MetroMPG.com mailbag: why don't you test acetone?

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by undeRGRound

What year was the Buick?

98 retired in my garage entries.

[niky]

Originally Posted by undeRGRound

But then again, I had a regular commute with minimal traffic. The results were like clockwork, 35 mpg W/O acetone. The "with" result was usually 41 MPG, sometimes 42 and an occasional rare 43 MPG. Solid 17% and I ran this gauntlet for around 4 months. The vehicle was a 1989 Mercury Tracer (import, Mazda 323) with Mass Air EFI (trapdoor). If I was to lay off the acetone, in 3-4 tanks the mileage returned to 35 MPG. This lead me to believe that it was largely an injector cleaning effect. But on later cars with more advanced engine management, the gains are not nearly as apparent. The OBD2 arrangement monitors for lean conditions (via O2 sensors in the exhaust) and will richen the mixture to compensate, I have read. This would negate any possible gains. I am thinking an ECU controller could stop this

Since acetone is effectively an octane booster, it could be altering your timing and fuel injection tables. Some of the older EFI Mazdas were very finicky about gas (including mine). You could see if this is the case by simply loading a few tanks of the "good stuff" from the gas station, to see if the effect is the same.

[Frank Lee]

They suggest 2 or 3 oz per 10 U.S. gal...

2:1280 or 3:1280 ratio = 1:640 or 1:427

I'm not only suspicious of the claims and the chemistry, I'm suspicious that anything at all would be effective at such puny ratios. I could add beer or chocolate milkshakes or Iguana urine at those ratios and make claims too.

[undeRGRound]

Originally Posted by niky

Since acetone is effectively an octane booster, it could be altering your timing and fuel injection tables. Some of the older EFI Mazdas were very finicky about gas (including mine). You could see if this is the case by simply loading a few tanks of the "good stuff" from the gas station, to see if the effect is the same.

Possible, but unlikely? The ratios (even at a very high 150 octane for acetone) likely add less than a point of octane. But maybe I could have used mid grade and noticed a mileage boost? Knock and pre-ignition was not present iirc, and sadly, the car is long gone. My evidence is all anecdotal, I do not have the logs anymore. It was a fun traffic carver, so small I could slice and dice thru traffic quite easily! The car was around 1500 pounds curb weight, and I got it for FREE. It needed a computer and I found one at the JY for $40, with a one-day warranty because it had a water stain on the back of the case. It was 2 generations removed from the model I had (but same year ) as they changed calibrations frequently then. But it WORKED and worked very well! I bought some tires and drove the snot out of it. Finally lost compression and I junked it, got more for it than I had invested

I also had a great time with my next ultra-cheapo car, a $400 Mister Two, first gen But that is another story!



@Frank Lee, you never cease to entertain!
("lizard pee")

[undeRGRound]

Originally Posted by undeRGRound

I also had a great time with my next ultra-cheapo car, a $400 Mister Two, first gen But that is another story!

Actually, I waited until he settled for $300, (he thought it would not run) and I dropped my good battery in it and it started up on 4 year old gas! Put really tall 14" skinny tires on it, and it pulled down 36 MPG, not even correcting for the tires Had to replace the blower fan, I was dreading that until I bought the Haynes Manual. It's like a 15 minute job

When I drove it off on the 4 year old gas, I felt sorry for the guy I bought it from. So I bought him a 12 pack of New Castle, and he was happy!

[niky]

Originally Posted by undeRGRound

Possible, but unlikely?

Well... there's also tank-to-tank variances. My car would sometimes run differently when I filled up the same "grade" at different gas stations. YMMV... and Vary Very Greatly, at that.

Junkyard "Mazdaspeed" ECUs are a big thing amongst Protege owners (they're called Mazda Familias, pre-00, then were sold as Ford Laser/Lynx sedans post-00) over here, as it bumps fuel economy and adds a little power on high octane.

[Hypermiler1995]

I have used acetone in my 90 corolla, but it seems to only lower mpg, then the mpg stays down until the fuel filter is changed. I think this is because it cleans the fuel system very aggressively, which causes the gunk to clog the fuel filter; I use it as a fuel system cleaner, 2oz per tank for 3 tanks, none in next tank, then change fuel filter.

[Hypermiler1995]

After doing this, mileage went from 28-30 to 32-33mpg.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by Hypermiler1995

After doing this, mileage went from 28-30 to 32-33mpg.

Does your milage consistently "drop back down" to 28-30mpg when the next tank fillup does not have any acetone added...ie: A-B-A testing?

[Hypermiler1995]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

Does your milage consistently "drop back down" to 28-30mpg when the next tank fillup does not have any acetone added...ie: A-B-A testing?

No, because the acetone does not increase mpg, it flushes out sludge, the sludge gets caught in the fuel filter, and then the mpg goes up when u replace the fuel filter.