Same Gas Station - Same Gas Pump - Better FE ???
 

I *think* I'm starting to see a trend! :cool:

If you look at BDC's Fuel Log - EcoModder.com ...

My ride's FE has been VERY consistent (and good) since I starting using QT gas.

QT is an official 'Top Tier' gas retailer - same quality as Chevron/Texaco, Shell, etc.

Article: QuikTrip Guaranteed Gasoline approved as Top Tier Gasoline

I've been filling up at same time of night - same gas station - same pump, yada, yada.

There could be several factors as to the consistency of my mileage - not the least of which is: the same gas pump is metering the exact same way, every time I fill my tank, e.g. using different pumps, different stations, different gas, is messing with my FE!

So, what do you think?

You can't really argue with success, but I'm trying to figure out WHY this is happening.

Might be a good 'lesson' in this somewhere, no?

WoW! Total silence!

Okay, now I'm taking it to the next level - Acetone!

I filled up my tank tonight and added 2 ounces of 100% Acetone... :thumbup:

I'll give Acetone a whirl for 1000 miles and see how that goes.

Since my FE is V consistent now, I'll add 1 ounce for every 4 gallons (approx. every 2 days of driving), and see if it makes a difference.

LoL! This Acetone is weird stuff...

I was wondering how I was going to store my 'kit' in the car without making a smelly mess of it.

Well, the Acetone itself doesn't smell bad, and by the time I put my gas cap back on, it had evaporated from the 'measuring cup'. I didn't even have to wipe anything down - it just cleaned itself up, like magic!

Heh! This is going to be fun!!! :)

BTW, while I'm thinking about it...

I'm NOT expecting this Acetone to do much!

In the scheme of things, 2 ounces of anything per 10 gallons of gasoline doesn't mean jack - and I don't expect this Acetone to be any different than, say, battery acid...

If I hadn't done so much research, I would have tossed half the (16 ounce) bottle down the hatch!

The Honda B16 motor is one of the most efficient engines ever made, so if this Acetone works, I'll be the most surprised guy on this web site... :rolleyes:

This acetone thing is really carrying too much weight for the tiny benefit the chemistry shows ... nothing. I'll be glad when you report your findings.... -whitevette

Yeah, I'm uber-skeptical, but if I don't try it I'll never know. ;)

Well, I've been running my Acetone-powered CiViC around for a couple of days - only had a chance to clock, like, 50 miles of city driving since adding 2-ounces of 100% Acetone 'fingernail polish remover' to my fuel. :cool:

I don't want to make ANY declarations this early in the game, but I'll have to say it's starting up and running just fine. It *seems* to have smoothed out my high-compression, high-performance, B16A2 engine - which has been running rather edgy since I switched to regular gas a while back.

The Acetone makes my ride *feel* like I'm running premium gas again (which Honda recommends) although this is likely a placebo effect.

It's too early to say if my FE has been affected. I've mostly been attending meetings the last couple of days. However, I'll be back to my 88-mile daily commute this coming week, and we'll see how it goes.

Anyway, so far, so good! :thumbup:

OMG!!! :eek:

I think I'm in trouble...

Read the last 2 entries in my 'fuel log' - ACETONE #1 & ACETONE #2.

BDC's Fuel Log - EcoModder.com

Dude, I SOOO DO NOT want this Acetone to work... big time!

I *feel* like such a nerd, putting fingernail polish remover in my fuel tank!!! :rolleyes:

BTW, nobody is saying anything - however, I can tell (by the numbers) - there are a lot of 'lurkers' in this thread. :)

I don't blame you guys for being silent - there are zillions of these Acetone threads on the web, but...

I just wanted to assure you that I'm REALLY dumping Acetone down my tank - this isn't a fantasy!

I ran outside and took a snappy of my 'kit'...

http://www.lenon.com/images/Acetone_Proof.jpg

I got the 100% Acetone at a local Wal-Mart Superstore, in the 'Cosmetics Department' - $1.97/16 oz bottle. And, the plastic measuring cups are out of various protein powder cans. One is slightly less than an ounce - one is slightly more.

LoL!

See what I mean about *feeling* like a nerd?!?!? :cool:

My highest mpg was right after putting the acetone in too. Its possible that in cleaning out the engine, it burns the contaminants as fuel and therefore bumps up the mpg a tad.

BTW I use acetone in a metal can from the paint department, a long skinny trans fluid funnel, and a turkey baster. And keep a printed chart in my car for how much acetone to use based on the gallons I expect to put in.

Well...

I thought I should update this wierd but true thread. You never know who's lurking! :cool:

I'm getting some inconsistent results FE-wise, but my little rice racer has NEVER run so great, since I started adding Acetone to my gas!

First of all, let me go update my 'fuel log'...

Okay, I updated the log: BDC's Fuel Log - EcoModder.com

A couple of oddities happened since I started playing around with Acetone. For instance, QT has these little 'security stickers' on their pumps in my area, e.g. if the sticker is broken on the gas pump door, that means somebody has been inside. They do this because scammers were chipping the pumps, in this area, and stealing ppl's credit card numbers.

The pump I have been using had this weird creaking sound, like it was rusty, or something, when I pumped the gas. The seal has been broken, and the creak is gone, so I *suppose* somebody has replaced the meter, or whatever.

Since I got such a bad mileage reading on my 2nd Acetone 'top off', after the 'security seal' was broken, I decided to start using another pump!

Thought #2 - maybe I'm getting carried away with the Acetone, e.g. adding too much, so I started cutting back, and my mileage has started getting higher on every fill (see my 'fuel log').

Weirdness #3 - when I went to 'top off' tonight, QT had ALL THE PUMPS cordoned off with tape, and somebody (with a service truck) was messing with ALL THE PUMPS. Hello?!?!?

Anyway, my first impression is... a little Acetone goes a L-O-N-G ways!!!

The more Acetone I dump in my car, the better it runs - but the less mileage I get, sooo...

I'll keep adding less n' less Acetone until my mileage peaks, and it starts going the other direction... then, I'll add more n' more and see if it comes back up again. In other words, I'm seeking a 'happy median'.

LoL!

This is EXACTLY WHY I hoped Acetone would NOT make a difference... :rolleyes:

I don't see how using the same pump at the same gas station and the same grade of gas would get you better FE.

I absolutely agree that doing so would take a set of variables out of your testing and make you tests more valid. I do this myself while testing. Rigorously objective testing is truth.


I tried acetone. No improvement over a 1500 mile test.

I tried two-stroke oil. No improvement over a 1500 mile test.

I wasted a whole testing season (mid-May to late September) on snake oil - which is what I view acetone and/or two-stroke oil.

Acetone is an excellent clean-up solvent and takes off yellow road paint. Its really good prep for a high-quality wax job. But improving MPG? No.

BTW, you can get acetone in a studly container in Lowe's.

I'm looking at your log... and I honestly don't see a difference.... Acetone #2 was high - but Acetone #3 was lower... Which leads me to think #2 was pump error under fill.

Your 90 day average is 41.61.... Your last 3 fill average is 41.47... Your lifetime is 40.92.... The average of all acetone fills thus far is 41.60. Without doing the math - what you're seeing from tank to tank is statistically insignificant. the variation you're getting is within the normal variation. Your Acetone #2 is only .19mpg higher than your second highest non acetone mpg fill (42.86) - also note the large drop in mpg right after that 42.86mpg fill (down to 38.58).

The service truck was probably to check calibration - which is done periodically to ensure the station isn't screwing you ;)

If you want to do that - with any statistical significance and/or confidence... You need to maintain a consistent mixture over a series of tanks (maybe 1000 miles or more). Then modify the variable and run for another 1000+ miles. Otherwise, there's too many variables.... Unfortunately, weather (seasonal) is going to be a big deal.



The best way to do this would be to have it done blind ;) such that you can't make this claim:

Lesson should be: on-road "testing" of additives is next to futile.

True, on both accounts!

I'm going to continue going through this 16 oz. bottle of Acetone, then call it quits for a while.

There is NO doubt that my car is running 'smoother' with the Acetone, but the FE is all over the place, and it's a PITA to mix. No matter how careful I am, I always end up getting some on my hands/fingers - which is not a good thing, from what I've read...

And, yes, my 'measuring cup' routine leaves a lot to be desired - that alone might explain the wild fluctuations and inconsistency in mileage.

LoL!

My 'sig' is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy... :D

If you're doubtful about the precision of the mixture (due to small amounts of additive per fill), premix the entire 16 fl. oz. bottle of additive with gas in a 1 gallon gas can that has been marked (with a sharpie) on the side to indicate the 1 gallon/full point. There are 16 cups in a gallon and 16 oz in the bottle, so 1 cup of premix, partial concentrate = 1 oz full concentrate.