E85Forum.com

rmay635703

Long ago I remember reading something about either ether or some other light material improving the mileage when using e85 and now I can't find the post on the sight.

Anyone remember this? Also where do you get cheap ether to test this theory?

Thus far I am getting 19-20mpg on my big 350 1993 Suburban using 1/4-1/3 tank e85 and mystery oil.

Anyone ever see this before?

hotrod · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 812 Location: Colorado

No never heard that one before.

Ether is too volitile to use as a major fuel component. That is why it is used in starting fluids because it evaporates very easily (in hot weather would cause vapor lock in low pressure systems if in the fuel) , and it has very wide flamability limits.

You may be thinking of something else but I doubt it is ether.

Larrt

rmay635703 · Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 8:48 am Post subject:

I'm pretty sure it was ether as I remember asking myself, Where would I get that? A chem lab maybe?

It was over 12 months ago, the individual said for each additional ounce he added to his tank of e85 his mileage would go up slightly. I remember other forum members saying the substance was more damaging to hoses and rubber than ethanol and I know it wasn't any type of oil.

Though I have been getting good results with mystery oil and a mix of e85 in my suburban it was only getting about 15mpg for the last year and running craptaskic so I figured what the hey and started adding relatively small amounts of e85 to each tank with the normal dose of Mystery oil (mineral spirits) and my milage went up and has stayed up though I only burn about 1/4-1/3 of a tank of e85. on this old beasty I fear too much and I will eventually end up sitting on the side of the road with a bad fuel pump or worse.

Cheers
Ryan

Alcohol · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 567 Location: Central Wisconsin

Ryan- I'll bet it was acetone- if so, better be careful with it. Paint and hoses do not like it. It is in nail polish remover and some paint remover products. Personally- I would avoid acetone.

BURNALCOHOL · Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 50 Location: Raymond,NE

rmay635703 · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:23 pm Post subject:

You are right, I believe it was acetone, the question is why would that increase fuel economy?

rmay635703 · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:46 pm Post subject:

Hmm, see if I can find a place without alcohol in the fuel and maybe I will give a test run or 3.

http://www.lubedev.com/smartgas/faq.htm

I found that place, he is either lying or has some grain of truth.

Cheers

Alcohol · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 567 Location: Central Wisconsin

Ryan- it was an endless discussion on Gas Buddy.com and the theory was this was a secret the oil companies did not want you to know about. It supposedly would improve gasoline's atomization thus improving the % of fuel converted to useful energy. Like Burnalcohol states, it reportedly does not work in alcohol. I suspect it may have some cleaning effect since it is a solvent and most users reported it worked best every third tank or so.

Again it would be very bad for your paint and if you were to use it I would inject it into your filler neck and quickly fill the tank with gas to prevent it's action on your tank filler hose. I am not sure what it might do to filter housings and some plastics.You can buy it at paint stores. I will not take a chance with it myself. My recollection is that they were adding 1 and 1/2 ounce per 10 gallons every third tank.

hotrod · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 812 Location: Colorado

Fredster · Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 111