Pure acetone increases gasmilage

Discussion in 'Chemistry' started by Syzygys, May 14, 2007.

  1. MetaKron Registered Senior Member

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    5,502
    No. The compression ratio is a measure of how much the fuel-air mixture is compressed before it is ignited. It's the same whether you use helium, air, or nitromethane.
     
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  3. one_raven God is a Chinese Whisper Valued Senior Member

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    You're right.
    I'm mixing terms.

    However, if you run a high burning fuel, there is a greater explosion and a greater tendency for parts (such as valve stems) to suffer failure.
    Correct?

    Do you see my point?
     
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  5. MetaKron Registered Senior Member

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    I see your point, One_Raven, but this stuff isn't going to burn very much higher at a few ounces to the tankful.
     
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  7. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    Well, I bought a bottle of pure acetone at Walgreens at 2.49$ for 16 ounces. I figure that I need 3.2 ounces of acetone for 16 gallons of gasoline. I'll give it a shot tomorrow when I fill up.
     
  8. Billy T Use Sugar Cane Alcohol car Fuel Valued Senior Member

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    I do not know about acetone, but I am convinced that water droplet mist will.

    The water droplets are converted to steam as the piston descends and the increase in gas volume more than compensates for decreases of the temperature so the pressure on the piston as "bottom dead center" (exhaust opening point) is approached is higher.

    Some old WWII airplanes could inject water when extra power was needed, so I have read.
     
  9. Facial Valued Senior Member

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    I believe adding slight amounts of water was what Arco does - or did - to their gasoline.
     
  10. Quantum Fool Registered Member

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    Well, as far as I am concerned, I'd use it even if it saved me a penny per gallon or whatever you wanna call it, because eventually it will add up, and gas just went up to $3.34/gallon where I live.
     
  11. phonetic stroking my banjo Registered Senior Member

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    The only issue I can think of is in modern cars with everything controlled by a computer, a plethora of sensors and electronically controlled fuel mixture.

    Adding things to the petrol can screw up exhaust sensors, which will then affect the mixture of petrol/oil/air and potentially mess up your idle and performance.

    We had a VW Bora (Jetta) a couple of years back that started to rev hard of its own accord. I wondered why my mother felt the need to do a drastic wheelspin from a junction, but it turned out to be a dodgy sensor.

    I guess if you have a simple lump of an engine that you feed petrol and oil, and you can fiddle with the carb, you'll be just fine.
     
  12. Quantum Fool Registered Member

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    13
    ...this is true
     
  13. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    Well I added an unknown amount of acetone in my take (2 ounces to 3.5 ounces). We'll see what it does for my MPG.
     
  14. phonetic stroking my banjo Registered Senior Member

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    2,157
    It's not a good idea to run your engine on fumes anyway, as well all know, but I've got a question.

    How well would the acetone mix in with the petrol? I assume it does, otherwise your engine would roar whilst the acetone went through it and might misfire?

    I was wondering if there'd be any risks with running out of fuel whilst you had acetone in your tank. If it might be a little lighter than petrol and you'd get a lot of it at the end.
     
  15. one_raven God is a Chinese Whisper Valued Senior Member

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    What kind of truck is it?
    What make/model/year?
    Fuel injected?
     
  16. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    8,989
    1991 Ford Ranger 4.0L V6.... yes, fuel injected.

    I've read online where a guy tried it with his Ford Ranger... says he increased his MPG by 6 or so.
     
  17. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    8,989
    Preliminary results. As far back as I can remember, I always hit 100 miles at 1/4 of a tank used. So far, I am at 109 miles at 1/8 tank used. No, I didn't double my MPG. Usually my tank reading dropps really fast after half a tank. But so far, it looks like I am using a bit less gas. I predict I'll hit 400 miles on a single tank. My best ever is was around 350.
     
  18. Syzygys As a mother, I am telling you Valued Senior Member

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    12,671
    Hey Absane, I want 10% of the savings!! I started the thread!!!
     
  19. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    24,690
    Not compression ratio. That's the ratio of the volume of your cylinder with the piston at BDC to the volume with it at TDC and you're not changing that. Just greater pressure, as you say in your next sentence.
    The other problem you might encounter is a change in the effective octane rating of your mixed fuel. Lowering it can cause pre-ignition, which you'll hear as "pinging" and creates some really bad forces that can stress out your bearings and other moving parts. Raising it can cause a lag in ignition timing which gives you heat problems, but this is very unlikely with something that's supposed to increase performance.

    Isn't the burning of fuel a very complete process in today's "green" engines? In order to get more more miles from a gallon of fuel, don't you have to get more total energy out of it? So in order for an additive to substantively increase fuel economy, doesn't the additive simply have to have more BTUs per gallon than gasoline? And if so, why would it be cheaper per gallon than gasoline?
     
  20. Absane Rocket Surgeon Valued Senior Member

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    8,989
    Well, with the unknown amount of acetone I put in my tank, I went 370 miles with 15 gallons. I actually matched my all-time record (which I think I got from a fuel-injector cleaner). I have a 16.3 gallon tank... so if I actually ran to E (which I have come close to in the past) I would have made 400 miles on a single tank.

    Before this acetone trick, I have been needing to fill up around 320 miles... so it looks like I done very well.

    I filled up yesterday, and I put in nearly double what I put in last week's tank. We'll see what this does.
     
  21. Facial Valued Senior Member

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    Interesting.
     
  22. Syzygys As a mother, I am telling you Valued Senior Member

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    I wonder what happens if we use both. I get the same effect from the $1 fuel injector cleaner, increases mileage by 2-3 mpg.

    Here is a combo I would like to know about:

    acetone+ fuel inj. cleaner + high octane gas. It should give a boost for sure....
     
  23. Exhumed Self ******. Registered Senior Member

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