Just dont take off like a rocket from a standing start everytime.That will help more than acetone and its free.Those crazy fuel magnets didnt work either.As far as acetone gose if nothing else your fuel injectors will be clean.That maybe why it helps mpg.I had an 87 4 runner that had 3 injectors stuck opened.It got about 12mpg.I had them cleaned and it went back up.

 

Rocket? Me? Sorry sonny boy, but you've got the wrong guy. Even my wife complains about me and my low rpm shifts and me driving like a grandpa. Besides, my experimentation won't cost you a thing, so don't worrry.

 

what will acetone do to SMOG levels?

 

All I can do is hypothesize...
Stoiciometric ratio for air : gas is 14.7:1
Stoiciometric ratio for air : acetone is 14:1

But the highest concentration of acetone in gas 0.23% by volume (3 fl. oz. per gal.). The better way to calculate all this would be to use molarity, but gas is such a variable mixture already, that unless we had a consistant source for it, all calculations would be useless by the second tank.

If, as proposed, the acetone decreases the surface tension of the gasoline, which are caused by London Dispersion Forces and the partial polarity of the molecule, then it should help the fuel vaporize more quickly. If I remember correctly, acetone vaporizes at 59C, and I can't remember what temp gas vaporizes at...although it's probably higher. The ethanol additive mandated for use in El Paso between April and October, vaporizes at 69C. This higher vaporization rate of the acetone could force the gasoline to vaporize more completely as well. It could also cause the engine to vapor lock in fuel systems with low delivery pressures. And yes, I've experienced vapor lock, but not in a few decades.

Its low vaporization temperature may cause our electronic fuel delivery systems to compensate by leaning out the mixture slightly to a more stoiciometric ratio.

Acetone contains 28% oxygen by mass versus ethanol's 35% so the additional oxygen would feed the combustion reaction, although it's mixed with gasoline at a low 0.23% by volume. So I believe any effect from the additional oxygen at those concentrations is going to be negligible.

Any additional benefit will probably come from its solvent activities (cleaning injectors) or its low boiling point.

But then again, I bought a Betamax, so what the heck do I know.

 

Those websites recommend 3lf. oz. per 10 gal., so the effect is 1/10 of negligible.

 

i really dont see how 3 oz of acetone would hurt the engine or fuel system components

 

First tank results in...
21.3 on the '99
19.4 on the '95

Both mileages are about 1 mpg better than what I get normally on a mix of in town driving. Is the acetone making a difference? No conclusion. Not enough data.

Is the acetone hurting fuel system or engine components? Both vehicles run dead smooth and seemed to idle smoother on this first tank but that's hardly a objective observation.

Gonna try a couple more tanks and then stop as suggested.

 

gwhayduke, how much acetone did you put in the 99? is it just about a capfull? I have a 00 and i dont want to put too much or too little in. Thanks!

 

No noticable mileage increase....still get 268 non adjusted miles per tank. Idle does seem smoother though. I'm on my second tank now with an upped dosage of 3oz/10gal.

 

Man, I forgot to update with my findings. I didn't notice any increase in the first tank. Got right around 16.5 or so which is normal for my city driving. I'll put another load of acetone in before I go on a highway trip this weekend.

 

If you didn't learn the first time about how false it is then why do it a second time? If it wouldve worked then it would have already been tried and commercialized all over the place.

 

3 fl. oz. converts to 90 ml per 10 gal.. I used a 100 ml graduated cylinder I had here. First treatment for 18 gal amounts to 160 ml. I agree that it seems to idle smoother.

 

I think you are on to their claim of that elusive peak mixture ratio.

Ethanol is less energy dense than gasoline. It takes 1.5X as much ethanol to 1 part gasoline as far as the chemical energy potential that will end up moving your vehicle.

Acetone, I'm pretty sure is also less energy dense but it has other properties that one can read about here
I can't find an exact figure for the energy density in acetone. I could calc it but I'm too tired. I think it's safe to say that too much and you lower the over energy density to the point in negates its positive effects.

Have any of you ever heard of a homogeneous charge combustion engine? Well it seeks to vaporize the fuel so that instead of the fuel combusting in a domino like effect, it's more like taking the table of on-end dominos and slamming down. (they all fall at once) These engines are experimental but show large gains in efficiency should the bugs be worked out.

Acetone does have a low vapor pressure and will therefore vaporize much more quickly. If the fuel vaporizes after injection/atomizaiont, that is MUCH better than just atomizing. The smaller the particles the better.

I wonder though how it will work with our engines as each has its own quirks.


Frank

 

Had to find out for myself so I am going to try this out for a couple of tanks. Added 3.0 oz to a 15 gallon fill-up tonight. I'll post back with what ever I find out. I am using pure acetone from Walmart (1.99 for 16oz in the nail care section) but there is larger quantities in the paint section upto and including 1 gallon ($11.40/gallon).


Initial reaction? it does seem to idle smoother...

 

it does work i dont know what the rest of you are talking about go over to 4x4wire forums and everyone is doing it

 

Persuasive argument. Bravo! <claps>

 

man, I use acetone to clean crap that gasoline wont even think about cleaning, it seems to break down rubber really really fast too.....Acetone is the active ingrediant in figure nail polish remover....but I guess if its diluted it shouldnt tear anything up too much....

 

My next tankful gave a .75 mpg improvement. Not enough to prove anything. Unfortunately the test had to be suspended due to the installation of manual hubs in the middle of one tank and towing a 4000 pound trailer on the next.

Maybe I will try running acetone on the way to Philly next weekend and not running it on the way back.

 

its impossible to do lab testing in the real world.....Flooring the gas pedal a few more times then in a previous test can make a 1 mpg difference if not more.......

 

Averaging 22.4 mpg on the '99 intown. It normally gets 20-22 mpg intown and highway.

Averaging 19.3 mpg on the '95 intown. It normally gets 17-19 mpg intown and highway.

I can't see any evidence on these two tanks that the acetone is helping with the gas mileage. Especially the 10% to 35% that was claimed. I will agree that they seemed to idle smoother on these tanks. But it's just an observation.