# Anyone know or heard of this? Platinum Gasaver Guaranteed to Increase mpg by 22% **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2000, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705 "2000-09-19T09:01:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quisling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47c2d/32.png) [@Quisling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quisling)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/1 "2000-09-19T09:01:36Z")
I recently bought one of these suckers off Ebay for like $15 and have seen them go for $90. I am still in the process of getting it and supposedly you hook this thing up to the air intake of your engine and it adds platinum or something and increases your mpg by a guaranteed 22%. I am mainly just curious if anyone out there has heard of them or know if they really work or has experience with it or whatever. thanx ---
**Author:** ![Lazarus7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@Lazarus7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazarus7)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/2 "2000-09-19T09:42:32Z")
I would doubt it … but i have been wrong before (even wrong today once … well twice …) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/3 "2000-09-19T13:07:55Z")
The only way it might improve gas milage is if your car has a crappy air intake system to begin with. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/4 "2000-09-19T13:22:32Z")
I’m truly sorry for you - you should have asked in GQ before buying. I and many others would have been happy to illustrate why it is a F R A U D. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/5 "2000-09-19T15:56:47Z")
A very similar product is debunked [here](http://skepdic.com/inset.html) ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/6 "2000-09-19T18:25:17Z")
Cheap + Easy + Guaranteed Results = **FRAUD** If it were this quick and easy, don’t you think that all the car makers would be doing this to meet CAFE standards? Report this bitch to Ebay. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/7 "2000-09-19T20:02:42Z")
(cough)sucker(cough) ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/8 "2000-09-19T21:55:35Z")
There are things you can do to increase the fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine. This isn’t one of them. The two most direct methods are to increase the compression ratio and to raise the peak temperature. Unfortunately, both these increase production of pollutants faster than they increase fuel mileage, so the automakers don’t go there. FWIW, the volumetric efficiency (the ability to get air in and out of the engine efficiently) of automobile engines is already pretty high and is a function of engine geometry, not platinum injectors. Finally, if there’s any appreciable amount of platinum in this device it’s worth a lot more than $15. So not only did you buy a device that doesn’t do what it says it will do, it isn’t even what it says it is. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/9 "2000-09-19T22:51:59Z")
The [Federal Trade Commission](http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos/gasave.htm) and [Click and Clack](http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Archive/2000/May/02.html) say the Platinum Gasaver doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/10 "2000-09-19T22:56:45Z")
Also, raising the exhaust temp also increases the chances of detonation and is a key indicator of an engine running too lean and suffering from fuel starvation. So with the greater gas mileage, you’d also have to run a higher octane fuel, and more durable spark plugs, thereby negating the gains of efficiency with added cost. You don’t want your EGT pre 02 sensor to be more than about 1450\* farenheit. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/11 "2000-09-19T23:01:30Z")
Of course, I forgot to mention flecking and dotting of aluminum heads above during detonation. BTW, the volumetric efficiency of modern engines, while much better than a ‘classic’ engine, is still nowhere near 100%, due to the tendancy of engine designers to manufacture cams with overlapping valves. Forced induction is the only way to get to (and past) 100%, because it makes the engine ‘think’ it has a larger combustion chamber to work with, while keeping the original displacement. Now, don’t get me started on electrical induction chargers. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/12 "2000-09-20T02:16:17Z")
Why does water injection work? How does spraying a fine mist of water sprayed into the intake help power? ---
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/13 "2000-09-20T12:09:47Z")
Water injection works by decreasing detonation (premature ignition). If you have water injection, you can run at higher compression ratios than customarily used (some say you can go ashigh as 11:1,); whereas 9:1 or 10:1 is usually the practical limit for gasoline engines. At higher compression ratios, your engine is more efficient. The downside is-water injection is very difficult to fit on a car engine-the metering is complex 9too much is bad, too little doesn’t help). It was used in WWII airplane engines, as a temporary boost (to enable a pilot to get away froma persuing aircraft). I believe that the Grumman “HELLCAT” dive bomber used it; you had about 15 minutes of water, and it would raise your airspeed by about 50 knots/hour. Some race car engines have used it, but it is way too complex for a passenger car. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/14 "2000-09-20T15:32:18Z")
Not to mention the corrosion properties of water. Platinum? It’s very expensive, like $400 per oz. These things must have but a trace, if any. Maybe theyd on’t have any platinum, its just the name? ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/15 "2000-09-22T04:51:26Z")
Water injection is normally done with a secondary fuel injector run into the fuel line itself. You add a reservoir and mix 9 parts water and 1 part ATF. Yeah, sounds odd, I know. Water injection pretty much eliminates detonation by dramatically lowering the combustion chamber temperature. Most people who do water injection use a modified NOS kit, in fact, I’ve seen a wet sump NOS system set up to do water injection at the same time. It was a nice rig, but surely a pain in the ass. It’s uncommon, but not rare, in street/strip use. Of course, we can also speak of water injection on a FMIC, if you’d like. Handy, the water is in the chamber momentarily at best. It doesn’t corrode. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/16 "2000-09-22T05:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by egkelly \* > \*\*Water injection works by decreasing detonation (premature ignition). If you have water injection, you can run at higher compression ratios than customarily used (some say you can go ashigh as 11:1,); whereas 9:1 or 10:1 is usually the practical limit for gasoline engines. \*\* Do they actually (somehow) change the compression ratio when they injected water (for the short bursts)? I can’t even begin to imagine how one would do that. Or can water injection help (if done right) even at a constant compression ratio? ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-or-heard-of-this-platinum-gasaver-guaranteed-to-increase-mpg-by-22/33705/17 "2000-09-22T06:58:09Z")
It doesn’t alter the compression ratio any more than minutely. The only reason it even minutely alters the compression ration is because water is uncompressable. Re-read my post, I explained it all. Detonation occurs when the fuel is too hot. Water injection lowers the temperature in the combustion chamber, thus removing the possibility of detonation. –Tim