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GAS MPG ?? Acetone

  • Thread starter Thread starter OutLawSE
  • Start date Start date Mar 25, 2008
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85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end
15 Year Member
Nov 11, 2003
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Northern KY
Mar 26, 2008
#21
  • Mar 26, 2008
  • #21
I don't know, maybe my car is different, maybe it's just the 14* initial timing, but my car practically won't run on anything but 93 or better. I've loaned it to a buddy and he put 87 or 89 in it and i get it back and it's sputtering and bucking until i run the gas out and put premium in it.

On the flip side to that, i've tried to run race gas and saw absolutely no gains so i think somewhere around '93 is optimal for how my engine is tuned.
 

Fast63

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Sep 20, 2007
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Mar 26, 2008
#22
  • Mar 26, 2008
  • #22
mrmustangman357 said:
higher octane gas sometimes have more BTUs per unit volume. cheaper gas uses 10% ethanol to boost octane up to 87 or 89. but 91 or 93 is purely gasoline with MTBE and no ethanol, thus making a more potent fuel. Is the savings realized overall? Depends on the vehicle. My coworker drove 800 mi round trip on a job in his own car and put 87 in one way and 91 in another. the 91 got so much better fuel economy it saved him money.
Click to expand...

LOL!!!! Where did you get that information? 87 octane has more BTU's per unit volume....

Also, your co-workers 800 mile round trip scenario is worthless considering all the factors involved in an 800 mile round trip. Just because he happened to get better gas mileage one way doesn't mean it's attributed to running 91 instead of 87. If you think 91 is so great and can save money overall, why would anyone use 87? Why would it even be sold?
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
1,785
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Indiana
Mar 26, 2008
#23
  • Mar 26, 2008
  • #23
I always got less miles per tank out of 93 octane compared to 87 octane.

So the info must be accuret.
 

Cougar5.O

Founding Member
Aug 1, 2000
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Mar 26, 2008
#24
  • Mar 26, 2008
  • #24
I tried the Acetone just for fun as I had some in the garage anyway. It had no effect at all on mileage in my PT cruiser that averages 26 MPG BTW. At 110 miles round trip it costs me about $13/day for gasoline

BTW, who says only regular has ethanol in it? If it increases octane, why wouldn't it be added to all grades (it's required by law BTW)

gasoline - ethanol blended Premium Plus Premium Plus 92 Octane / 10% Ethanol Husky Marketing Company
gasoline - ethanol blended Regular Plus Regular Plus 89 Octane / 6% Ethanol Husky Marketing Company
gasoline - ethanol blended Super Premium Plus Super Premium Plus 94 Octane / 10% Ethanol Husky Marketing Company
 

mississauga5.0

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Mar 18, 2006
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Apr 1, 2008
#25
  • Apr 1, 2008
  • #25
It did work for me

it did work for me the first couple times. was funny how i had the can of acetone and the measuring cup. i put like 2 ounces for a full gas tank and one time i was shocked at the non-moving needle and thought i discovered the secret to eternal youth.

but i was never able to re-create those first couple of runs of success and i think the acetone caused my fuel lines by the passenger wheel well to sweat because after i stopped using it, the sweating went away.

the atomizing of the extra gas seemed to make sense to me but my concern was the rubber components from A to Z
 

Fast63

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#26
  • Apr 1, 2008
  • #26
mississauga5.0 said:
it did work for me the first couple times. was funny how i had the can of acetone and the measuring cup. i put like 2 ounces for a full gas tank and one time i was shocked at the non-moving needle and thought i discovered the secret to eternal youth.
Click to expand...

Probably because you didn't drive as heavy footed. People fake themselves out a lot with their cars. I could have sworn my car ran worse when I removed the air filter element, but it ran a tenth of a second faster consistently at the track.
 

Redfire 05

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Apr 1, 2008
#27
  • Apr 1, 2008
  • #27
I agree, you probably drove a little differently. Driving habits have a huge effect on gas mileage. Far more than any gimicks will.

One thing acetone will do for you is clean out your fuel system. It is a really good solvent. So you might get slightly better gas mileage initially if your fuel system is really dirty.

As far as BTU's goes: highest btu to lowest
low octane gas --> high octane gas --> ethanol (alcohol) --> acetone

Ethanol and acetone are higher in octane, but because of the lower BTU's more of it has to be burned to produce the same power. That is why flex fuel vehicles running 85% ethanol tend to get a few MPG's worse than when running gasoline. The same thing goes for propane (lower BTU than gasoline).

I owned a Buick Grand National (turbocharged V6) few years back which I ran ~ 20% Xylene (115 octane) to gas mixture to increase octane to reduce detination when I ran high boost (I am not advocating doing this buy the way, but it was a popular practice for some of the Buick guys). I always got a few MPG lower when doing this. In reality, if you are mixing small amounts of acetone into your car it will have negligible effects on octane and gas mileage.
 

mississauga5.0

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Mar 18, 2006
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Mississauga/ Toronto Canada
Apr 1, 2008
#28
  • Apr 1, 2008
  • #28
well from what i read at the library (like 2 sentences) from a science book was about the atomizing of the extra molecules by acetone and that it burns slower then gasoline.

although i agree with whoever mentioned that it also can clean the fuel system. my inital results were good but then nothing. and i experimented with upwards of 4 ounces per half a tank! then went back to 3 ouces for full tank
 

Redfire 05

New Member
Apr 6, 2005
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Lubbock, TX
Apr 1, 2008
#29
  • Apr 1, 2008
  • #29
mississauga5.0 said:
well from what i read at the library (like 2 sentences) from a science book was about the atomizing of the extra molecules by acetone and that it burns slower then gasoline.
Click to expand...

Yeap, it burns slower, hence the increased octane rating.
 

vristang

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2005
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Apr 1, 2008
#30
  • Apr 1, 2008
  • #30
Redfire 05 said:
Yeap, it burns slower, hence the increased octane rating.
Click to expand...
It vaporizes at a lower temp, but burns slower....


I don't get it
 

mississauga5.0

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Apr 2, 2008
#31
  • Apr 2, 2008
  • #31
not sure if ur just being sarcastic, but it doesnt vaporize thats why people thought acetone was good because once it binded with the gasoline it helped it burn instead of drip out your tail pipe or not get ignited, but what i also read was that some ingredients added to gasoline actually nulify the acetone effect.

the science text made sense and then to see how excited people got on the internet lead me to try but its too much work pouring into a baking cup at the gas station, lol
 

Redfire 05

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Apr 6, 2005
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Lubbock, TX
Apr 2, 2008
#32
  • Apr 2, 2008
  • #32
If you want some tips on how to increase your gas mileage check here.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=744626
 

enyawix

Member
Dec 18, 2005
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127.0.0.1
Apr 2, 2008
#33
  • Apr 2, 2008
  • #33
Ethanol rocks! It is easy to tune for and cheap to make at home. I make mine for about 75c a gallon
 
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