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A test: Acetone in gasoline, better MPG?

9K views 52 replies 19 participants last post by  Knifemaker 
#1 ·
I've been reading up on this for quite a while, and I am ready to start testing it in my Vulcan to see if it can make any difference in performance and mileage.

I've been keeping track of my mileage over the last two months. I haven't been on any trips, just my daily riding to and from work, around town etc. and I've been getting a consistant 46 mpg for quite some time.

I'll start by adding the smallest amount of acetone to a full tank of gas. My first test will be to add 1/4 oz to a full tank. That's just a sip. I'll let you know what it does to my performance and mpg... Stay tuned.
 
#3 ·
Yea, it's a little known item. But, it's better to run acetone than to run milk. At 3/4 oz of milk, my bike started having trouble. Next I'll try squirrel.
 
#4 ·
I tried chipmonk, but the hairs got in the carb and ewww...

No really, I have never heard of acetone as a gas additive... can you give us some background on the logic behind it?

kait
 
#7 ·
OK, guys, do a search in these here forums on 'acetone'. This topic has been covered once already. Acetone in gasoline isn't straight acetone, which eats plastic. Just like the fact that I poured pure hydrochloric acid on my shirt yesterday. It didn't burn me because it was diluted in alcohol. (97% to be exact).
 
#8 ·
wouldnt the acetone eat the coating in the tank? also doesnt acetone not burn clean?
 
#9 ·
Hizzo3 said:
wouldnt the acetone eat the coating in the tank? also doesnt acetone not burn clean?
Depends on the dilution, and time. You can drop a dead mouse in Coke, and it will be a wet dead mouse. But if you leave it there for a long time, the acid in the Coke will eat away at the mouse, and the mouse will be no more. At least that's what they say.

As to not burning clean, who cares?
 
#10 · (Edited)
If you folks want to read some of the information on this, go here: http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/

The basis for adding acetone to gas is this: Gasoline has pretty high surface tension, which causes it not to vaporize very effectively. Carbs and fuel injection systems bring gas mixed with air into the combustion chamber as a vapor. Because of the surface tension, there are droplets of gas that get in there and go unburned, causing the system to be less effecient. Acetone has very good vaporization capability and when added to gasoline in tiny amounts, it can greatly improve the vaporization of gasoline, making it burn more completely, using less gas to generate the energy needed to move the vehicle, less waste, and less emissions--all good. That's the idea. Hopefully my testing will show something, whether good or bad. These guys have been testing this for many years using techniques much more advanced than I can do with my daily riding. Plus, you are supposed to test different gasolines in your vehicle to try to find a brand that works best "before" you start testing with acetone. Kind of hard to do on a bike, especially if you have to do any long distance riding...

My first tank of gas was pretty used up yesterday when I made a trip to Austin after work, bucking a North wind that was pretty strong, hitting me mostly from the side, and averaging 70 mph. I got 43 mpg on the two gallons I used before I filled up to head back last night. The wind conditions and 70 mpg probably had something to do with the lower mileage. I added acetone back to the full tank in proportion to make the same gas/acetone ratio and will continue to monitor the mileage. I'll be mostly riding in my normal around rural roads style for a while so I assume it will improve with my slower riding. We'll see.

(I added just less than 1/8 oz back to the full tank trying to get close to my 1/4 oz per tank of gas for my testing)
 
#11 ·
here is an idea.... i've always wanted to try this. carbs get cold, sometimes even freeze due to low temps. good for air, but bad for the fuel. why not heat the fuel prior to the jets to just below boiling point. as the pressure drop, boiling point decreases. This means just as the heated gas enters the carbs, the droplets vaporize. Similiar to a gassifier for a jet turbine..
 
#12 ·
That's a cool idea. I've got a couple of bunsen burners I can borrow from school, but I'll have to rig up a propane tank somewhere. I think I can point them sideways at the carbs. I'm not sure what speed will do; I may have to turn them up the faster I go.
 
#13 ·
cegodsey said:
I'm not sure what speed will do; I may have to turn them up the faster I go.
Just hook up the burners flame adjustment to the throttle linkage on the carbs, it'd be auto compensating for speed that way. LOL
 
#14 ·
well i did a lil thinking on this. if you reduce the surface tension of the fuel, then it will naturally flow faster. since the carbs wond adjust for this, you will end up getting worse gas mileage cause u will be running a rich condition saying that it is vaporizing better. if you find this is the case, move down a jet size or 2 and you should gain gas mileage and maintian perfomance.

as far as the heater idea goes, i got it mainly from diesel. when they run off vegi oil, they have a fuel heater in the line to help it atomize better and run smoother. oh and you heat the fuel, not the air.........
 
#15 ·
Gas will burn better if it is cold, unlike diesel. They used to run fuel lines through a Ice bucket to cool it before it got to the carb when Drag Racing. Got a better burn and more power from it. That is what Nitrus does is cool the air and fuel before it burns, also adds Oxygen NOs is not Flamable by it self. Just a thought it is actually Laughing gas.
 
#27 ·
Gas will burn better if it is cold, unlike diesel. .
Nope, sorry Chad, the colder fuel is the more difficult it is to burn. That is one of the main reasons you get worse milage in the winter than summer..they also change the formula of gas durring the winter and this 'winter gas' also happens to put out less power per volume than 'summer gas'.

Cooling the air intake however will help, but you should really have something to warm the fuel not cool it.

KM
 
#16 ·
Ccspinner said:
NOs is not Flamable by it self. Just a thought it is actually Laughing gas.
Ya think? Try igniting it. I dare ya! Hey Iamnohero, what do YOU think about what Chad just said?

Actually, Hydrogen will not burn by itself. It takes oxygen to make it burn. Oxygen is not flammable, it's a reagent to the chemical reaction of burning (oxidizing). Oxygen combines with other elements, and the reaction of this combination is seen as fire.
 
#17 ·
Filled up last night after work and it took 2.1 gal with exactly 100 miles on the trip meter. 47.6 mpg. Haven't added the acetone back to this tank yet. I have to do some calculating to figure out how much to add.
 
#18 ·
Ccspinner said:
Gas will burn better if it is cold, unlike diesel. They used to run fuel lines through a Ice bucket to cool it before it got to the carb when Drag Racing. Got a better burn and more power from it. That is what Nitrus does is cool the air and fuel before it burns, also adds Oxygen NOs is not Flamable by it self. Just a thought it is actually Laughing gas.

humm curious as to if they were using the chilled gas to cool the air moreso then anything else. The reason i say that is as gas cools, it becomes thicker just like any oil or oil biproduct. Anything that is thicker means its harder to get into a mist. Now one exception to this rule is if you had an injection set up and you up the fuel pressure with a certain injector to off set the thicker material with the right spray.

On a side note, Nitro major effect does not come from cooling the air. what it does is put in more oxygen to produce a more complete burn. This is why on larger nos shots, you need larger jets or injectors. Also N2O (nitro) is not classified as flamable (as far as shipping is concerned). Nither is Oxygen. They are labled as reactive gasses meaning they are needed for a flame of a flamable substance.
 
#20 ·
Ccspinner said:
Also just a word of info, Acetone will cause nylon and rubber to decinigrate. Not what I would want in my carbs.
I could see that being an issue if using a high concentration of acetone, but, with using it very diluted (about 1/1500 concentration @ .25 oz per tank) do you really think it could be a problem?
 
#21 ·
In the concentration that you are calling out I do not think that it will hurt anything. although it will melt certain plastics, like ABS, styrofoam and most tags on clothing, quite well. I work with it every day of the week by the gallons, one dip at a time to wipe parts. Last time I was in the local parts store ( MC parts store ) the owner was all excited about doing the same thing. But was also saying something about using something for extra oiling protection! Not sure what he said now... was around begining of this riding season. so not sure what his results were.
 
#22 ·
hyperbuzzin said:
I could see that being an issue if using a high concentration of acetone, but, with using it very diluted (about 1/1500 concentration @ .25 oz per tank) do you really think it could be a problem?
It will be sitting in the floats when you are not riding, I would make sure if you are not riding for a while don't leave it in the carbs. I'm not sure If I would use it in my bike, the slight advantage in MPH is not worth the posibility to damage the Carbs.
Just my opinion
 
#23 ·
In all the reports I've been reading about all this, and the folks that have been testing acetone in gas, they have left carb parts, fuel hose, rubber o-rings etc. in very heavy mixtures of acetone and gasoline. Like half and half, not the 1 part per 1000 ratios like I'm mixing in my fuel. Parts did not dissolve, and were soaking in the stuff for a long time, like 6 months.
Luis LaPoint has been testing acetone in gas for 50 years. I wouldn't be trying this if I didn't think it was safe. It may not work, but I believe it is worth the small effort to see.

One more thing, it is good for the emissions, and if there was no other benefit, it would still be a good thing to do.
 
#24 ·
:smiley_th Hey fergy I have tried acetone in my truck and I am getting great mileage an much better engine performance I also put some in my wifes S10 pickup and she came home from work today and said her truck had a lot more pep.So acetone. is absolutly the way to go thanks for the info on that web site The best thing about the acetone is you need such a small amount.1 to 3 oz. for every 10gals. of gas.This is great Yeah..................................
 
#25 ·
I definitely felt a difference in my truck. It's interesting though, I've tried several tiny amounts in the Vulcan and can't see any performance difference, and it hasn't effected gas mileage at all. I think the v-twin might be difficult to make it go one way or another. But, I keep using it just for emissions. One of the things he stresses in the writeup is that you must be consistant with the gas you buy, after finding the gas that works best in your vehicle. That might be my problem. I'm never in the same place when I need gas so I get it pretty much where ever I am at the time. So that might be making my results wacky. But like I said, 43-46 is what I get, period.
 
#26 ·
:pepper: I put some in my bike but I have not driven enough miles yet to notice any change .JUST A WE BIT COLD right now.This is my second week with it in my truck normally I put in 25 bucks of gas a week I always keep my tank full .Last week I could barely put in 15 bucks in and today 12-10-06 my truck took only 10 dollars to fill up. THIS IS FREAKING GREAT.......................
 
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