If acetone or any of the "miracle mileage" additives worked the automakers would have specified that they be added to gasoline years ago. Ya don't suppose that acetone or any of the other chemical concoctions are a big secret that nobody in Detroit has ever heard about??? The guys in their labs can analyze and duplicate any chemical concoction.

 

Torque1st. You don't get it, do you? It doesn't matter if it works. What matters is that there are people who have tried it after doing their own research. Some say that it works, and some say that it doesn't. Again, what matters is that they researched it and made a decision on their own. They didn't automatically say no because Grandpa Zeek said no, or because some stranger on the internet forum said it isn't possible. That is what is important.

Believing that it can't be possible, because you trust the automotive and oil companies to not steer the consumer wrong, only perpetuates the same exact philosophy.

After careful research, I have concluded that whether or not adding acetone to the fuel improves it any, it definitely can't hurt it. Not at the amount recommended. Therefor I will give it a try. I will go through about 4 tanks of gas before I comment on whether it worked for me or not. And if I find that it didn't work, I will only concede that it didn't work in this particular vehicle. If it does seem to work, again I will only concede that it worked in this vehicle.

This is what research, being open minded, technology, and experimenting is all about. To denounce a theory or possibility without any plausible research or first hand experience is not legit. I can think of numerous reasons why car manufacturers or oil companies wouldn't want consumers to know of inexpensive ways to increase the efficiency of their vehicle. This doesn't mean that acetone will work. But it also doesn't mean that it can't. Anyway, there are going to be those that have beliefs, habits, and philosophies because that's the way they've always done it. Or that's the way they have been taught. Oh well. Either way, I'll let everyone know in about 3 weeks if I've seen any change that I can attibute to the acetone. Later... Mike....

 

Another CONSPIRACY theory believer!!! YOU just don't get it, I have been around the industry for many years and have relatives in Ford engineering and other brands. They check on all that stuff. Hell they even take a bolt out of an assy not only for assy cost but for weight savings to get another 0.0000001MPG. They will spec in steel that is 0.001" thinner or use oil that is just a little thinner for mileage. They will spec ANYTHING into the oil or gas for a similar savings. They run more rigorous testing that you can even imagine, much less perform with your crude techniques. ANY change that you can come up with is no better than a wild *** guess when it comes to reliable testing.

Could you possible list all of these reasons for us? Inquiring minds want to know...

 

The problem is; you don't want to know. So anything said would be a waste of time. You call me a conspiracy theorist. Why? Because I don't automatically believe as gospel everything that corporate America tells me? Because there are some things I'd rather see proof of. My Avatar suggests that I have a religious preference. I do, but my faith or belief isn't because a group of people in a church, or religion that was created by man to control man, made me believe that way. I won't take those words without skepticism, and I won't take these either.

My only comment in response to your post was that you automatically discarded any possibility of some truth, all because of your faith in the corporate world. That if there was/is any truth whatsoever, that they would have found it and told us about it. My response is that isn't necessarily true.

These same auto manufacturers as well as the oil companies recommend on average that oil changes be performed at 5000-7500 miles. Yet, how many people on this forum do their oil changes at 3000 miles? I have to say however that big oil and similar companies aren't totally bad or all liars. Did you know that on the Exxon website in their FAQ section, they specifically tell you that buying gasoline that is higher in Octane than what the automobile manufacturer states is needed, is a waste of money and provides no benefits to your vehicle if it isn't pinging or knocking.

I never once said that acetone would do any good. I also never said that it wouldn't do any good. It could very well be that at one time, with older cars carbs, older technologies, that acetone did indeed help with the vaporization of gasoline and thus made it run more efficiently. It could be that with modern vehicles, fuel injection, newer oil technologies and detergenets, etc... that acetone won't do a thing. The point is; I am willing to find out for myself. I don't believe that just because the mysterious "THEY" said yea or nay, that makes it a definitive answer and position on the topic. Later... Mike....

 

I still want to hear those "numerous reasons"...

I don't believe much of anything that corporate America says, but I do have faith in a few known people.

As far as your avatar and religion, -what does a dragon have to do with religion??? And what does religion have to do with acetone in gas?

 

I'm not on the acetone bandwagon, I will say that many of the arguments used to knock it aren't as solid as they seem.

To say that modern engines burn 99% of the fuel may be true but, (and this more of a maybe) if it possibly aids the mixture in igniting sooner in some instances, it could transfer more of that energy into mechanical power. If it is able to burn more completely while closer to TDC (possibly due to the claimed increase in vaporization of the fuel) it will be under higher pressure and, similar to higher compression ratios, use more of that energy effectively. I'm not saying this is the case, but there are other possibilities as well. Outcomes could differ depending on the individual engine and conditions as well as the fuel it is being added to. The major problem with getting conclusive experiments is that combining all of these factors (among others) together leaves some big gaps in accuracy.

Some people will believe others who claim to have a solid grasp (but are often way off base in reasoning, both sides in this case it seems from my limited research), others will do there own experiments...much like with the "octane" thing.

 

Vapor pressure is already specified by the automakers for seasonal operation. The so called winter and summer gas mix. Most of the information on gas mixture specifications can be found in SAE manuals. Some suppliers may not do a good job of supplying fuel to those specifications and "old gas" may have lost some of it's lighter (higher vapor pressure) components in storage. Knowing what mix you are getting is an unknown, but going to a reputable major brand station with high traffic will usually get the best and freshest gas compounded for the season with a good additive package. Some of the no-name, cut-rate, or small stations buy their gas on the spot market so they might be selling anything, new or old, with or without additives, etc. Experimenting with adding acetone to an unknown and uncontrolled series of varying fuel mixtures under uncontrolled conditions is an exercise in futility with meaningless results.

 

What you say is correct and logical, but such an experiment can be somewhat controlled. If a person has driven the same route and conditions day after day for "X" amount of years. And they have basically been going to the same gas station for all these years. And they are very concious of their fuel consumption. Then this can be a very valid test. Actually more so than in a laboratory where conditions are too sanitary. I can say beyond any shadow of a doubt, exactly what gas mileage my vehicles get.

I do agree that there is no way that 1 fill up is going to prove anything. But, if I fill up my truck every Sunday, like I have always done, and check the mileage like I always do, then after about 4 fillups I should be able to tell if I have improved gas mileage, decreased it, or it had no affect.

I follow the same procedure when I do any experimenting. The experiment must run through at least 4 tanks of gas. So I don't believe that such an experiment is futile. Matter of fact, I don't believe that any type of experiment where a person is trying to gain knowledge is futile. There will always be something positive that comes from seeking knowledge. Some people even claim strongly that any improvement from using acetone is strictly behavioral. In other words, the person wanted the results to be positive, so badly, that they subconciously drove more economically. Even if this is true, then acetone did have an affect on improving gas mileage. And while the person continues using it, which can not cause any damage and only costs about $0.40 a fillup, does indeed save that person money at the gas pump and helps the environment. So what is so wrong with this?

As I've already said; I have no idea if acetone will improve the mileage of this particular vehicle. I do know however that it can't hurt it. I also know the conditions and variables that I am working with. It will either help it or not do a thing. Not bad for a $0.40 a week experiment. Later... Mike...

 

Even if you buy from the same station you can't control the gas mix you are buying, the temperature, humidity, wind, or even traffic.

The "subconciously drove more economically" phenomena is why I always just tell people to get a vacuum gage and watch it while driving. After watching it a while and that flickering needle people learn driving habits that can become subconscious. It is a constant reminder also and very cheap to set up. It is the most effective economy measure or device after good maintenance that I know of.

 

My point however was, it doesn't matter the variables at the gas station, the weather, the wind, etc... If driven a certain route, style, station, etc... long enough, and gas mileage monitored long enough, then that is a valid point of reference. If I drove a vehicle all the time a certain way, using a certain station, etc... for the last 4 years, and the gas mileage is "ALWAYS" between 9.6-10.3mpg, and it's never above or below that, then that is a valid reference point. More accurate than any laboratory or manufacturer's tests. This is real life driving with real life numbers. For a much longer test than the manufacturer will do. Now, I can test acetone, K&N, Plug wires, Kool-Aid, or milk and see after 3-4 fillups if there is a significant change in gas mileage, performance, etc... This is very valid. Moreso than a factory or manufacurer's test.

Of course, the person doing the test must have valid numbers to work with. My wife, in all her years of driving, has never figured out what her mileage is. She might on a long trip set the trip to 0 and figure out mileage on the first fillup. That's about it. For her to experiment with a K&N or acetone would indeed be futile as you have pointed out. But for someone who has the past performance to work with and maintains those factors when testing something new, that test can easily be just as, if not MORE ACCURATE in determining any significant increase or decrease. I have one vehicle that has NEVER gotten below a certain MPG or ever ABOVE a certain MPG. That is a real time reference that I can compare with. Doing that for years negates any factors about this weeks gas delivery or a couple of windy days. Collecting data over a very long period is a better base line than any laboratory or dyno can provide. Later... mike...

 

Knock yourself out! Compared to factory testing your results will be as meaningful as your wife's. 9.6-10.3 MPG is a wide variation for a test basis unless you knew the conditions under which each tank was used and could correlate the results to those conditions. Fortunately factory testing is much better and they do correlate their results to variables you can't even measure and wouldn't even know to record. The factory has knowledge, instrumentation, equipment, experience, and trained technicians to accurately record, evaluate, and even simulate everything.

 

I think I'm seeing where we disagree at. You are wanting a scientific test that has an accuracy of something close to 5 9's. 99.999%. In that respect, you are absolutely correct that without a controlled laboratory test, any test that the layman does is futile. I agree with you 100%.

On the other hand, the average layman doesn't care about an accuracy rate of 99.999%. You say that 9.6-10.3 mpg is a wide variance. My contention is that the variance doesn't mean anything. What matters to the average person doing this or any other test, is that they have an accurate baseline to work from. If 9.6-10.3 mpg is the worst to best efficiency that a person got in months or years of monitoring their fuel economy, then that's a good baseline. If they start doing an experiment with acetone, K&N, Platinum Plugs, or any other experiment, and after 4 fillups they are averaging throughout at about 12.1mpg, then they have a verifiable increase in gas mileage efficiency. It may not be measured exactly, but it is verifiable. If they go back to the previous configuration, and after another 3-4 fillups they are back inside the 9.6-10.3 range again, then they have verified it. Obviously they would want to change back to the method that gave the better gas mileage. If after a couple of tanks, it is averaging back at the 12mpg mark again, they have validated their experiment.

The actual MPG increase from baseline may not be scientifically accurate, but the fact that there was an improvement is scientifically accurate. To deny such a claim is without cause. And for the average layman, this is quite accurate when determining whether there was an improvement, and whether that improvement was cost effective. Later... Mike....

 

Five 9's is not necessary, you just don't have any way to control or even recognize your variables. Knock yourself out!

 

Again, you are absolutely correct. I have no way to control the variables. I do however know the range of affect that the variables have on the mileage. Therefor I can tell if there is any type of significant increase. For me, and probably others, that is what matters. I have started the experiment. I won't however state any results until I have at least 400-500 miles under the same average conditions that I am able to account for prior to the experiment.

Not performing any experiments or trying a new product because I don't have
the capability to test in as controlled of an environment as a lab or on a dyno is intentional ignornace. That isn't logical. When the cost of the experiment is minimal; $0.40 a week, and the risk is virtually 0%, then there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. When I see that the claimed affect and process is similar to that of products like lucas, but at a fration of the price, it makes sense to try it. When I see that numerous products used for similar purposes contain large portions of the same product I am testing, but at a fraction of the cost, it again makes sense to test it. I will continue.

I don't think I have heard anyone mention that everyone should definitely try acetone in their vehicles. Definitely no one forcing others. I was just continuing this conversation because I thought that there might be a substantiated reason by someone why a person shouldn't try such a test. I haven't heard of any reasons yet. so I must assume that there isn't a reason not to try it. The few claims some have made on why someone shouldn't do it seem totally unfounded. Especially considering how many other fuel treatments supposedly use acetone as one of their ingredients. I definitely appreciate the dialog. I'll let you know in a few weeks the results. Later.... Mike....

 

OK; It's been exactly 1 month since I last posted on this subject and started my experiment with acetone. Now I know some have pre-conceived opinions on almost any topic. I said that I wasn't going to sugar coat this experiment. I wasn't out to prove it 1 way or another. My position was that unlike some people, I was willing to find out first hand whether or not adding certain amounts of acetone to the gas in your tank would improve gas mileage or not. I decided that whether or not it worked, it was worth the experiment for the following reasons:

1. The amount of acetone recommended to be used is 2-3oz per 10 gallons of gas. That equates to approximately 4oz per 18 gallon tank, and thus approximately $0.40 per fill up. The price is minimal. 1 gallon of 100% pure acetone at Wal-Mart is $12.84. Enough for about 30 tanks of gas for me.

2. I keep very good records of my fuel mileage. Even before this experiment. I already knew what my gas mileage was before this experiment. It doesn't matter what "Variables" I run into. I have run into those variable in the past and the same variable are there for this test. The test may not be scientific down to 99.999%, but I will be able to see any change if there is some.

3. I don't believe too highly in ethanol, and because the only ethanol we have is E10 and the rest of the gas is Non-ethanol, and they are the same price (to the penny) I use normal non-ethanol gas anyway so I would be following the intended instructions of using non-ethanol gas. So that isn't a factor. Unlike many tests that were done in California where Non-Ethanol gas is pretty much non-existent. (Alcohol based fuel supposedly negate the affects of acetone. Using acetone in E10.25.or 85 is pretty useless. Anyone testing under these conditions are 100% invalid). Not that they can't see an improvement, maybe the can. It's invalid because those who have reported on the use of acetone have pre-warned us about alcohol products counteracting what acetone does.

4. Finally; after much research, I found that most gas additives, fuel injection cleaners, fuel system performers, etc.... sold over the counter at Checker, Autozone, etc... Including well know Brands such as B-12 Chemtool, contain a very large percentage of acetone in them. More than 50%. This is more than enough proof that acetone is NOT going to hurt anything in my car. Especially considering that many of these additives have MORE acetone in them than what is suggested in this experiment. 2-3oz per 10 gallons of gas. Matter of fact, it has been suggested that more than the suggested amount of acetone will actually reduce your gas mileage back to where it was or lower, because you are now actually burning acetone as part of your fuel, instead of just enough acetone to affect the vaporization and molecular structure of the existing gasoline so it can burn better.

So, with all that in mind, here are 2 FACTS from 30 days of fill ups and experimenting. 1st: Prior to using acetone, the truck I was testing, got between 9.6 and 10.3 mpg. RELIGIOUSLY!!! 2nd: From the 1st tank WITH acetone, until it stabalized and didn't seem to change any more, I went from a low of 10.5mpg (The 1st tank), to the highest of 11.03mpg. 3 tanks in a row I averaged right at 10.9-11.03mpg.

I then stopped using acetone for 3 tanks of gas. By the 3rd tank, it steadily went from 10.7 to 10.4 to 10.2 mpg. I then went 3 more tanks WITH ACETONE again, (To present), and it inched back up to 11.013 mpg as of today's fillup. I went through 12 tanks of gasoline. 3 a week. 3 tanks with acetone to the highest changed. 3 more tanks with acetone stayed steady. 3 tanks of no acetone and it went back down to about where it was prior to testing. Last 3 tanks with acetone brought it back up steady to the 10.9-11.03 range.

Now, it doesn't matter to me in the least whether anyone believes this study or not. It also doesn't matter to me whether anyone else tries it for themselves or not. I firmly believe that it will be different for each person. Especially if you put too much in, or don't use a good enough funnel and most of the acetone runs down the inside of the filler hose and evaporates before mixing in with the gasoline. Or if you live in California and you can only get ethanol and you think acetone doesn't work. Or if you get some fragrance acetone for removing nail polish. If some people can't follow directions, I don't know what to say. But, even if you do everything correctly, your mileage may vary. Maybe it helps you and maybe it doesn't.

The point is, acetone has helped some people. Including me. I have decided that until I discover something negative to using acetone, I will continue using it. Some of you may think that my improving my MPG by .7-1.4 mpg is insignificant. Well, for me, that's 10% increase. That means that each 18 gallon fillup gets me 18 more miles. at 11mpg, that is approximately saving 1.5 gallons of gasoline. That is a savings of about $4.80 per fillup. Not too bad for a $0.40 investment. I've just started putting acetone in my 1994 Ford Explorer also. That vehicle is an in town car 95% of the time. My son uses it just to go to school with. Without fail, winter or summer, wind or calm, the explorer will average 13mpg give or take .2mpg. I will see in 1 or 2 fillups if acetone helps that vehicle.

Anyway, read this for what it's worth. Do your own research and make up you own mind. I firmly believe that anyone that says that acetone is bad for your engine is totally ignorant and doesn't know what they are talking about. Adding acetone to your tank may not help your mileage, but don't let anyone scare you into believing it's going to hurt it. The polymer construction of the parts of your fuel system that are made to handle gasoline can easily handle acetone. Plus, with only 4 oz in your tank, there isn't enough there to hurt anything. You could put 4 oz of water, Pepsi, milk, diesel, ATF, or any other damn thing you want to that is a liquid, and it wouldn't hurt anything either. Their caution may be well intended, but totally ignorant. That is about the only advice I can really give. Know that it's a fact that if you ever use gas treatments, fuel system cleaners, etc.... then there's a really good chance you've put acetone in your tank anyway. And, at a lot higher concentrate than what is being suggested here. Knowing that alone, should comfort you in trying the experiment for yourself. Later... Mike....