http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directo..._Fuel_Additive
http://www.lubedev.com/smartgas/additive.htm

Anyone tried this/heard about it before?

Hi Stoner,

Have just looked at the two links. They are claiming that adding acetone in tiny quantities improves the completeness of the burn.

They also suggest up to 35% improvement in fuel economy may result - but there is no way 35% of the fuel you use is wasted down the exhaust pipe without being burned. A tiny, tiny fraction of fuel (the HC refered to in emissions data - hydrocarbons) is not burnt. Burning this wasted fraction more completely will certainly improve emissions, but it can't possibly increase fuel economy by more than a tiny fraction of 1 percent.

It's the same idea as those magnet things you're meant to put in your fuel line, which are also meant to improve combustion.

If you're looking for a cheap mpg 'hit' I'd just pump up the tyres on the Civic with an extra 5 psi of pressure. Works a treat in my Astra diesel! Or alternatively, seeing as it's summer, you could just nip down to Asda and add a gallon or two of SVO at 41 p per litre! (The Astra likes that too!)

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/ecotech/ecot.htm

I agree, 35% is a little ambitious.
I'm just wondering if it's the secret ingredient behind the Countdown diesel fuel additive I use - purchased mainly for it's claim to reduce particulate emissions.
Because it also contains a lubricant, the idea was to mix it with cheaper supermarket ULSD to cover the cost.

It also claims to improve FE, although I can't say I have noticed anything drastic.

Question

What will powering acetone into my car do to the Catalyst? I don't want to replace it.



Best way to improve MPG is to buy a tiny engine that barely uses gas. Like the one inside the Prius, Civic, and Insight.

troy

I would not recommend using acetone in gasoline. I don't know if you've ever used acetone, but it's notorious for eating into most types of plastic and some rubber material that is *safe* to use with gasoline. I'm not just speculating, I've seen this first hand. I've also heard of using toluene as octane booster, and this may be alright because toluene is derived from, and similar to benzene, and that is a component of gasoline. Toluene has the advantage of being less carcinogenic than benzene, but neither are particularly friendly chemicals.

There may well be some benefit to adding acetone to your gasoline, but you are putting the whole fuel system at risk of premature wear. If cars were made to have acetone in their fuel they would have to use specific materials that do not break down when in contact with acetone. Remember it is also sold as nail polish remover, paint stripper and epoxy/resin solvent.

2001 Prius Photos       2005 Prius Photos
1992 Mitsubishi Delica Diesel-WVO Hybrid Photos

First hint that they have NO idea what they're talking about is that they claim 10 gallons of gas is 1280 ounces. Bzzztt! Water's around 8 pounds per gallon but gasoline is about 6 pounds and even diesel is only about 6.75 pounds. Anyway, if there was a magic additive that increased fuel economy by 35%, it would be in use already. Their theory of "breaks the surface tension" is hysterical to anyone that understands how fuel really atomizes, but by all means anyone that wants to try this out, be my guest.

acetone would be a bad thing to add. not to mention it is a wicked carcinogen.

Actually, it's not. You can read up on the data available, nothing to indicate it's a carcinogen. toluene and benzene are carcinogenic (benzene is terrible) and either or both are in gasoline. Acetone is a wicked solvent tho, very smelly.

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/HTMLdocs/Acetone.htm

Benzene -> http://www.hazard.com/msds/f2/bqv/bqvjq.html

2001 Prius Photos       2005 Prius Photos
1992 Mitsubishi Delica Diesel-WVO Hybrid Photos

liquid/volume measure, not weight.

It is left as an exercise for the interested reader to show that, at 128 ounces per US gallon, there are 1280 ounces in 10 US gallons.

But I agree; this super-whamodyne chemistry be funny for many reasons.