SVX Network Forums Live Chat! SVX or Subaru Links Old Lockers Photo Post How-To Documents Message Archive SVX Shop Search |
IRC users: |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
One more trip down acetone alley.
After browsing the acetone discussion thread ad nauseum, I decided to put the stamp of approval, or disapproval on the controversy once & for all. That's right, I decided to be the guinea pig in a semi-scientific experiment. I figured since my daily commutes, & shopping trips tend to be pretty repeticious, & my driving stye is mostly conservative (geezerly) that I'd be the poifect subject to put the acetone controversy to rest. We all know bumble bees can fly, despite what them aeronautical engineers argue, right?
So....here's what I did. For a comparison, on a tankfull prior to injecting acetone into the sacrifcial lamb, the '93 Nissan 240SX with 250K+ on it, I drove in an extremely conservative manner. This means I seldom reved past 3000 RPM before shifting into the next higher gear, & used 4th & 5th whenever possible on level roads. I keep the tires inflated 4 lbs. above spec. Instead of cruising at 70-80, I cut back to 60-70 max. The only time I leaned on the pedal was to merge into freeway traffic lest I be mashed by an 18 wheeler. I had filled up with my usual 87 octane at my favorite "cheapie" station, the Wawa in Millersville, MD. The daily temps were in the 65 - 80 degree range. I refrained from using the A/C. Upon fill-up at the same pump after the three-week trial period, the odometer read 357 miles, & took 12.140 gallons. The math says I attained 29.47 mpg. I'll call this my best & final before the "A" test. I didn't start the test on this tankfull because I knew I'd be changing driving style, as I'd be taking an 85 mile open road trip at an average of 75-80 mph followed by let-it-all hang out day at the auto-cross. After this combo of mixed driving, I got 25.54 mpg, after a 6.28 gallon fill-up after an 8 run auto-X session. A week or so later, when almost empty again, I went back to the same Wawa station & pump, poured in 4 oz. (30 cents worth) of acetone (the tank holds just under 15 gallons), filled up to the auto-off click as before, and began the same driving style as the trial tankfull. Checked tire pressure - OK. This was on June 5th. Temps were averaging 5 to 10 degrees higher, but I suffered, in the interest of good science, & didn't use the A/C. On June 19th, after pretty much duplicating my extra-conservative putting about town, I went back to the Wawa, same pump, & held my breath. At 378 miles of driving, the blue beast swallowed 12.78 gallons - thats, Holy Crap!! 49 miles per gallon!!!!!! No...wait - hit the wrong calc' button. Hmmm....re-do....uh...that's more like 29.57 mpg, vs. the 29.47 on "straight" gas. Aw, shucks. That barely covers the extra 30 cents. Conclusion - Snake oil, but not as tasty. Ron. (gotta try that tornado thingy next!)
__________________
Good s**t happened. 69 was worth the wait. '92 stock semi-pristine ebony - 160K '96 Grand Caravan - 240K '01 Miata SE - 79K '07 Chrysler Pacifica - 60k - future money pit. Last edited by Ron Mummert; 06-21-2006 at 09:48 PM. |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
myth....busted!
__________________
Matt Locker Link 2015 BRZ Limited 6MT 92 Ebony LS-L ECUtune Stage2av1, Z32 MAF, 370cc injectors, TomsSVX intake, BontragerWorks 22mm RSB #003, HID Hi and Lo beams, OT endlink and bushing mods, PWR Aluminum radiator, Harvey's QC shift kit, 2.5" flowmaster 80 exhaust, 17" Michelin Pilot Sport A/S, Poly sway bar bushings, Slotted Bradi rotors, AFBeefcake powdercoated calipers, 97 grill, and a huge set of air horns. 300,000 miles and counting 92 Ebony LS-L. ecutune stage1v4, motorsport 1pc pulley. Garage Queen - sold to Dad in upstate NY 155,000 miles 19 Subaru Ascent Premium - -Hers !. 89 DL 4x4 little red wagon - a.k.a. The immortal suby. 275k R.I.P. |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
I was reading somewhere that you had to try it like 3 times before it started to work though.. Could you try it 2 more times for us and check the 3rd reading?
__________________
Insert Witty Quip Here... No more subie Current Cars: 96 Chevy Caprice Impala SS clone 93 Chevy Full-size blazer Soon: 2002 Honda CBR 954RR |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
__________________
ASE Master and L1 cert. Discounted Repairs I feel a lot more like I do now then I did before. 92 SVX 5spd, (sold),92 SVX Teal, 67 Mustang 351C 5spd, 00 Galant. |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
dont bother with the tornado consumer reports already busted that myth
__________________
- John ASE certified Master Tech W/ X1 Twin City Fleet repair, St. Paul, MN need work done? Have tools will travel
|
#6
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Dan |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Not like I have to agree - it just plain doesn't work whether I agree or not.
__________________
2005 RX-8 Grand Touring 2005 Outback 2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 wagon END OF LINE |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Every 10* gets me about .5mpg. [edit: scratch that. math was off by a decimal. Dunno what my gains are for every 10*] In my test I concluded acetone drops mileage. This point was posited by someone in that thread and I found it to be true.
__________________
"That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." '92 Dark Teal SVX LS-L, >146,000m 3 pedals, 5 speeds., restoration underway. 2012 Honda Insight, slow but cute. Last edited by NikFu S.; 06-22-2006 at 11:01 PM. |
#9
|
||||
|
||||
Ron,
I thought you got a 49mpg before I read the whole story. You want an Instant 40mpg cheap beater? Get something like year 93 1.5 Honda Civic with 5 spd. My friend has one. I can't believe he constantly gets about 40mpg crusing on the hilly I-68 to Jersey. He has a 4dr sdn. If you want to beat him, get a 2dr hatchback from the same version of engine and gearbox. You may miss the power from your 240sx after that. My personal experiences on my cars is, everytime after I do my oil changes, for the first or second tank of gas, I always get 2 or 3 miles better per gallon. After third or fourth tank, it will get to the usual...maybe the oil gets dirtier...
__________________
-SSSVX 92 LS-L TEAL since Aug '01 92 LS-L YELLOW since Mar '05 |
#10
|
||||
|
||||
I always love reading your posts...Ron the Entertainer!
__________________
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato 2013 Cosmic Blue 5spd Evo X GSR 2006 Galaxy Gray 6MT RX-8 (sold) 2006 Steel Gray WRX TR (sold) 1996 Brilliant Red SVX L (sold) |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
My 61 Ford gets 15 more MPH on a really big hill that I pull my camper over, and seems to gain about 5 mpg per tank of 87 octain. I am 'assuming' that since the lead was added as a top cylender lubricant, and gasoline has NO lubricating value, that the difference is because of reduced friction, and some 2 stroke oil would have the same effect. This would result in the DEATH of a cat converter, and should only be tried with NON- cat cars!!! sage advise from an old guy that has tried most things!!
__________________
I'm not a REDNECK! I am an Appalachian-AMERICAN!! "Can't go to work today. The 'voices' said to "Stay home and clean the guns". Most famous Red-Neck last words... " Hey Everybody, Watch This!!) http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn272/subi-crosser/ Jerry |
|
|