Really, acetone?

[wagonman76]

Well today I got very good results with acetone. 38 mpg at 90% highway. Same trip Ive been doing for years, with consistent 31-32 mpg results. Id already been doing the easy stuff, slowing down, keeping it it OD whenever possible, even the ecomods didnt do a whole lot for my highway mpg. (Helped a lot going back and forth to work.) Ive never gotten even close to this mpg before.

I about crapped my pants when I figured the mileage, so I double checked some things. I used the same station and pump that Ive used many times before. I pumped at .1 gal / sec. I clicked it off twice then called it good. Just like any other time. My odometer was correct because after so many years of this same trip I know how far it is between certain points. Typically at 32 highway mpg my needle crosses F at 46 miles. This time it went much farther. Had I not completely filled up this time Id think my needle would come down much faster, but I got home after 60 miles and it was still above F. Also if the pump spot is really sloped, it will affect me by 1 mpg either way depending on slope, but there was no real slope at this one or last one. I topped off with the same 3 oz to 10 gal. I printed a chart in the car. Also I use a long funnel and turkey baster and keep it all in the trunk. The next fillup will tell the full story but it looks really good so far.

I consistently got about a 3 mpg gain with an old Lumina van a few years ago. I tried it once in the Celeb and it didnt make a difference, however I may not have been doing it correctly. Last week I figured what the heck, lets try it again but the right way. With the van I pretty much figured out that to make it work, you need to take an educated guess as to how many gallons you will put in, put in the appropriate amount of acetone, then fill the tank so it mixes well. Otherwise it appears to just evaporate off the top since it does nothing for mpg if you put it in after the gas. At least for me anyway.

[BlackDeuceCoupe]

Originally Posted by blownintegra

when I used to sniff acetone, my mileage went down...

so did my IQ...

Bwahahaha!

I used to sniff acetone too! I still do, but I used to sniff acetone before too...

Um...

What was the topic

[Will]

Honestly, I see no reason to go back and forth in this negative way. We are all on here to share helpful info. No matter how logical or scientific your point maybe we should not belittle each other.

I think different things work for different cars, and different people. Many people have debunked Cold air intakes over and over again, but my homemade dryer vent hose version has produced better results. For this reason I use it. It may not work for others, but it does for me.

Personally I think we should focus on the things important to us all and stop this negativity. PEACE, LOVE, AND CHICKEN GREASE!!!!

[dann_04]

any one here think that perhaps the acetone acts as a fuel injector/carb cleaner and not a fuel booster? Or maybe it helps take the water out of the fuel like heat? Both of these would help with consistant mpg's, especially if you drop it in a car with dirty injectors or watery fuel...just my thought, i'm sceptical though lol. Also I think the comment about 1/3785th of a gallon of acetone doing anything is kindo f funny because adding anything will change the chemical make up of the solution. For instance, would you drink a gallon of water with 1/3785th gallons of arsenic added(or my spit for that matter)? lol probably not because it is still there and will probably do something different than if it wasn't there. But really i think it is an interesting topic i just get sad when people get so angry and closed minded. Keep it civil and lets see what we figure out as a group

[BlackDeuceCoupe]

Originally Posted by dann_04

any one here think that perhaps the acetone acts as a fuel injector/carb cleaner and not a fuel booster?

Yes! Thank you!!!

I was going to remark on that, but I can't do this all myself...

In my voluminous career - I was once a boat mechanic - motorcycle & marine mechanic, to be exact!

Here was the drill for 2-stroke outboard owners...

• Gets too cold to fish, ski, whatever in September. Also, it evidently gets too cold to drain the ^%$# gas lines on the outboard. Hello?!?!?
  
• April rolls around and the gas (from September) has now evaporated, but NOT the oil, which has now turned to glue!
  
• Mr. Stupid-Lazy brings boat into the shop complaining that he cannot get it started...
  
• Shop owner says no problem - we'll do a major tuneup for $100!
  
• We pump acetone through the fuel system and let it do it's thing while setting the ignition timing, checking the water pump impeller for missing vanes etc, and making sure the lower-end has grease in it (not water).
  
• Acetone is purged, motor is cranked - ching, ching - $100 for a 1/2 hour work.

Bottom line: Personally, I *think* all this acetone is doing is eating the built-up deposits off fuel injectors, intake valves and combustion chambers - same as running high-detergent Top Tier gas (Shell, Chevron, Texaco) - but to each his own...

[Gregte]

Originally Posted by BlackDeuceCoupe

Bottom line: Personally, I *think* all this acetone is doing is eating the built-up deposits off fuel injectors, intake valves and combustion chamber...

That makes very good sense since some of the acetone advocates say that it helps more on the second tank of fuel than the first.

[dann_04]

I's really the only thing that makes sense to me i mean it removes paint, nail polish, and other stuck on messes, so why not carbon deposits. If it was a crazy fuel booster i have a feeling it would already be in the gas, or would be sold by the small bottle for very expensive. Just my 2-censt though.

[DocZ]

03 Dodge Dakota ClubCab,V8 4.7 spd auto.
I added 1.5 oz per 10 imp gallons on my last and current tank. I'm skeptical about things like this but decided it might be worth a try considering gas being over 6 bucks a gallon is having a bit of an impact on my wallet.
I noticed within a few blocks that there was more power than before, not scientifically but by being able to spin both 295/50/16's all the way through first with a full tank of gas.
Anyways, I average about 14.7 mpg all city driving (imp. gal.), I filled up tonight, same gas station, same fill procedure and same pump and show better than 20 mpg from last tank of gas.
Nothing I've done to the truck over the last 3 years has improved throttle response AND mpg like adding the acetone.

[metromizer]

Originally Posted by dann_04

I's really the only thing that makes sense to me i mean it removes paint, nail polish, and other stuck on messes, so why not carbon deposits...

For removing carbon deposits on the workbench, I've found acetone not-so-good for cleaning up piston tops and combustion chambers.

Diesel fuel works better, Chevron 'Techron' concentrate works better still

[ConnClark]

I agree that this is a place for for sharing helpful information. It is dubious at best that adding acetone to your fuel will improve mileage however. Furthermore the fact that it degrades rubber and plastic parts in fuel systems presents safety issues.

To the implications that I have been closed minded about things I will counter that I have asked proponents about what mechanism adding acetone improves mileage. So far they have put forward it lowers surface tension, it causes fuel to burn more completely, and it seals the rings better preventing fuel from slipping past them. Each of these I have researched and posted arguments backed with data that have not been refuted. If I were being closed minded I would not have expended the effort to research it.

As for coming off as being harsh and nasty in my last post it was just an aggressive response to a passive aggressive attempt to make false assertions and misrepresent facts. I do admit that my proposed alternate Mythbusters quote was flippant and facetious.

And now to respond to the most recent proposed theories....

I will admit acetone has some detergent properties. However this would not explain why acetone proponents claim that any improvements cease when they don't add it at the next fill up. Their engine's valves, injectors, and carburetor don't get dirty that quickly. Also there are much better detergents that don't attack rubber and plastic.

As far as acetone neutralizing water in gasoline acting like dry heat I put forth the following. Adding dry heat only allows more water to be absorbed as part of the solution of fuel rather than in its pure form. It does not allow the water to contribute to combustion. The net effect of a given amount of water per tank full introduced in either way only reduces fuel economy to the extent of the amount of fuel it displaces. (refer to page 3)
http://www.epa.gov/oms/regs/fuels/rfg/waterphs.pdf

Drinking 1/3785th of a gallon of arsenic is just as toxic as drinking 1/3785th a gallon of arsenic with 3784/3785th a gallon of water. It does not alter the chemical make up of the water or make the water itself toxic. Other than diluting the energy content much like water does, what chemical does it change it too if acetone alters the chemical content of gasoline ?