Use Acetone in your fuel?

moore_rb

· #2 · Mar 16, 2006

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34174

Here is another option for octane, regarding using Toluene:

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27081

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S

No way

Just this AM I read an advisory by Chevy or GM about using these products to make gas cheaper... I personally would not ever go with cheap gas or additives like this in a car I spent so much money on (and planning to spend more)

Aside from that I would imagine if your engine gets trashed somehow even if not due to the additives GM will use that to void your warranty. I am just guessing at that but the warning (on the other forum) did speak about warranty issues.

I would walk more before I put weird stuff in my tank. My .02 I am sure someone smarter than me will come along and tell me I am wrong

just be gentle.

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SteveC

· #4 · Mar 16, 2006

Moogy said:
Hey everyone! I was sent this link by a friend of mine and I was curious if anyone was familiar with the use of Acetone to increase fuel efficiency:
http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/
Has anyone here tried this? Very curious...

That article sounds fascinating. Almost too good to be true. Such a miniscule amount without any negative affects, except to paint and skin.

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olddog

· #5 · Mar 16, 2006

What you need is not an additive but a blend in order to preserve your parts that may be harmed by acetone - - 55 gal of 100 octane unleaded is not bad at all and I can tell you how to SAFELY store it too.

Also, you need to keep within certain specific gravity limits of the fuel or you can lean your car out too much .. . probably can't add that much acetone but the gas blend is your best power and safest bet . .

Like the guys said, big bucks for a car requires a safe alternative to acetone,

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Moogy

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 16, 2006

olddog said:
What you need is not an additive but a blend in order to preserve your parts that may be harmed by acetone - - 55 gal of 100 octane unleaded is not bad at all and I can tell you how to SAFELY store it too.
Also, you need to keep within certain specific gravity limits of the fuel or you can lean your car out too much .. . probably can't add that much acetone but the gas blend is your best power and safest bet . .
Like the guys said, big bucks for a car requires a safe alternative to acetone,

While this may be true, is there any information to back this up? That a vette engine is "too good" for acetone; or any engine for that matter? I admit I know little to nothing about this sort of thing, but I'm not sure writing it off because the price tag on the car is a certain amount is wise. Ultimately, an engine is an engine; does anyone have any actual experience with exactly how this stuff affects the engine (positively/negatively)?

I'm just interested in learning/knowing more about this sort of thing...

Thanks guys!

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olddog

· #7 · Mar 16, 2006

I am not saying the engine is too good I am saying that the acetone doould damage somethings, and no, I do not know what. If you must use an additive use toluene.

As to bottle additives that raise octane by 4 points. Well they do, from 91 to 91.4 as octane is a log function and not a linear function - - forget that stuff.

I still feel the 100 octane is the route to go and befire you buy lots of anything else call the guys at Torco (they are nice and will talk to you with no BS) about your plans.

Good luck.. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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Hoonose

· #8 · Mar 16, 2006

Moogy said:
Hey everyone! I was sent this link by a friend of mine and I was curious if anyone was familiar with the use of Acetone to increase fuel efficiency:
http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/
Has anyone here tried this? Very curious...

I'll try it. I've got the acetone right here, just need a small funnel.

I get a very steady 15 MPG in town, same roads and same driving all the time, I should know something in a few days.

I'll report back.

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Moogy

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 16, 2006

I look forward to hearing the results!

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Hoonose

· #10 · Mar 16, 2006

Moogy said:
I look forward to hearing the results!

OK, it's in!
We'll see...

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Delgado

· #11 · Mar 16, 2006

Would'nt be hard on rubber fuel lines?

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MA-USA

· #12 · Mar 16, 2006

Hoonose said:
OK, it's in!
We'll see...

I am anxious to see the results from your little experiment but I don't expect too much.
Acetone is the simplest of keytones. It is very volatile as it doesn't have any 'extra stuff ' hanging off the primary carbon. Just:
.......Ch3\
.............C=O
.......CH3/
It is a good solvent because it is so volatile. By 'Volatile' I'm mean evaporates quickly - though this vapor does combust pretty well too. It is much more volatile than the Ethanol and most other gasoline additives I can think of at the moment. All of this means only that I think it is more likely to evaporate out of your gas pretty much as you pour it in... and not yield any effect what so ever.

Worse case, it could break a few of the long chain hydrocarbons in your gasoline and actually reduce its chemically stored energy. If significant enought, you might notice a minor drop in gas mileage. Or Maybe convert some "-OH" groups (From Ethanol Additives) into water (H2O) or maybe even make your engine ping under it's higher compression if ECM can't adjust spark sufficiently.

My bet is that it has no observable effect . . .

Geez, I actually do remember some Organic Chemistry but way too little of to be of much practical use anymore ! Sorry.

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cosmo

· #13 · Mar 16, 2006

DOT SPILL IT ON THE PAINT ??? might eat through the clear coat

:surprised :surprised then no savings at all

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rjent

· #14 · Mar 16, 2006

MA-USA said:
I am anxious to see the results from your little experiment but I don't expect too much.
Acetone is the simplest of keytones. It is very volatile as it doesn't have any 'extra stuff ' hanging off the primary carbon. Just:
.......Ch3\
.............C=O
.......CH3/
It is a good solvent because it is so volatile. By 'Volatile' I'm mean evaporates quickly - though this vapor does combust pretty well too. It is much more volatile than the Ethanol and most other gasoline additives I can think of at the moment. All of this means only that I think it is more likely to evaporate out of your gas pretty much as you pour it in... and not yield any effect what so ever.
Worse case, it could break a few of the long chain hydrocarbons in your gasoline and actually reduce its chemically stored energy. If significant enought, you might notice a minor drop in gas mileage. Or Maybe convert some "-OH" groups (From Ethanol Additives) into water (H2O) or maybe even make your engine ping under it's higher compression if ECM can't adjust spark sufficiently.
My bet is that it has no observable effect . . .
Geez, I actually do remember some Organic Chemistry but way too little of to be of much practical use anymore ! Sorry.

The theory according to the article is that the acetone lessens the surface tension thus allowing better vaporization. It is going to be interesting!

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Shovelhead

· #15 · Mar 17, 2006

I'll keep the Acetone with the wife

I'll keep the acetone with my wife's nail polish kit. Gas is caustic to some plastics, rubber, etc. but car makers "compensate" by using materials that can take exposure to fuel. I am not sure they plan on acetone being added so those parts MAY react differently I don't know but to save even 1K-3K a year on gas I am not willing to mess with my Corvette's guts.

How much money a year are people hoping to save?
If it REALLY worked why isn't this a common mixture?

My boss wanted to save money on gas and bought a Prius
I wanted to own a Corvette

At some point you have to go for one or the other saving money on gas or owning a Corvette. In my humble opinion buying a Prius is how you save money on gas not by driving a Corvette and adding acetone. Before I added something like acetone to my Corvette I'd do extensive tests on a Dodge or a Ford. That way if it ruined the engine you'd still not be doing any harm

And finally since my car is new I am not about to risk my warranty.
Try this link and use Acetone/Buna-N which is used in the rubber seals etc of cars. If you don't want to mess with it and will take my word for it The combination of Acetone and the substance in Buna-N is not compatible. I imagine gunking up the rubber seals on a car's fuel system might cause trouble down the road. Like I said not worth it in my humble opinion to save a few thousand a year.

http://www.coleparmer.com/techinfo/chemcomp.asp

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olddog

· #16 · Mar 17, 2006

Shovel,

I do not think it is about saving fuel, I think it is about adding performance and it is not the optimal situation for that either.

Octane is best added by either buying higher if available of blending with no lead race gas if you must; problem is tht most are too short sighted to see that there is no easy way around this problem.

I am on a fixed income, soon to be halved when I start going into my IRA. Still, my expenses will be the same won't they and if I want to play I will have to pay.

To get real octane, safe octane that is readily available one must blend his fuel.

Lastly, before you start playing with additives I suggest looking at the specific gravity of your gas and asking what the two gallons of 'whatever' will do to the SG? You may get darn lean as the A/F will be altered...

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