Acetone= gas mileage?

[badbronc92]

I'm wondering if anyone has tried mixing acetone with gasoline in their gas tanks. If so, please report your mpg improvements if any. I did some research on this and it seems pretty legit. I tried it about a week ago on my 03 FX4 4.0L. Just as a quick test i filled up, put 6 fl oz. in. (best ratio i found was 3 fl oz./ 10 gal gas.) I drove 75 miles round trip highway through the front range hills in CO at 70mph. My gas mileage increased from 19/20 mpg on average to 27mpgin this instance. Of course though i am going to do some more testing to be sure, but i would say that is a pretty significant gain for something that cost me less than a dollar to put in!

 

[Bryan22]

Wow! that's a huge gain. be sure to post some more results to make sure it wasn't a fluke or miscalculation!

 

[NorCalBronco]

Interesting, do a few more tests for us will ya?

 

[evanesce69]

acetone is another oxygenated fuel, it has a chemical structure of CH3COCH3 and is trigonal planar. It mixes well with most liquids including pump fuel.

I use acetone in the lab to dissolve many "undesirables". It works rather well. It may even dissolve/swell fuel system seals. I can't be sure on that one, I'll have to try it out sometime.

I do have my doubts about the increase in fuel mileage you posted. That is a rather large jump. Run a couple more tests and post back please.

I am interested in the results.

 

[gw33gp]

I started testing it a couple years ago and gained a slight improvement in mileage, on the order of .5 to .75 mpg. I also found the improvement remains after running a couple tanks with acetone then running without. I attributed the acetone gain in mpg to cleaning the fuel system. So now I run a couple tanks with acetone occasionally to keep the fuel system clean.

I have experienced no ill effects from the acetone in 2.5 to 3 oz acetone per 10 gallons gas.

 

[shadetree]

Threads on acetone pop up occasionally. Some swear the stuff is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Most say no gain.

I rate it right up there with moth balls. They are supposed to do the same thing, and there was a huge organized effort in selling the things under a different name here in Texas. It was a pyramid scheme that made the originators a lot of money, and cost the lower levels money. The Texas Atty Gen., shut it down.

Common sense tells me that if these gimmicks actually work, everyone would be using the stuff.shady

 

[Big Jim M]

Thanks Shady If it did do ANYTHING GOOD why wouldn't one or another of the gasoline companys put it in their fuel and claim better milage? C'mon guys wake up! There simply ain't no way to MAKE your fuel last longer! A gallon of fuel only has so much burn to it and that is what we all have..
I have read posts over just like Shady and only the misinformed ever post that it helped..
I am going to SNOPES again.. I'll be back soon.
Big JIm

 

[Jimmeh]

I'm wondering if anyone has tried mixing acetone with gasoline in their gas tanks. If so, please report your mpg improvements if any. I did some research on this and it seems pretty legit. I tried it about a week ago on my 03 FX4 4.0L. Just as a quick test i filled up, put 6 fl oz. in. (best ratio i found was 3 fl oz./ 10 gal gas.) I drove 75 miles round trip highway through the front range hills in CO at 70mph. My gas mileage increased from 19/20 mpg on average to 27mpgin this instance. Of course though i am going to do some more testing to be sure, but i would say that is a pretty significant gain for something that cost me less than a dollar to put in!

first of all, one test on such a short trip won't bring you the correct numbers. You have to test multiple times in order to get an accurate number to present.

Second of all, the price of acetone is rediculous, and if you're only making a .5 to .75 mile difference, it just doesn't seem like it's all that much worth it.

Also, given the properties of Acetone, don't you think it is actually more damaging then healthy to your engine?

Like others have said, please take some more tests and give us a number. Be sure to go farther then 75 miles, though

 

[Big Jim M]

Ok I went to snopes again..Snopes says it is all hooey!! Sez only guys that don't know how to get a true gas milage test ever post it has helped.. Also sez to take note the stuff will take the paint off of the fuel port.. And if one looks at vehicles going by one can pick out the ones that have tried acetone in their tank..
Sez no real test has ever proven any gain..
Big JIm

 

[Jimmeh]

Ok I went to snopes again..Snopes says it is all hooey!! Sez only guys that don't know how to get a true gas milage test ever post it has helped.. Also sez to take note the stuff will take the paint off of the fuel port.. And if one looks at vehicles going by one can pick out the ones that have tried acetone in their tank..
Sez no real test has ever proven any gain..
Big JIm

It was actually tested on Mythbusters (from what I read) and "busted", however, I have to ask, what was their testing method? Was it more then one go around, or did they actually take multiple tests in order to get a correct gas mileage reading.

 

[badbronc92]

I understand to get more accurate results i'll have to go through a couple tanks. I've done a lot of research on this and there are a lot of factors that will determine how much gain one gets. For one, less is more. Anymore than about 3-4 oz per 10 gal will begin to have a negative impact on the gas mileage. Engine parts were soaked in solutions of 100% acetone, 50/50 acetone/gas, and pure gasoline for six months. The 100% solution caused some parts to swell by about 2% at the maximum after 6 months. the 50/50 solution had no effect, or as much effect as pure gasoline had on the parts. We're only talking about a .035% acetone gas mix. I was merely putting an initial findings report out there with the intent to get more results which is why i asked for others' outcomes. Regardless though of how far i drove, I find it hard to believe that there was a lot of error in there if I filled up, drove 75 highway miles climbing elevations from 6000 to 7500 feet and everywhere in between, returned to the same station same pump and filled it to the same point. 76 miles on 2.802 gallons of gas. I will however finish out the tank, which will include much more city driving, report those results and try it on a second tank. I was averaging about 15/16 mpg on a combined driving tank, im keeping my fingers crossed.

let me know what else i can do to keep this accurate.

 

[evanesce69]

is it posible to drive the vehicle at lower elevations, say withing 1000ft sea level?

perhaps the addition of acteone and it's oxygen has that effect at higher altitudes where air is thinner???

just a thought

 

[shadetree]

is it posible to drive the vehicle at lower elevations, say withing 1000ft sea level?

perhaps the addition of acteone and it's oxygen has that effect at higher altitudes where air is thinner???

just a thought

Actually it is not the oxygen content of acetone that adds to the fuel. Supposedly, acetone helps break down the molecular structure of gasoline allowing for a finer mist when the gasoline is entering the engine. A finer mist will be easier to mix, get more fuel into the cylinder, and easier to ignite, and a more complete burn results.

The same thing was said of napthalene and dichlorobenzene(mothballs).shady

 

[evanesce69]

shadetree - where did you read that? I am curious..... i find it hard to believe that the gasoline is broken down in any way


I'd still like to see the results at near sea level, another curiosity....

 

[badbronc92]

i read something similar to what shady just said. Something about relieving the surface tension of the gasoline and causing the molecules to be able to break apart easier and more completely at operating temperature. So you're burning more of your gasoline thus making it more efficient, plus cleaning your system because less gas is left unburned gunking up the system. I doubt I'll be able to test my specific truck under say 3500 feet for some time but anyone else is very welcome to try