty serious about their advertised prices and I don't want to anger them.

Shipping a 5.0 Lehr to Punta Gorda would probably run fifty to sixty dollars.

[Simonfla]

I purchased the 2.5 hp last year all worked fine ,I used it the other day and found it sluggish almost like a gas motor which hadn't been used in a while.?

[HopCar]

Simonfla, It sounds like the engine isn't getting enough propane. If it was a gasoline motor I'd be cleaning the carburetor. Shouldn't be a problem with the Lehr.

If you're running it on a little bottle, check that the bottle still has liquid propane in it.
If you're running it on a bigger tank, make sure the valve is fully open, there are no kinks in the hose and that there is still liquid propane in it.

If that doesn't solve the problem, try a different tank and bleed the air out of the system.

If that still doesn't solve the problem, call their customer service number, it's printed on the engines tiller so you've always got it with you.

[HopCar]

Here is a link to some good information on starting the 2.5.
http://support.golehr.com/attachment...+2.5+final.pdf

[Simonfla]

Thanks hopcar it was a small tank brand new ,when I opened the throttle full open the motor started to splutter so I back off and it picked up ? I ran it for 15 to 20 mins just to if it was a cold start problem but as I live in florida that should be an issue .

[HopCar]

"...when I opened the throttle full open the motor started to splutter so I back off and it picked up ?"
That's got to be a fuel delivery problem. My first thought was the cold but then I saw you were in Florida. If it was cold you would have warmed up the tank when you ran it for 15 minutes anyway. That aluminum tray the tank sits on conducts engine heat to warm the tank.

Was it hard to start in addition to lacking power? I think that would indicate a lean mixture but if it ran ok last time, that shouldn't have changed.

Get your paper clip and bleed the heck out of the system. I have no logical reason for you to do this but try it anyway. Maybe you'll blow out a blockage.

When that doesn't work, call Lehr. If they can't figure it out over the phone, I'll put you in touch with someone who can.