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Christ · 03-09-2010, 08:29 PM

Just to point out that acetone in racing has nothing to do with engine efficiency -

N-heptane is also used in racing, along side PURE Xylene (which has a very high octane rating, ~118, IIRC).

Why use something which has 0 Octane? Because there were rules in F1 that kept the maximum octane at a certain level, and a tank full of Xylene was too much, so you add N-Heptane, which is basically inert, and it brings you under the average octane rating for the rules.

They don't do this anymore, that I know of, but they also don't use acetone on a wide scale, unless they need the extra octane on a really hot day, etc... it's not for efficiency at all, rather for keeping the engines from blowing up.

03-09-2010, 08:29 PM	#30 (permalink)
Christ Moderate your Moderation. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Troy, Pa. Posts: 8,919 Pasta - '96 Volkswagen Passat TDi 90 day: 45.22 mpg (US) Thanks: 1,369 Thanked 430 Times in 353 Posts	Just to point out that acetone in racing has nothing to do with engine efficiency - N-heptane is also used in racing, along side PURE Xylene (which has a very high octane rating, ~118, IIRC). Why use something which has 0 Octane? Because there were rules in F1 that kept the maximum octane at a certain level, and a tank full of Xylene was too much, so you add N-Heptane, which is basically inert, and it brings you under the average octane rating for the rules. They don't do this anymore, that I know of, but they also don't use acetone on a wide scale, unless they need the extra octane on a really hot day, etc... it's not for efficiency at all, rather for keeping the engines from blowing up. __________________ "¿ʞɐǝɹɟ ɐ ǝɹ,noʎ uǝɥʍ 'ʇı ʇ,usı 'ʎlǝuol s,ʇı"