gasoline powered portablel generator fuel conversion

[toolguy1000]

in considering the conversion of my portable generator form gasoline to natural gas, i've been told that it can be hard on valves and valve seats. that when automobiles engines are constructed to run on natural gas, the valves and seats are hardened.

can anyone point me to any empirical evidence that this is, in fact, the case? i'd like to convert the genny, but not if it's going to screw the pooch long term.

[eccentrictinkerer]

in considering the conversion of my portable generator form gasoline to natural gas, i've been told that it can be hard on valves and valve seats. that when automobiles engines are constructed to run on natural gas, the valves and seats are hardened.

can anyone point me to any empirical evidence that this is, in fact, the case? i'd like to convert the genny, but not if it's going to screw the pooch long term.

There are several Youtube videos showing just such a conversion.

Natural gas and propane are extremely clean-burning and won't present any problem.

My uncle converted a WWII jeep to porpane back in the 50's and never changed oil because it ran so clean.

[LCHIEN]

Used to be they used lead compounds in gasoline at least partly to lubricate the valves and seats. Other reasons were for octane boost.
Lead has been phased out but do they still put lubricants in the gasoline for this purpose?

Wiki says:As valve wear preventive
Tetraethyl lead works as a buffer against microwelds forming between the hot exhaust valves and their seats.[3] Once these valves reopen, the microwelds pull apart and leave the valves with a rough surface that would abrade the seats, leading to valve recession. When lead began to be phased out of motor fuel, the automotive industry began specifying hardened valve seats and upgraded exhaust valve materials to prevent valve recession without lead.[4]

So cars now in use that are designed for no-lead gas have hardened valves and seats.

I would presume that current gasoline generator motors also are designed to run on lead-free gas so would also typically be designed with hardened valves and seats like car engines.

I think maybe that tidbit about being hard on valves probably came from the era when lead was removed from gasoline and before manufacturers started hardening valves. So it should be OK, but I'm not a motor expert.

[tommyt654]

Most B&S motors and Chonda as well as Honda,Kawasaki,etc motors are not designed to be run on unleaded fuel we now buy in most gas stations. They run better on higher octane fuel, I would think that Toolguy has a legitimate question here on his concerns over valve degradation with the propane and natural gas conversion kits available. I used to use only higher gradient rated fuels in all my mowers and 2 stroke equipment because the 87 octane rated fuel degrades rubber seals and the like vs he higher octane rated fuels. I still use it in my personal equipment today and regularly make trips to the local marina to purchase the better fuel and occasionally run it mixed in my truck and atv as well as my boats motors.If nothing else perhaps a better grade of oil,perhaps a synthetic might be worth looking into.