Acetone Is Not Recommended. XJBike's Member Alert!

You may have read that adding Acetone to your Fuel Supply will increase gas mileage. There is an active Thread discussing that issue.

After consulting with an Area Yamaha Representative, I have heard enough to NOT Recommend the practice to Forum Members.

Plastic and Rubber Parts are subject to attack from the chemical. The chemical will destroy some parts that would be expensive to repair.

Petcock O-ring and Diaphragm
Plastic Float Valve Body Screen Filter Anchors.
O-ring Seals on Float Valve Bodies.
Float Needle Ends.
Plastic Composition Floats
Throttle Shaft Seals.
Rubber Diaphragms.
Pilot Mixture Mini O-rings ... to name a few.

The Forum does not recommend you use Acetone.
You do so at your own risk.

Respectfully,
Rick Massey

 

stuff that...acetone is basiacally nail polish remover, I woudn;t put that anywhere near my bike....

 

Should make people think twice about dumping a full can of carb cleaner in their tank when it's meant for, what, 50 gallons or so. Leaky petcock anyone?

 

No thanks, I just had one.

 

No matter what Rick, the oil company spokesman, has to say I think we need to start doing something to counteract all the additives the oil companies are putting into the gas to cause us to get LESS mileage, nasty stuff like ethanol and ether. Here they put ethanol in half the year and ether the other half of the year, there's no place you can buy pure, unadulterated gas without that crap in it. Chevron even advertises they put some kind of cleaner in their gas called Techron and who knows what that is! If you guys don't like acetone then what do you recommend to counteract the ethanol? Does anyone have any good suggestions?
Also, won't plain gas also remove nail polish? Maybe Rick uses nail polish but I don't and I don't plan to put any in my tank so why do I care what takes it off and what doesn't? LOL

 

What about Acetone in my coffee?

 

That's fine. It'll just vaporize better when it comes out the other end :mrgreen:

 

You know, there's a reason we refer to Arizona inhabitants as "Zonies"...

Chevron does. Short answer: it's a fuel injector cleaner. If you have the XJCDs, browse through and you'll note there's a discussion as to whether it works on carbureted bikes or not, and whether Seafoam should be used instead. But...but.... THEY don't want you to buy the cds... they want your bike to run worse, so you'll buy more gas!

Right?

Tell me, do you think the oil companies are run by white male alien reptilian shape-shifting Freemasons bent on enslaving the planet? Be honest, now...

You're the resident Keeper of the Blue Flame, then.

 

Techron is also used to clean vavles... good stuff. acetone and other solvents... Not so good for the bike or any motor.

 

I never ever used anything except sea foam. not for milage but just to clean the system. here is an experiement. get a short piece of feul line half inch or so. put it in a glass or steel container cover it with acetone. drink a beer, go to bed. and see if its goo when you wake up. good post rick.

 

Also not recommended as a fuel additive:


cottage cheese
play-doh
portland cement


Just my opinion, others may differ.

 

Ohhhhh no cottage cheese? Man I thought I was on to something for a while there.

 

Will other brands of cement work better than portland as a gas additive? If you try it, give us your results ha ha ha!

 

Just stay away from the synthetic cement.

 

I hear that Chevron is planning to start putting techron in their synthetic blinker fluid, beginning in January. Other oil companies are sure to follow.

 

yah, that stuff wreaks havoc on muffler bearings...

 

After all the work I've done the last couple of days on my blinkers (thanks Rick, et al), you can bet your bippy that I'm only using the best synthetic blinker fluid money can buy!

That goes in the battery, right? After the lead powder?

--J

 

Well I took my carbs off and took them apart to clean them today to get all the summer's dust from dust storms out and there was absolutely nothing wrong, the floats didn't melt or anything and the fuel line didn't catch fire either, I just got better mileage. They actually looked a bit cleaner then usual so all you nervous Nellies can stop worrying and Rick should change his name to Chicken Little!

 

Good to see an experiment totally out of the ball park.

Got to remember dilution factors here. Nobodies suggesting to use any additive 100%

So long as the ratios are kept around 25:1 then acetone or any other additive is not going to do any damage unless you leave it in there for long periods. Even then, it will probably go off before doing damge.

I'd almost put money on seafoam having some form of acetate in it anyway.

Remember the old days when we used to put meths in the tank to dilute the water in the tank. At 100%, that stuff would soften things up too.

I use injector cleaner in my tank and it helps clean out some of the crap that comes with the gas.

In short, it won't do any damage if diluted sufficiently.

And the choice is always yours.

 

Well, ...
I did consult with a Yamaha Technical Expert BEFORE I Posted the Warning.

I suppose I could consult with a Chemist. I can do that. Harvard and M-I-T are just down the street.

I'm cool with not recommending a potentially harmful chemical to Members fuel systems.

Seems like the prudent thing to do.

And, ... That's "Mister Little" to you!

 

Peep!
I don't recall reading anything anywhere that recommended the use of acetone in the first place. 'Taint natural if you ask me.

 

I'm aware that it's powerful stuff, but diluted at <1oz/5 gal of gas could it really do much damage? That's over 500:1.
Second tank of it now in the car and still on the first tank on the bike.

Personally I've experienced a 3 (22->25) MPG increase in my 86 Accord driving my first tank with that ratio of acetone. I have yet to refill my bike tank and get an MPG reading with acetone (w/o was 50).

This is one of those things, both sides to the argument are so convincing... Results will speak to me, and I'll be waiting to inspect the rings and floats of both vehicles.. I hope I'm not in for a doozie of repair...

 

I have heard of putting Acetone in diesel fuel to get better mileage but never in gas. I just buy the non oxygenated fuel at the station down the street. It says right on the pump for motorcycles, classic cars, off road equipment.

 

From what I can find, this non-oxygenated fuel seems to also be called racing fuel, I always just assumed it was high (like 120ish) octane. Only one station around here (60mi) sells it, I assumed it was for guys in their little ricers street racing and whatnot...

 

I've ran .25 oz/gal of acetone in my 1990 Audi V8 for over 70,000 miles now. I get 3+ mpg increase and much better performance. The reason: The car requires 93 octane for optimum performance. If it gets less the 02 sensor tells the CPU to dial the timing back - up to three settings - depending on how low the octane is, to avoid detonation. The acetone may not increase the octane, but it does increase 02 output so the sensors don't signal the CPU to dial back the timing. Why does the acetone work? With the right mixture, it lowers the surface tension of the fuel, that allows for much better atomization, resulting in more efficient combustion. Not only do I get better gas mileage, along with a chip, it also allows the car to reach a top speed of 155 mph. No problems at all!

 

next topic: removing excess cement from my fuel tank...

 

here its 90 octane like old premium fuel. but no lead.

 

hmm and guys thoughts spilling brake fluid and gas on the tank ruined there paint LOL!! just spill a little acetone on there that can ruin a day. Umm I'll just stick with good old gasoline. I have enough to aworry about with what the oil companies put in than trying to add to the problem myself. esp. for hte miniscule gain and hassle of keeping more things in the saddlebags.

Oh and i need to take a pic I actually do have blinker fluid!!!
sorto thx to a PO the cracked turn signal lense let water in and it will fill about 1/4 way LOL!!

 

I knew a guy who bought a case of rubbing alcohol a week and dumpped 3 bottles at every fill up .

hes wasn't saving anything at all. the money he spent on the alcohol and gaskets he was doing much worse.

want better gas milage get a moped. some get as much as 100 mpg. . me ? I am happy with the 45-50 I get to mess with other chemicals . but I do search for gas with higher octane and no ethanol

 

you forgot that rubbing alcohol has water in it to...

just run her on some shine