Posted on 07/26/2005 10:55:35 AM PDT by rface
Many months ago, I read a post on FR about adding acetone to gasoline to increase mileage. I tried the method outlined in the posting and paid attention to the naysayers and to those who thought that the idea might work.
Here’s the FR thread that I am referring:
Acetone In Fuel Said to Increase Mileage 15-35%
The original paper:
Pure Energy Systems: Acetone In Fuel Said to Increase Mileage
I immediately noticed that my 1996 Ford Explorer w/ 5.0 L V8 increased from 16 mpg to 19 or 20 mpg. This was a substantial increase, so I have added acetone to my gasoline for some 700 gallons of gasoline --- which equates to around 33 tankfuls of gas or 13,000 miles. I now add 10 ml acetone/gal of gasoline at every fuel stop.
My Ford Explorer has about 175,000 miles on it, and the “Check Engine” light (probably Oxygen sensor) has been on for about 50,000 miles – but it runs good and uses no oil. I have changed the oil regularly and I keep my tires at ~35 lbs of air pressure. It’s a good running Ford and it looks good --- when I get around to cleaning it up.
The Miracle:
I was driving home from work a few days ago and something didn’t look right on my dashboard……something was wrong.
I looked again at the oil pressure gauge. Okay. Temperature? Okay. Voltmeter? Okay. Hmmmmm. The “Check Engine” light is off.
What’s up with that?? Probably the dang bulb finally burned out.
No biggie. The Ford still runs good and I was tired of seeing that “Check Engine” light stare me in the face.
When I got home, I turned the engine off, and then re-turned the key to the accessory switch….and the dash board lit up as it was supposed to …. Including my “Check Engine” light!
Results: Yes, folks. Acetone in your gasoline will increase your mpg and it will make your “Check Engine” light go off.
Lesson Learned: This is just another example of the truth in the philosophy that I occasionally go by: “If you ignore a problem long enough, it will go away.”
I had a check engine for a long time, and overheating when pulling a heavy trailer up long steep hills. It was dismissed by dealers everywhere until I put a rebuild engine and transmission in and the light stayed on. It turned out not to be the O2 sensor, it was a clogged catylitic converter. (That may have been the problem on those long hills, or alternatively the exhaust gas temp may have gotton so hot on these grades that it melted the element in the converter. Anyway, it sure runs better with the converter element knocked out. The check engine light comes on sometimes and goes out sometimes, but mileage is increased dramatically, like maybe the acetone helped melt out the converter?
good. I never like that converter anyways.
Acetone is an acceptable additive for gasoline engines as it is a component of carburator & injector cleaners.
Bump for next week after my first test run.
I agree with you except having too much air in tires, esp. in a pick-up, one needs all the patch pressure traction & grip possible to avoid looking like a retard on ice skates when things get hairy.
A few pounds under rec. can keep from wrecking.
MPG don't mean a thing wrapped around a tree.
I've also found buying the best tires you can find & keeping them fresh & a little under inflated is not only safer but cheaper.
I have 224,000 miles on a 93' dodge dynasty with the original ball joints, tie rods, etc.
The fresh soft tires have taken all the shock load not the car, my spine is ever thankful too.
My experimental emphasis has always been on comfort, safety & longevity.
Not what I said. I said, "tires inflated near max".
I agree with you except having too much air in tires, esp. in a pick-up, one needs all the patch pressure traction & grip possible to avoid looking like a retard on ice skates when things get hairy.
I'm in Southern California. No need to worry about snow, unless I decide to go up and play in it. Oh, and my F-150 is 4x.
Thanks.
I can tell you the truck runs much better with the converter out of the line. (Sounds more husky too.) But this was a California truck moved to Alabama. I believe it is quite illegal to take the element out in CA. Plus there are those pesky smog checks.
Sounds like a risk to me. I wouldn't try it on the new ones. Just the "old white van" if it was me.
.
1996 GMC K1500 extended cab.
5.7 Liter
4 speed auto trans.
151,000 miles.
45 mile drive to work.
2 miles @ 50 mph.
12 miles @ 65-70.
4 miles @ 25-50.
20 miles @ 70.
7 miles @ 45-60.
Hot weather, heavy A/C on return trip.
Typical mileage 15-16 MPG.
First tank with 6 oz acetone/20 gal.
319 miles on 17.5 gal for 18.2 MPG.
Seems to have improved noticeably.
See what the next tank full does.
Not definitive but promising.
One possibility: Maybe the acetone fakes out the O2 sensor into thinking the mixture is too rich, and it adjusts the fuel injectors to cut back a bit, causing the engine to burn a bit more lean?
I thought acetone had something to do with musical flatulence.
The acetone reduces the fuels "surface tension" allowing it to vaporize more completely, thus burning more efficiently.
More complete burn of the available energy.
You are correct, an old friend had superglued her fingers together by accident, I suggested she use nail polish remover to unglue them-it worked!
My Check Engine light has flashed on again, I can detect no difference in how the engine runs....hooking the engine into the computer reveals the ERROR CODE P0446.....something about a faulty circut. I do not believe it has anything to do w/ acetone, and I continue to run the FORD with acetone mixed with the gasoline.....
also, another something I have noticed. My can of carburator cleaner lists the ingredients as Toluene and Acetone.......I do not believe that acetone, in the dilutions use here, would affect anything in the fuel system.......
See post 130 for background.
Second tank with 6 oz/20 gal.
336.4 miles on 20.2 gals.
16.6 mpg.
Disapointed!
slight increase over normal but not 18mpg like first tank.
Depending on how the third tank goes I'll try 7-8 oz per 20.
see posts 130 and 137 for ref.
After reading some individual's test results at http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Acetone_as_a_Fuel_Additive#Chevrolet I may try reducing the acetone to 4 oz/20 gal. Some people reported best results with just 1-2 oz/10 gal.
did you adopt that philosophy from bill n shrillary?
; )
With a handle like "Fresh Wind" ....
There is a restaurant at the local airport called "Tailwinds"
Do people think when they name businesses?
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