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Steve D. Gage gives the logic and data behind his conclusion that vehicle fuel efficiency can be improved 50% by adding 1 oz acetone per gallon and tricking the car's computer into detecting an excess of oxygen so it richens up the mixture.

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Disclaimer 

This page is presented for the sake of research and development by those who are equipped to properly understand, implement, and test such things. Steve Gage cautions that not all cars are capable of richening enough to utilize acetone safely. Too lean fuel:air mixture will damage engine. Determine first if your engine can and will richen, before adding any amount of acetone to your gas.

Introduction

Originally authored by Steve D. Gage (http://www.geocities.com/behindbarsbimbo/acetone.html)

A report of independent testing done January through June of 2008.

My thanks to Mr. Louis LaPointe (http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/), who was brave enough to begin the Internet controversy over the use of alcohol and acetone as fuels or fuel additives. If it were not for his guts to publicly challenge the government, oil companies and auto manufacturers, I would have never known, or even investigated what he proposed.

Based on Mr. Lapointe's writings and data on the Internet, there truly are ONLY two possibilities:

Either

A. Any or all of the entities mentioned above {government, oil companies and auto manufacturers} truly do know the secret to clean emissions AND high MPG, achieved SIMULTANEOUSLY and are withholding it, in order to make more money off the public.

Or

B. All three entities are too stupid to figure it out.

That debate belongs in another arena, not here. I am simply reporting the data I have uncovered and tested in the last few months, which gave DRAMATIC results.

Point 1

• Both acetone and ethanol molecules contain one atom of Oxygen and 6 atoms of Hydrogen. They are both considered as "Oxygenated" fuels, because of the Oxygen atom in both.
• Ethanol is mandated by the Federal Government to be used as an additive to gasoline, to lower emissions. The decision as to this being done, and at what percentages of ethanol to add is left to individual states.
• It is a fact that ethanol does in fact lower emissions. The explanation for this effect being the Oxygen atom in the molecule.

Point 2

• Both Acetone and Ethanol have incredibly high EVAPORATION rates. Gasoline has a low evaporation rate in comparison.
• All liquids evaporate, at different rates. Even water evaporates.
• When a liquid evaporates, it COOLS the air it is in contact with. This is why when on a hot summer day, if you get close to a stream or river, you will feel the air temperature drop, near it.
• When air is cooled, it CONDENSES.

Point 3

• Via the EXTREME cooling of the air going into the intake of an engine, by both Acetone and Ethanol, MUCH more air in pounds is taken into the cylinders. Condensation of air means more is compressed into each stroke of intake.
• This results in a LEANER mixture of fuel:air in the combustion.
• This leaner, highly Oxygenated mixture is what actually causes a drop in emission Hydrocarbons and CO.
• Documentation: 3 emissions tests on Honda Accord - note approximate 4000% increase in O2 content when Acetone was added. As well, that first two tests failed but last one,

with acetone, passed.[1] (http://www.geocities.com/behindbarsbimbo/emissions.jpg)

Point 4

• Simply adding either Acetone or Ethanol results, via the leaning effect, in worse and worse MPG, the more you use.
• The idea that simply using ethanol is good for the environment, and creates less emissions is INCORRECT. The common and strongest ethanol fuel on the market is known as "E85". It is 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol. Yes, it reduces emissions, via the leaning effect, BUT GIVES *20% LESS MPG than gasoline, thus giving an overall reduction in emissions PER MILE which is near null.

Point 5

• Acetone has a much greater condensation of air effect than Ethanol, thus MPG drops MUCH faster as percentage added is increased.
• The negative effect on MPG of both Acetone and Ethanol, can be REVERSED, to cause an INCREASE in MPG over gasoline, with acetone being needed in much smaller amounts than ethanol and at much less cost.

Point 6

"The Secret"

[The potential increase in MPG of Ethanol has not been tested by me]

Test results from January to June, 2008:

Test car: 1985 Ford T-Bird 5.0L V8 EPA rating 15 MPG city and 22 MPG highway.

Emissions test using pure 87 octane gas resulted in Hydrocarbons of 190ppm at idle. Fail is 220. O2 was 1.5%. This was suggestive of a small exhaust leak, which the O2 sensor read and richened fuel:air mixture a little too much.

Emissions test using 1 oz. Acetone to 1 gal. gasoline resulted in Hydrocarbons dropping to 111ppm at idle. O2 at 1.5%.

Highway test with this mixture resulted in 23.5 MPG. According to data on the internet, at this very high amount of acetone, MPG should have dropped far below factory. That it actually got slightly better than factory gave away the secret. The slight exhaust leak had richened the mixture of fuel:air and caused a SLIGHT utilization of the acetone.

I saw that the O2 sensor played a part in my results. What I did next was create an INTENTIONAL slight exhaust leak, in front of the sensor to increase O2 in exhaust, to cause computer to richen even more. [leak causes sucking in of fresh air].

Emissions test resulted in increase of Hydrocarbons from the previous 111ppm to 144ppm at idle. O2 went from 1.5% up to 5.2%
Noticeable increase in HP of at least 25%.
Multiple hwy. tests revealed 45mpg.
This is slightly more than a 100% increase over factory.

Tested at .7 oz. per gal. went down to 41 MPG.

Tested at 2 oz. per gal. went down to 30 MPG.

By process of elimination, the best acetone mix for my current fuel:air richness is around 1 oz. per gal.

The secret, known to racing technology, banned and forgotten a half a century ago, is that such fuels as acetone REQUIRE richening of the fuel:air mixture to make use of them. It is said that in those early days of racing, some used as much as 10% acetone additive. I am using less than 1%. Specifically 1:128.

With my emissions at slightly cleaner than gasoline, but my MPG at double what it was, a REAL REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS has been achieved. Fully 50% reduction.

The recent G8 summit set the goal of reducing emissions by 50% by the year 2050. President Bush has signed in to law the requirement for vehicles to get 37mpg by 2020.

We have the technology RIGHT NOW to achieve this IMMEDIATELY.

Reprogramming auto computers is already possible and programs and devices are on the market to do so.

A simple solution for the do-it-yourself mechanic, until the use of the technology becomes affordable and the additives are at the pump, is to TRICK your O2 sensors into making the computer richen. This can be done by either creating an exhaust leak in front of the sensor or by removing the sensor from the exhaust and letting it read pure atmosphere, which is 20.9% O2. The latter will richen mixture to MAXIMUM allowing the most acetone possible and the most HP AND MPG. I have not tried the latter and do not know how well it would work or to what level of increase in HP and MPG might be possible. Try this at YOUR OWN RISK.

Note: New vehicles will FAIL EMISSIONS TESTS if too much O2 is reported by the computer. So make your exhaust leak sealable and reseal it for your test. If you remove the sensor, simply replace for the test.

Environmental impact of acetone is far less than an oil spill.

See: Acetone Environmental Effects

[The Acetone] brand I used is Kleen Strip. I have tested no other brand. Bought by the gallon, price is about $17.00

Comments

See Discussion page

HP up -- It's Drag Race Time!

On July 26, Steve Gage wrote:

As for how I know HP is up around 25%...this should make you smile... I know so from drag racing other cars around town. LOL, I'm 51 years old, and havn't had a car this fast since I was 19...can't resist putting my foot in it. No tickets yet, LOL. I haven't raced in years, as 51 year olds are supposed to be responsible enough to obey the law...which I did until I got the HP up in it. Shame on me! :-)

Why You Richen

On July 26, Steve Gage wrote:

Acetone increases O2 intake from aptmosphere. You must richen to utilize it. Then at hwy speed, rpms are around 2400 in my V8 but I have to step on throttle LESS to maintain it as HP is more than it was before.

Programing Devices Available

One good site I found is JetChip.com[2] (http://www.jetchip.com/JET_Chips_Modules.asp) Devices that give YOU control of your car's computer, including ability to richen mixture.--Behindbarsbimbo 08:54, 6 Aug 2008 (EDT)

Realistic Milage Increase Potential

The test car used was a 1985. There is no way to directly reprogram the computer. Thus, the exhaust leak 'trick' was the only way. Car is only able to make use of 1 oz. per gal. On both older cars with carburators and newer cars, that can be reprogrammed directly, with devices, such as at jetchip.com, it is likely that a much richer setting can be achieved, allowing use of much more than 1 oz. of acetone per gallon of gas. Potential gains in MPG may be as high as 400% increase. --Behindbarsbimbo 14:41, 6 Aug 2008 (EDT)

Photo of Test Car

1985 T-Bird [3] (http://www.fourthway.us/tbird1.jpg)

Sept. 4, 08. 400% EPA MPG Accomplished

--Behindbarsbimbo 15:01, 4 Sep 2008 (EDT) Increased to 1.25 Oz. Acetone per gallon of gas. Increased 02 percentage to sensor from 5.2 to 6.1. Highway test revealed 89MPG. EPA factory is 22MPG. 400% EPA factory is 88MPG. Hydrocarbons up from privious 144ppm to 186ppm. Fuel/air richening was obviously accomplished. Burns dirtier, BUT at DOUBLE the previous 45MPG, and QUADRUPLE EPA factory 22MPG. Fail in Idaho for a 1985 is 220ppm. Passed wonderfully. With it's 20 gallon tank, hwy. range is now 1700+ miles per tank. NOTE: Ran 89 octane gas this time. With the near 1% acetone mixture, adding to that, should be about 90 octane. As more acetone is used it is likely compression pressure goes up. Higher octane seemed to be a good bet, even though I had no octane knock with the 87 octane gas.

Contact

Steve D. Gage
email: behindbarsbimbo {at} yahoo.com

See also

• Directory:Acetone as a Fuel Additive
• Directory:Fuel Efficiency Additives

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