Adding acetone to your fuel for improved mpg?

[trumperZ06]

We've already been through this discussion before. Increasing the octane rating if your petrol doesn't necessarily increase the mileage or the power out of the engine. Yes cars do have octane sensors in them, but unless you have a higher compression engine, then for 90% of cars an increase in octane rating does bugger all difference.

Personally I'm more likely to trust the oil companies or the car manufacturers than a rumour which I've read on the internet. Unless someone can provide proof of this from a reputable source, I'm calling bull**** and shenanigans on this theory.

Hhmmmm... that's kinda a.... BLANKET STATEMENT !!!

Hot Rodders for years have been adding octane boosters in order to advance the ignition timing... thereby increasing horsepower !!!

Adding acetone to pump gas does INCREASE it's octane. That's a FACT !!!

Today's high compression/performance engines ( ~ 11:1 and above), rely on the electronic Knock sensors to warn the ECU... to retard timing which also reduces horsepower. Another FACT !!!

Adding an "octane booster" such as "acetone" will delay the knock... thereby delaying the ECU from retarding ignition timing...

Resulting in an INCREASE in Horsepower !!!

That's also a ... FACT !!!

Now if you're running a low compression... Lawn Mower engine... nothing is likely to help increase it's power !!!

: Don'tcha... just luv... FACTS !!!

[rah]

I would be worried about other effects of acetone on the fuel system. Also note that that post on the other forum was talking about a diesel engine. Not sure of the extra octane effects there.

[Rollo]

Hhmmmm... that's kinda a.... BLANKET STATEMENT !!!

Hot Rodders for years have been adding octane boosters in order to advance the ignition timing... thereby increasing horsepower !!!

They will also do other things to their engines which through other means will also increase the compression ratio of their engines such as supercharging as well.

Adding acetone to pump gas does INCREASE it's octane. That's a FACT !!!

Today's high compression/performance engines ( ~ 11:1 and above), rely on the electronic Knock sensors to warn the ECU... to retard timing which also reduces horsepower. Another FACT !!!

Adding an "octane booster" such as "acetone" will delay the knock... thereby delaying the ECU from retarding ignition timing...

Resulting in an INCREASE in Horsepower !!!

That's also a ... FACT !!!

Now if you're running a low compression... Lawn Mower engine... nothing is likely to help increase it's power !!!

: Don'tcha... just luv... FACTS !!!

In the first place, your average Joe Shopping Trolley hatchback isn't a performance vehicle and won't have a higher-compression engine fitted. Meanwhile most performance cars' manuals recommend you fill up with a higher RON petrol in the first place.
I would still follow the manufacturer's manual, or are you somehow trying to tell me that you know more than the people who built the bloody motor car?

Yes it's a BLANKET STATEMENT because it COVERS 90% of all cases - duh.

[Rollo]

As usual, snopes have an article on this subject:
http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/acetone.asp

For goodness sake, even the US Federal Trade Commission agrees with me:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/.../fuelalrt.shtm

Your owner’s manual recommends the most effective octane level for your car. For most cars, the recommended gasoline is regular octane. In most cases, using a higher octane gas than the manufacturer recommends offers no benefit. Unless your engine is knocking, buying higher octane gasoline is a waste of money.

My calls of bull**** and shenanigans seem to be upheld. Shenanigans shenanigans shenanigans!

[Magnus]

Well: sc-engines with knocksensors do actually have benefit from higher octaneno. The energy difference between 95 and 98 without altering the timing is abt 1,5 percent, but can be much more with adaptioncontrol, without altering the compratio. what we want is high pressure during the combustion. High compression engines is more a question of turbulence or squish, in order to ha high rpm, nothing else.
Regarding SC-engines these have lower compression ratios then NA-engines, but obviously develop more hp/l.

[Daniel]

I would be worried about other effects of acetone on the fuel system. Also note that that post on the other forum was talking about a diesel engine. Not sure of the extra octane effects there.

That's what I would think. Plus in a diesel extra octane won't help you at all. It's a higher cetane rating that you'll want.

[Magnus]

In essence you want high volatilty in diesel, and low in gasoline. It may sound contradictive, but at the pressures that we talk abt. these are the basic important charachteristics.

[trumperZ06]

They will also do other things to their engines which through other means will also increase the compression ratio of their engines such as supercharging as well.


: Supercharging or turbocharging... doesn't increase the engine's compression ratio !!!

Both methods do increase the amount of air & fuel stuffed into the cylinder... which is their goal.




In the first place, your average Joe Shopping Trolley hatchback isn't a performance vehicle and won't have a higher-compression engine fitted. Meanwhile most performance cars' manuals recommend you fill up with a higher RON petrol in the first place.
I would still follow the manufacturer's manual, or are you somehow trying to tell me that you know more than the people who built the bloody motor car?


I'm not recommending using acetone as an additive... I am addressing the subject of this thread!!!

Yes it's a BLANKET STATEMENT because it COVERS 90% of all cases - duh.

Hhmmm... agian look @ the first post...

And your point is that...

90% of the people on this web site are into driving cars with low compression....

LAWN MOWER ENGINES ???

[Zico]

Afraid Im with Magnus and Trumper on this one.. My car has a compression ratio of 10.4:1 which isnt exactly what I'd call high compression but its not far away, certainly close enough that I do notice it runs smoother, is more responsive and feels as though it might have a few extra horses or at least a slightly improved power/torque curve on 98 Ron.

If we could safely use acetone as an additive without damaging the fuel lines etc it would be an easy choice to make for people like me.

[Rollo]

Perhaps you'd like to argue with the petrol companies themselves?
http://www.shell.ca/home/content/ca-...ne_octane.html

it must be noted that if the owner’s manual specifies using gasoline with an octane rating of 89 or 91, then that’s what you should use because that’s what the engine is designed and tuned for.

fuel with a higher octane rating cannot of itself deliver more power

One other exception is found in high-performance vehicles. The use of more complex computer algorithms in their engine control systems to control spark timing using one or more knock sensors, enables better performance on higher-octane fuel. Owner’s Manuals for most of these vehicles will specify use of 91 octane fuel.

Petrochemical companies spend millions on petrol research a year. Trained scientists whose job it is to develop additives I'd say are far more qualified than the general public.



And by the way:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboch...Design_details

Even with the benefits of intercooling, the total compression in the combustion chamber is greater than that in a naturally-aspirated engine.

So I guess you're still wrong.

And yes, 90% of people on this website and indeed the world are driving lower compression engines. Typically most engines on the road are between 8:1 and 11:1

Personally I'd rather pay for properly designed additives and follow the manufacturer's specs than try to outguess them.