has anyone tried Acetone in their tank to improve their gas milage?

[notadmblnd]

I was reading the following article and was wondering if anyone here has tried it and if it is safe?

How it Works
Acetone (CH3COCH3) is a product that can be purchased inexpensively in most locations around the world, such as in the common hardware, auto parts, or drug store. Added to the fuel tank in tiny amounts, acetone aids in the vaporization of the gasoline or diesel, increasing fuel efficiency, engine longevity, and performance — as well as reducing hydrocarbon emissions.

Acetone drastically reduces the surface tension. Most fuel molecules are sluggish with respect to their natural frequency. Acetone has an inherent molecular vibration that “stirs up” the fuel molecules, to break the surface tension. This results in a more complete vaporization with other factors remaining the same. More complete vaporization means less wasted fuel, hence the increased gas mileage from the increased thermal efficiency.

Additional Benefits
In addition to increased mileage acetone added to fuel boasts other benefits such as increased power, engine life, and performance. Less unburned fuel going past the rings keeps the rings and engine oil in far better condition.

, Now the Bad News
Acetone is a highly flammable liquid, as is gasoline. Do not expose it near a flame or spark. Acetone should be stored outside, with proper ventilation, not inside your house. Gasoline and/or acetone will dissolve cheap plastics, so be sure the container you store it in will not deteriorate. Read all the precautions on the labels.
http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2598

[mikeytherat]

1. Tested by "Mythbusters" and it did nothing. Absoultely nothing.

mikey_the_rat

[TheDebbieDee]

10. But, it's a great nail polish remover!

[Wickerman]

2. at best expect to change fuel filter(s)

as it is a VERY strong stripper. At worst it could damage your engine. Doubtful you will see the claims of better mileage.

Here is one link on the issue with input from the NPR Car Talk guys, who are pretty trustworthy:

No. Acetone won’t significantly boost your mileage and could damage your engine.

Acetone is a powerful solvent that’s used as paint thinner and nail polish remover, so it’s very corrosive. That’s why many automakers specifically warn against using it.

On their Car Talk Web site, NPR’s Tom and Ray Magliozzi make it very clear that acetone “does absolutely nothing” to increase gas mileage.

“It’s bo-o-o-gus,” Tom writes. “Don’t put acetone in your gas tank.”

While the acetone is in your fuel system, he says, “it’ll be eagerly dissolving all of your rubber components … like gaskets and O-rings.”

But what about all the people on the Web who say they’ve used acetone and seen their mileage skyrocket?

There’s no way you can judge fuel efficiency on your own by just driving around. Because of varying conditions – weather, road surface and traffic, your mileage varies normally. The only way to know if something really boosts mileage is to run controlled scientific tests.

Over the years, the Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated or tested more than 100 products that promised to save gasoline. It did not find a single one that significantly improved mileage, although some did substantially increase exhaust emissions.

Still think you want to give acetone a try? Just remember this – using it could void you warranty. And don’t spill any on your car; it could remove the paint!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18909941/

[notadmblnd]

5. Thank you for your input

I thought it sounded too good to be true.

[TheDebbieDee]

11. I hadn't read your post before I made my "nail polish remover"

crack. I guess I need to work harder on reading ALL of the posts in a thread before I make a comment, huh? :)

[Gabi Hayes]

3. not so much

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/05/exploding_trousers_great_gas_conspiracy.html

seems to be the consensus, thought some other sites claim a slight increase in mileage

[speakclearly]

4. Have you tried......

Sand? It breaks surface tension as well, and helps scrub hydrocarbons from inside walls of your cylinder heads! ;-)

[notadmblnd]

6. I didn't say I was going to try it, I simply asked if anyone else has

DU is the best place to get quick answers for almost any question. And like my mother always said, there are no stupid questions. But thanks for your input.

[Captain Hilts]

7. This site attracts stupid, short-sighted people, so I'll bet some here will do so.

Especially if the other kids are doing it.

Try not jack-rabbiting out of 'stop'. Or not driving over 60mph.

Those methods are guaranteed to work.

Don't be fuelish!

[asthmaticeog]

8. If that actually worked, there'd already be acetone in gas.

Gas station X would be able to advertise that their gas got you more MPG than their competitors', and soon enough every filling station would have acetone-spiked gasoline. It would be an everyday real-world fact of life, not a bit of jackass viral internet pseudoscience.

[Lance_Boyle]

9. the ONLY thing it will do is strip the paint off your car

when you spill some trying to get it in the tank. It has ZERO performance or efficiency benefits.

[DemoTex]

12. Acetone is highly volatile and has a lower flash point than gasoline.

A thoroughly mixed solution of gasoline and acetone has been reported to increase fuel mileage. However, acetone-induced mechanical problems might negate any mileage benefits. Acetone is said to a bit more harsh on fuel system components than pure gasoline. Since most available acetone is 5% water, one must consider the theoretical possibility that the water might end up in the engine.

However, anecdotal evidence suggests that acetone does increase gas mileage and does not damage internal combustion engines. It would be nice to have an old clunker to experiment on with various acetone blends.

FWIW: Acetone has a relatively low toxicity, but immediately wash any acetone spilled on the skin. Also .. more importantly .. avoid breathing the acetone fumes (especially if you have had recent beverage alcohol .. EtOH). Acetone inhalation slows down the body's metabolism of ethyl alcohol, allowing the alcohol more time to do it's damage.

http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=2517.0;wap2