Has anyone use Acetone?

[thecarbonman]

This has been an interesting topic on other boards. I own an 86 F250 4x4 with a 460 C6 trans. etc. I started sometime back using ACETONE in my gas and have noticed my truck is running better, and a very slight MPG increase. There are alot of debates about this topic. It is clear from my reading that there is a clearline, those who believe it works and those that are dead set against it.
Anyway, this morning I added 3 oz. to my wife's TB, she drives 150 miles round trip to work so I hope to get some findings in a short time. She keeps very close records of her gas mileage. Second, if I think I may of noticed any performance differences, I will really know if she says anything. Like to hear your opinions. FOR or AGAINIST, or have you tried it? One interesting thing I have noticed is for the most part those against have never tried using it.

[Envoy Fan]

Will be interested in the outcome in the TB. Where do you buy it? How is it packaged?

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

Is that nail polish remover??? :confused: Not by any means. Acetone is basically a VERY strong paint thinner and paint stripper, depending on application.

I'll weigh in as one dead set against it; frankly I would never go near the stuff for use like that. I've never tried it, and never will try it. I stick to chemicals specifically designed and packaged/distributed for automotive use when it comes to putting stuff on or in my vehicles. Doing otherwise is like playing with fire. :m2:

[Black Ice]

Thats some serious stuff your messing with, go with products thats made for you rides.

[MoJoe]

Is that nail polish remover??? :confused:

A lot of nail polish removers use acetone, or are close to 100% acetone. I used it to chrome out my Super Duty emblems. But I would not get that stuff close to my engine. I agree with the others when they say use only approved chemicals as additives. :m2:

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

A lot of nail polish removers use acetone, or are close to 100% acetone. I used it to chrome out my Super Duty emblems. But I would not get that stuff close to my engine. I agree with the others when they say use only approved chemicals as additives. :m2:

huh? All nail polish removers I've seen are mineral spirits, not acetone. I know I've seen acetone used to chrome out the ford trucks before, but that's because it's just stripping off the other paint on there. :m2:

[thecarbonman]

Bill, Most hareware stores carry it, it is sold in pints, quarts, and gallons.
Acetone is a cleaner, I have read that some fuel additives use acetone. I had an extra fuel tank pickup screen & in-tank pump I had for my Ford F250 and I soaked them in acetone for a week and when I took them out the only change was they were clean, plastic was pliable. I also soaked a piece of gas line rubber hose and again no problem. I have been running acetone in my Ford for months all I see is a better running truck.
What acetone does besides clean, is when mixed with gas it it helps atomize the gas. Only small amounts are used 1 to 2 ozs. per 10 gallons of gas. More in this case is not better.
My wife just got home and the first thing she asked my was what did I do to her truck. I asked why, she said, coming home, I was getting on the freeway It seemed to have more power, I got up to speed faster than it ever has.
Anyway, if anyone uses it or is tring it I'd like to hear from you. I have sites that deal with this topic.

[MoJoe]

huh? All nail polish removers I've seen are mineral spirits, not acetone. I know I've seen acetone used to chrome out the ford trucks before, but that's because it's just stripping off the other paint on there. :m2:

Oh, my wife has a bottle that is 100% acetone? Worked great on the emblems, she was pissed though when I used it all. :D

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

I dunno man... I've seen bad things happen with using straight acetone. If it's in a fuel cleaner that's marketed to be a fuel system cleaner, fine. I just refuse to go concocting my own mixtures of stuff like this.

[MoJoe]

I remember when i was a kid and crazy glued my fingers together (many times) :D , I would have to use nail polish remover that had acetone in it to get them undone. :) Regular non-acetone nail polish removed would not work.


After the first couple times you'd think someone would learn :laugh: :D

[tb_ky]

i would be very careful adding crap to your gas. If it was something that was ok to use and that was benificial to the motor and/or performance automotive places would be selling it as a fuel additive IMO.

[thecarbonman]

My final comment on acetone & gas, we just returned from 1300 mile trip using actone 1.5 oz./10 gals. of gas. The end result was an avg. gas mileage of 26.4 MPG. Laugh at that. :laugh: :laugh:

[ScarabEpic22]

thecarbonman, you said you have sites that show the acetone info? Please post them as I am interested in your findings. I just want to research anything I do to my TB before I do it, and then find out something went wrong. Other than that, I think the acetone idea is great!

Thanks,
Erik

P.S. Gotta love them milegae numbers!! 26.4mpg, crazy in our trucks! :D :D

[tb_ky]

My final comment on acetone & gas, we just returned from 1300 mile trip using actone 1.5 oz./10 gals. of gas. The end result was an avg. gas mileage of 26.4 MPG. Laugh at that. :laugh: :laugh:

umm...wow...thats getting into ford escape hybrid numbers there...where are you getting this acetone???

[FattyTBEXT]

I remember when i was a kid and crazy glued my fingers together (many times) :D , I would have to use nail polish remover that had acetone in it to get them undone. :) Regular non-acetone nail polish removed would not work.


I'm not sure which scares me more... repeatedly crazy-gluing your fingers together or always having the nail polish remover on-hand to unglue them... ;)

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

umm...wow...thats getting into ford escape hybrid numbers there...where are you getting this acetone???

Any home depot or lowes.... how quickly we change our minds, eh?

I'm still not sold.

[tb_ky]

Any home depot or lowes.... how quickly we change our minds, eh?

I'm still not sold.

I'm not either...my engine is over 90,000 miles old anyways so I'm not planning on adding that crap to it just because one person said it added 10mpg to their gas mileage. I don't believe it if im being honest...

[CarbonEnvoy]

Interesting. It sounds like there might be a mileage benifit.

I'm not sure I want to play with it myself. It might increase mileage by removing deposits on injectors and lifters etc. but what does it do to seals and gaskets with prolonged use? What about residual leak-down into your engine oil? Is it affecting oil breakdown or heat protection? What about the prone to failure O2 sensors?

Here's a pretty extensive site with some more theories about acetone as a fuel additive. I have no idea how accurate any of this info is:
http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Acetone_as_a_Fuel_Additive

[Steve02SLT]

Back when i had my Mitsubishi eclipse (turbocharged and all wheel drive) it was kind of common to meet other people running xylene and toulene in thier gas tank. in those it was all for power, not for gas mileage, but no one ever had any problems because of that.

[TBlazeruss44]

CarbonEnvoy,I share your thoughts concerning the "dark side" possible side effects that acetone dosings might trigger....I feed my baby a shot of Techron every 5k miles or so....If Chevron has believed in this product for as long as it has, then I do too!!! As always, just my :m2:

[tb_ky]

I must admit that after reading the internet article that was mentioned a few posts ago that I'm tempted to try using acetone...

[Envoy Fan]

Has anyone tried the Acetone? Any results?

[homertime]

Just fyi you can also get pure acetone in Wal-mart, and it's pretty cheap too like $1.99 for a big bottle

I've done the crazy glue thing too...

I'm hesitant to throw it in the tank, but damn for 26 MPG...

[APDMC6008]

I'm sure the EPA would looooove to find people burning unauthorized things in their vehicles. Someone said earlier that if it was intended to be used then it would be included in fuel to begin with. I mean, I assume that engineers and chemists know what they're doing after all.

[Trefilov22]

I've used it in my 98 Mustang and 94 Civic now for about 8 months, you probably won't notice a big difference until about the 3rd tankful. After that I did notice improved accelleration and mileage. Moreso mileage on the Honda, and Accelleration on the Stang.. My honda went from about 33mpg to 37.5mpg.. Not too bad for an old dog like it... The stang went from about 25.4 mpg to 28.1 mpg....

[blktbon20s]

It won't do harm to the engine?

[Spong]

I'm sure the EPA would looooove to find people burning unauthorized things in their vehicles.

I'm sure they would! The EPA is nothing but a bunch of Govt Bureacrats with nothing better to do than harass people! Piss on the EPA!!!

[tblazed]

GM says acetone could eat up some components so they advise against it.
There are a lot of plastics and elastomer materials used in the fuel system.

I posted this in another thread, but probably applies better here.

GM's comments about acetone additive etc.
from March 06 GM Techlink

Fuel Economy Improvement Schemes

Various schemes to improve vehicle fuel economy have been reported
for decades, ranging from magnets that align molecules to chemical
combustion improvers. At times when gasoline prices are high, the driving
public’s desire is intensified to wring the most miles out of each gallon of
fuel. Unfortunately, during such times the public also tends to believe
claims more readily than it otherwise would.

Chemicals that are normally used as solvents should not be used.
These include acetone, ketones, and methanol. These solvents can be
incompatible with elastomers used in vehicle components and can dissolve
the vehicle’s paint finish. In the case of methanol, corrosion of metal
parts in the fuel system also will occur.

Simple things that can be done to get the most out of every gallon of
fuel are:

– Buy only the octane grade recommended for the vehicle. Buying a
higher octane grade is wasting money.

– To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean, buy gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Clean engines help provide
optimal fuel economy and performance and reduced emissions.

TIP: When TOP TIER fuels are not available, consider a bottle of GM
Fuel System Treatment PLUS p/n 88861011 (88861012 in Canada) at oil
change time.

[Bearcat]

Might make short term improvement, but Shell would add it if it really provided any benefit. I would worry about any long term effects, especially to the cat.

[thecarbonman]

Almost a year later still running acetone in the TB. I have run it 30,000 mile and the only thing that has happened is better mileage & performance. Same with my 86 F250 4x4 460.:thumbsup:

[robotoroadracer]

http://www.lubedev.com/smartgas/
I've been waiting for a thread like this. I've been using acetone in proportions as described in the link above for the past year. Although I can't claim the mileage gains stated in the website (4-5mpg) I have noticed an increase in engine performance, smoother idling and a small consistant increase in mileage (maybe 1mpg depending on conditions). I have an ASE mechanic friend using it in his Ford diesel and he is seeing the 4 mpg increase. We both keep meticulous mileage records and compare notes often (I'm in Phoenix, he's in Indiana) so we have different climate conditions. We have both been monitoring component wear and have not seen anything out of the ordinary. All I can say is that when I go off the juice I do notice a difference! Draw your own conclusions.

[thecarbonman]

http://www.lubedev.com/smartgas/
I've been waiting for a thread like this. I've been using acetone in proportions as described in the link above for the past year. Although I can't claim the mileage gains stated in the website (4-5mpg) I have noticed an increase in engine performance, smoother idling and a small consistant increase in mileage (maybe 1mpg depending on conditions). I have an ASE mechanic friend using it in his Ford diesel and he is seeing the 4 mpg increase. We both keep meticulous mileage records and compare notes often (I'm in Phoenix, he's in Indiana) so we have different climate conditions. We have both been monitoring component wear and have not seen anything out of the ordinary. All I can say is that when I go off the juice I do notice a difference! Draw your own conclusions.

I started this thread in hopes to help people, but today too many people think the oil companies and auto manufactures will always do the best for them, and nothing is good unless big brother (CORPORATE AMERICA) uses it or recommends it. I first came across this on the Ford Forum, where ther are alot of old school guys that remember the lies we where told back in the day. I'm also an ASE Certified Mechanic and was first certified in the 1970s, when it was known as NIASE. later shorted to ASE.
My mileage varies the best was 4 mpg, the avg. is about 1.5 mpg, and as you said performance is very noticably improved. My wife's TB gets 20.5-21.0 mpg without acetone and regular mileage with acetone 22.2-23.5 just depends on the conditions.
We live just up the hill from you in the Verde Valley.

[Envoy Fan]

thecarbonman, how much acetone are you using per 10 gallons of gas?

[ScarabEpic22]

thecarbonman, how much acetone are you using per 10 gallons of gas?
I would like to know this as well, as I have been thinking about using it but cant figure out what amount to use.

[sp3edr4cer]

I would like to know this as well, as I have been thinking about using it but cant figure out what amount to use.


My final comment on acetone & gas, we just returned from 1300 mile trip using actone 1.5 oz./10 gals. of gas. The end result was an avg. gas mileage of 26.4 MPG. Laugh at that. :laugh: :laugh:

This was from the top of the thread but i will let him make another comment to make sure he was correct in what he is telling

[tblazed]

From calsci.com

"It has been suggested that adding a small amount of acetone to your gas tank can add 10% - 35% to your fuel mileage. This works because acetone is a surfactant for gasoline - acetone reduces the surface tension of gasoline rather dramatically, allowing the droplets to evaporate more quickly and burn more completely. This means better fuel mileage and less pollution. In fact many mechanics for years have used acetone to improve an old engine's pollution performance and get the engine to pass a smog test.

Acetone is a rather strong solvent, so there is some concern that it can damage the fuel lines over time, This is usually not a problem in cars with OEM fuel lines, as the OEM fuel lines are made to handle solvents like this. Gasoline in the US is about 25% aromatics, meaning Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene. These are pretty strong solvents too.

Acetone binds strongly to water, so if you get water in your fuel tank this can be a big problem. Although acetone dissolves nicely in gasoline, acetone and water do not. The little acetone-water droplets can clog your fuel injectors and cause problems.

These days, most gasoline in the US contains 5% to 10% ethanol. Alcohol also tends to bind to acetone, and although this does not cause problems, it does reduce the ability of acetone to lower the surface tension. So it's not at all clear that adding acetone to a gasohol mix will improve your gas mileage by much.

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Images/acetone.jpg


Image from Pure Energy Systems.com
A, B and C are three different cars using different concentrations of acetone.
D is a Diesel running different concentrations of acetone.

Generally, you would add about 2-3 oz (60-90 ml) of acetone to 10 gallons (40 liters) of gasoline. You can buy acetone at any hardware store for about $6 / quart or $13 / gallon, which works out to about 10 cents per ounce, so for $0.30 worth of acetone in a tank you can improve your mileage on your $30 worth of gas dramatically."


Y'all have fun experimenting! I question the long term effects of Acetone on plastics and neoprene parts in the fuel system, but with enough guinea pigs out there maybe I will give it a try some day.

[03tblazinLTZ]

it sounds like you can't really do too much pain to the engine if you just try a little bit, like 1.5 oz. per 10gal. and that the peak would be 2.5-3 oz. per 10gal. my point just being, it seems like everybody should just try a little the next time they fill up. i know for a fact that it doesn't hurt you if you touch your hands to it. i've messed with the stuff for hobby purposes and if you take a cool whip tub and fill it up with acetone, it just feels like you're sticking your bare hands in snow, and then it'll evaporate in a matter of seconds.

[EnvoyXL]

it usually takes a few tanks run through to get full effect.

[thecarbonman]

thecarbonman, how much acetone are you using per 10 gallons of gas?


I use about 1.5 to 2.0 ozs. per 10 gals. The web site above says 3 ozs per 10 gals. In studying this LESS is BETTER than TOO MUCH. as the chart above shows.:)

[JJ]

2 US Tablespoons equal 1 US fluid ounce.

[Dacomputernerd]

I wouldnt use that stuff :m2:

We have just started running Shell 87 in the TB and have noticed slightly more power/response. Also this week i'll be running a bottle of "STP fuel injector cleaner" through the system to clean her out abit.

[APDMC6008]

Not worth the effort, IMHO.

[cobramd]

Just one thought. Some nail polish remover is 100% acetone, or so the bottle says. So as far as acetone eating through plastic, figure this, they package the nail polish remover in "PLASTIC" bottles. Think about it.

[ds8]

"Just one thought. Some nail polish remover is 100% acetone, or so the bottle says. So as far as acetone eating through plastic, figure this, they package the nail polish remover in "PLASTIC" bottles. Think about it."

Pour the nail polish remover into a styrofoam cup and see what happens. That's plastic too. There are many different types of plastic.

DS