Saving Gas by HHO Acetone and Hypermiling

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It’s amazing how the price of oil changes everything. I love that oil futures picture. Now, there are a lot of things playing into that equation: value of the dollar, supply, demand, speculation, etc. I’ll let the economists haggle those things out. But the common interpretation seems to be that there will be a correction back off this tremendous inflation of cost and then more of the same – uptrending. How fast and how soon? I’ve read all types of theories. But one thing is for sure, this trend has gotten folks interested in energy conservation. And there are all types of ideas floating around out there. They all aim to save you gas, but do they work?

I heard about acetone addition to fuel recently. Acetone is actually an ingredient in most fuel additives you use off the shelf. If you add it to your tank you will notice that your engine runs smoother. You may also get increased mileage, though that will be pretty negligible. Acetone is incredibly evaporative. If you spill some, notice how quick it disappears. If you use Acetone addition, you want to use 2.5-3 oz per 10 gallons. That seems to be the best on the performance curve. I would also like to hear if others have running results from Acetone use. I’m pretty if folks get better mileage that it will be small. Also, don’t get Acetone on paint – it will kill your paint job!

Now, HHO, or Brown’s Gas, is something that is really getting attention as of late. People are making their own electrolysis-on-demand units that help produce the HHO gas. This gas is then fed into the air intake and/or intake manifold to be burned. The fun thing about this idea is how passionate people get on both sides. You will assuredly get folks screaming that it’s a scam and that it won’t/can’t work. Then there are others who are reporting gains of 10-50% in mileage. In any case, I’m going to test it. Are you doing this? I would love to hear your results!

Hypermiling seems to be the newest sub culture. And it’s not just teens or penny pinchers who are doing it. There are people of all ages getting involved. What is hypermiling? Hypermiling is simply gaining significant mileage returns by changing your driving habits. What people fail to realize is that you can achieve gains of 30% by doing some simple things. That is the essence of hypermiling. Getting great results just by altering your driving style. Now, they also recommend that you remove any extra weight from your vehicle if possible, inflate tires to recommended pressure, and make sure to remove any ski or bike racks.

Now, the mantra of hypermiling is avoid braking. Braking is seriously inefficient. Trail cars in front of you more so you can avoid braking. Also, accelerate slower and coast down hills. And, again, avoid braking. Don’t be foolish and tail cars, but avoid using them as much as possible. Using the air on the highway doesn’t appreciably hurt mileage. So, if you’re burning up, turn the air on. That probably doesn’t apply for city driving though. When you know you will be stopping, let off the gas, or kick in the clutch. Coast to that thing. Don’t accelerate to it. Also, travel the highway at 60mph. Going above 60mph gets inefficient very quickly. Document your mpg for a few weeks before and a few weeks after.

Here’s a simple recipe to calculate mpgs. Fill up. Reset your trip meter. When you fill up again, simply record how many gallons it took to fill up your tank. Now, divide that into your miles. Reset your trip meter and repeat. Now, I want to add some tips for saving fuel at the pump. You should fill up at the coldest times of the day. It has to do with vapor in the tanks. You should also fill up slowly, not at the fastest rate! Use the lowest speed notch. Again, about vapors. And you should fill up with half or quarter tank left. Once again, it’s about vaporization.

Some hypermilers enjoy a 100% gain in mpg. Now, some of their techniques include fast turns, drafting behind trucks, etc.  You should use caution if you try this stuff.  Drive sensibly.  It doesn’t do you any good to get 100mpg if you’re dead!  If you have other tips, please share them!

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