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Can gas-saving device squeeze more miles from tank? HOW IT WORKS
Consumer, auto shop weigh novel gas-saving technology
Date published: 8/31/2008
By RUSTY DENNEN Like millions of Americans, Molly Alcott wants to find some way to squeeze a little more gas mileage out of her car. Alcott, 68, who lives in Orange County, had already done the obvious--changing filters and oil regularly, maintaining proper tire inflation and doing scheduled maintenance on her 2004 Subaru Forester 25X. But she wanted more. She was interested in stretching each gallon of gasoline. "I was looking at a hybrid, but I wanted to keep my Subaru," said Alcott. She went online and was intrigued by a kit she found on the Internet, promising significant mileage increases using a system known as Brown's Gas. It's named after Bulgarian inventor Yull Brown, who The hydrogen-oxygen mixture is cooled and then mixed with gasoline before combustion. Alcott did more reading on the controversial system and decided to try one, buying a kit online for about $1,200. She called Lee Hill Auto Service Center on Lee Hill School Drive in Spotsylvania County to see if technicians there could install it. It happened that Steven May, the shop foreman, was experimenting with a homemade Brown's Gas system on his vehicle, a 1993 Ford Bronco. "I was working on this on my own and talking about it at the shop. A few days later, Molly calls," May said. May had to build brackets to secure the unit to Alcott's car, and the shop charged her about $300 for the installation. Alcott had been getting about 24 miles per gallon in her Subaru. After a week of driving with the system, her mileage was up to about 26. She brought the car in again last week for May to tweak the system after she noticed her miles per gallon had decreased. "If I can get a 5-mile-per-gallon improvement, I'd be very happy," she said after that visit. She figures that 30-plus miles a gallon would pay for the unit in less than a year. She drives about 20,000 miles annually.
Date published: 8/31/2008
It's a perpetual motion machine...
(posted by
Wasp52
, Sep. 2, 2008 12:39 pm)
This is simple electrolysis, as the article mentions. Unfortunately for this lady's bank account, the simple truth is that electrolysis requires more energy than it can produce, or we all would be heating our homes and powering our cars that way already. Her small increase in gas mileage is probably due to better driving techniques, or avoiding a few of VDOT's unsynchronized red lights. Research is more than reading advertising and testimonials.
This does work however...
(posted by
Kelly2004
, Sep. 2, 2008 11:28 am)
I was skeptical as well but have been made a believer. We have a couple ppl that are using this including one who just converted and he does get a little better gas mileage, as stated. However the catch...he and the other users are very good mechanics. They understand how to tweak the system and it took a couple weeks to get the mix right. Even after they do they monitor it closely. Is this something the regular consumer should get, not unless you are well versed in car repair/adjustment.
learn to drive a manual transmission
(posted by
jaeshuan
, Sep. 1, 2008 8:41 pm)
and buy a vehicle with one, you'll save on gas.
3 Yr Payback At Best
(posted by
thatguyb
, Aug. 31, 2008 8:53 pm)
Based on the observations here in this article (one datapoint does not make a trend), the math doesn't add up. The difference in 25mpg & 30mpg, for 20k per year, is about 133 gallons of fuel. At $4, it would take at least 3 yrs to save 1600, not to mention it said it had to be regularly adjusted at a mechanic. I suggest looking at other alternatives, like changing accelleration habits.
mythbusters
(posted by
yathink
, Aug. 31, 2008 7:10 pm)
has already disproved this and various other mileage booster gimmicks out there, this one was in Episode 53 along with the Exploding Pants.
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