Acetone

[V8Cerbera]

Saw a thread on the main gassing about adding Acetone to fuel as its constituent makeup allows petrol to vapourise more readily and results in better MPG... Decided, what the hell - Test it.

Here's my findings:
Tank1 - Around town with some "spirited driving" thrown in
Normal MPG for the Cerb - 16
With acetone - 17.5

Tank2 - A run at around 90 to 100 leptons with a few bits of hard acceleration
Normal MPG - 18.5
With acetone - 23.5

Having done the maths for the above assuming 200mls of acetone per fillup at the 1/4 mark (about 45litres of super unleaded @ £0.989/litre) I've figured the following for a 5litre can of acetone (costing £18.98)

Around town
16 / 4.54 = 3.52miles per litre * 45litres = 158.59miles *25fills per can =3964.76miles
17.5 /4.54 = 3.85miles per litre * 45litres = 173.45miles *25fills per can =4336.45miles
4336.45 - 3964.76 = 371.69 / 3.52 = 105.59 * 0.989 = £104.43 - £18.98 =£85.45 saved

On runs
18.5 / 4.54 = 4.07miles per litre * 45litres = 183.37miles * 25fills =4584.25miles
23.5 / 4.54 = 5.18miles per litre * 45litres = 232.93miles * 25fills =5823.24miles
5823.24 - 4584.25 = 1238.99 / 4.07 = 307.42 *0.989 = £301.07 - £18.98 =£282.09 saved

[morebeanz]

That sounds really impressive! Are there any downsides to it? Can't see why it hasn't already caught on somehow?!

[davido140]

off topic sort-of, I fill my diesel with vegetable oil from tescos! saves a fortune!

[V8Cerbera]

morebeanz said:

That sounds really impressive! Are there any downsides to it? Can't see why it hasn't already caught on somehow?!

Not that I can see (BTW Acetone also adds power as it's more explosive than petrol).
I had a discussion about this with a fella that used to work with engines and they used to get massive BHP increases from running a 50/50 mix of acetone to petrol. But the downside to this is A) It's expensive, B) The engine will eventually let go in a big way.

200mls is just enough for yield the benefit without buggering the engine.

[V8Cerbera]

davido140 said:

off topic sort-of, I fill my diesel with vegetable oil from tescos! saves a fortune!

You're paying over the odds mate! When I had a diesel some years back I had an agreement with the local chippy, they'd leave their used vegetable oil round the back in vats on a Friday night, I'd stop by with a couple of 20litre jerrycans and fill up for free. 30litres of diesel, 40litres of (well strained) chip fat.

Only downside was the insatiable desire for cod and chips whenever I got stuck in a traffic jam.

[rev-erend]

V8Cerbera said:

davido140 said:

off topic sort-of, I fill my diesel with vegetable oil from tescos! saves a fortune!

You're paying over the odds mate! When I had a diesel some years back I had an agreement with the local chippy, they'd leave their used vegetable oil round the back in vats on a Friday night, I'd stop by with a couple of 20litre jerrycans and fill up for free. 30litres of diesel, 40litres of (well strained) chip fat.

Only downside was the insatiable desire for cod and chips whenever I got stuck in a traffic jam.

In the old days - we used to add some castrol r in small quantities to the petrol .. and the car smelled like a race car.

You must have left everyone pining for fish and chips

[morebeanz]

Thinking about this a bit more, wouldn't you have to adjust the timing or fuelling to get significant rewards from this?

Normally if you go from 95 to 97 RON you have to retard the timing, right? Wouldn't this require similar adjustment?

[That Daddy]

Normally if you go from 95 to 97 RON you have to retard the timing, right? Wouldn't this require similar adjustment?
[/quote]Wrong,you retard the timing if you go down in octane not up,generally you can run more advance with higher octane

[warren182]

Just been told on another forum that mythbusters checked this and found it didn't work, any more info anywhere?

[NiceCupOfTea]

Does it make your car smell of pear drops?

[V8Cerbera]

warren182 said:

Just been told on another forum that mythbusters checked this and found it didn't work, any more info anywhere?

Don't know what they did then, my fuelling stats don't lie (unless it's a big co-incidence that my economy has suddenly hopped up after 8months).

I always check my economy after every fillup, just my statistical mind I'm afraid.

[tomkandy]

It's possible you wanted it to work, so subconciously drove more efficently.

[willdew]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Does it make your car smell of pear drops?

You've got your chemicals mixed up. The pear drop smell is an ester called Isoamyl acetate (C7H14O2). Whereas Acetone is a ketone (CH3COCH3). Ketones don't have the same fruity smells as acetones.

[FlossyThePig]

V8Cerbera said:

warren182 said:

Just been told on another forum that mythbusters checked this and found it didn't work, any more info anywhere?

Don't know what they did then, my fuelling stats don't lie (unless it's a big co-incidence that my economy has suddenly hopped up after 8months).

I always check my economy after every fillup, just my statistical mind I'm afraid.

1. Did you use the same pump every fill?
2. Do you always put the same amount in every time?
3. How many fills did you use for your statistics?

[V8Cerbera]

1. I've always used the same filling station, probably used every pump at some time or another and never have I got more than 18.5mpg on a run (typical 14 to 16 around town).
2. You don't need to fill up with the same amount every time, it's a simple "miles since last fill / litres to fully fill the tank * 4.54 = MPG" type equation.
3. Only two tanks, one with driving that was predominantly around town with a few country lane thrashes up and down the gears and fairly hard on the loud pedal - got 17.5mpg on fill and the other was filled up immediately before a run to Gatwick airport and back. Filled up immediately on return and received 23.87mpg (to be precise).

I find it odd that these stats suddenly jumped up after adding acetone. However believe whatever you wish, you don't have to take tips from me

P.S - No I don't think the subconsious trying to drive carefully holds any weight. I like the right pedal too much. I tried as hard as I could once and still only hit 19mpg on a run.

[toastboy]

willdew said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

Does it make your car smell of pear drops?

You've got your chemicals mixed up. The pear drop smell is an ester called Isoamyl acetate (C7H14O2). Whereas Acetone is a ketone (CH3COCH3). Ketones don't have the same fruity smells as acetones.

But you just said Acetone is a ketone

[willdew]

toastboy said:

willdew said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

Does it make your car smell of pear drops?

You've got your chemicals mixed up. The pear drop smell is an ester called Isoamyl acetate (C7H14O2). Whereas Acetone is a ketone (CH3COCH3). Ketones don't have the same fruity smells as acetones.

But you just said Acetone is a ketone

Yep. Acetone is part of a group of chemicals called ketones. The chemical that smells of pear drops is not a ketone, it's an ester, called isoamyl acetate, which is different.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone

[FunkyGibbon]

toastboy said:

willdew said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

Does it make your car smell of pear drops?

You've got your chemicals mixed up. The pear drop smell is an ester called Isoamyl acetate (C7H14O2). Whereas Acetone is a ketone (CH3COCH3). Ketones don't have the same fruity smells as acetones.

But you just said Acetone is a ketone

I think willdew meant ketones don't smell as fruity as esters.

[MK4 Slowride]

V8Cerbera said:

davido140 said:

off topic sort-of, I fill my diesel with vegetable oil from tescos! saves a fortune!

You're paying over the odds mate! When I had a diesel some years back I had an agreement with the local chippy, they'd leave their used vegetable oil round the back in vats on a Friday night, I'd stop by with a couple of 20litre jerrycans and fill up for free. 30litres of diesel, 40litres of (well strained) chip fat.

Only downside was the insatiable desire for cod and chips whenever I got stuck in a traffic jam.

FUNNY AS k

[warren182]

V8Cerbera said:

warren182 said:

Just been told on another forum that mythbusters checked this and found it didn't work, any more info anywhere?

Don't know what they did then, my fuelling stats don't lie (unless it's a big co-incidence that my economy has suddenly hopped up after 8months).

I always check my economy after every fillup, just my statistical mind I'm afraid.

Not doubting your figures, but I think a couple of tanks isn't the most accurate way. Most fuel tests run for at least 3000 miles, to minimize environmental factors on economy (ie driver, outside temp, air con use etc.). The science seems to make sense, but when every manufacturer seems to be keen to show how green they are, why not add an acetone system to cars to reduce emmissions and economy at a stroke? I'd be more concerned about the long term effects on the engine.