Acetone in your gas!!!

[Aussie Zed]

I can't be sure, but i reckon it's BS. I also have some issues with that web article: "Acetone allows gasoline to behave more like the ideal automotive fuel which is PROPANE" I don't know why propane is the ideal automotive fuel?

I could be wrong, but if acetone allows more fuel to vaporise, it would be because the vaporisation energy required would be less. This would seem to me to work in the opposite way to something like water injection, which is vaporised - taking more initial energy and preventing knock. Wouldn't acetone then do the opposite and increase the likelihood of knock (reducing octane number of fuel). I am no 'expert' on this and my thinking could be off. Also, acetone has a smaller HHV (higher heating value) ~31MJ/kg compared with gasoline ~47.3MJ/kg, which means that the chemical energy released in combustion would be less too - suggesting less power. I am struggling to see a whole lot of positives coming from this.

I would also imagine running acetone would stink - literally!

Don't take this as gospel - i could be way off here, just trying to think this through logically. However, i would like to point out that in everything i have read or seen on this acetone really seems to have a placebo effect - nothing solid, no double blind scientific tests.

[First Gen Z]

A real good way to drive real information seeking people from this site is to post nothing more than smart alec,ignorant comments.

[montoya_fan01]

So guess that the fact that NONE of the gasoline refiners adds acetone to their product (or more acetone than their competitors do) doesn't give you a clue.

Imagine the advertisements, "Want guarenteed 10% better fuel mileage? Buy XYZ gasoline for your vehicles. Results PROVEN in independant studies."

Imagine the increased profits from cornering the market.

The cost to add a minute amount acetone would be neglible, but they could easily charge 5%+ higher retail price, and the customer would get 10% better mileage. A bargain for all concerned.

And of course, we all know that everything you see on the internet is 100% true.

[Inf]

A real good way to drive real information seeking people from this site is to post nothing more than smart alec,ignorant comments.

I'm not trying to be a smart alec, just investigating the validity of your test. Compare it to what is called peer review in the scientific community.

All I am saying is that cruising at a relatively constant speed is not a comparable driving condition with stop and go traffic around town. My Z gets less than 20mpg around town, but on long trips I will get 26+mpg easily.

[First Gen Z]

The log that I've kept has given me an excellent baseline to reference. The high mileages recorded were from interstate driving and the low mileages were from city driving. Being the curious type that I am, this opportunity to test the acetone theory was too great to pass up. No peer pressure at all. Just plain good old curiosity. It worked for me and all I wanted from this thread was to pass along some information. I think it defeats the purpose to investigate anything new if the first reaction is negative without first doing a bit of experimenting. "M" I know that everything on the internet is not the gospel. However, when I find something as interesting as increasing gas mileage with no more effort than adding a few ounces of acetone to the fuel tank I think it's worth trying. " Nothing ventured, nothing gained." The very worst that can be said is that it didn't work. In my case it did work.

[montoya_fan01]

"F" Actually the worst that could happen is the acetone could damage or shorten the life of seals, o rings, sensors, or other components of an engine. Or, it could increase emissions.

I'm done with this thread.

[First Gen Z]

"M" you should be. So far you've added nothing of value. If you had read the Info you would know that the fuel system components have been tested and have shown no adverse effects. Cleaner emissions also. And when did you get the idea that gas retailers wanted you to get better mileage?

[montoya_fan01]

"F" You have added nothing more than a fairy tale story, so don't think for an instant that you've added value here! I dont consider your "extensive" testing to be anything more than anecdotal gibberish.

I have read the website info, but the difference between you and I is that I dont believe everything I read on the internet. The fact that this "miracle" is on a web page, and not in production by any company; tells me it is BS.

I got the idea that gas companies (manufacturers & retailers) would like the idea where they can charge more money per gallon, which would be virtually ALL profit, for a fuel that provides a major benefit which would attract end users, thus increasing the market share of the company that chose to do so. Remember, our nations refineries are already running at near maximum capacity. It's a lot easier and cheaper to stretch the existing supply of gas while charging a higher price (IF IT WERE POSSIBLE!) than to fight the environmentalists for approval and then fund the building of more refining capacity, IF they could even find the additional raw material (oil) to refine.

[First Gen Z]

For those interested in the changes that technology brings this acetone theory is worth at least a try. I tried it and it worked for me. A 15% increase in fuel mileage is by no means a miracle. But then all of the small changes that we have made over the long run have elevated some us out of the caves. Some evidently not. It's comforting to know that ignorance is curable.

[beandip]

From what I have heard , is this Acetone thing comes up every few years when the fuel is either scarce or the prices rise. The small amount of the stuff added to the tank will not harm anything . It is so diluted . One OZ per 10 gals. Could it be that when testing was done , the driver drove a little slower and maybe less head wind or a tail wind. Slower acceleration from stopps will also change the out come . Tuff to do the testing and eliminate all the variables. I say , give it a try and see for your self. Shouldent hurt anything either way . Gary

[TomoHawk]

Gary is right, that you need to be consistent with your driving habits to see if the mileage changes.

[jmortensen]

The problem is that people believe what they want to believe. Once the belief in something sets in it's very very hard to get accurate measurements out of someone.