Can I Run My Car on Water?

Arnaldo Collazo is intrigued by email that suggests he can power his SUV with water instead of gas. But like most other consumers who have seen the solicitations, he wonders whether the claim is true. “Can you tell me if this is a scam? I’m interested because I spend a lot of money on gas,” he explained.

Email and pop-up ads for water to gas technology are popular these days. Most solicitations boast about new technology that makes it possible to run a car or truck on nothing more than tap water. Another variation involves pills that allegedly turn tap water into gas. But investigators say the magic pills are nothing but common mothballs.

With gasoline prices at record highs, consumers are obviously interested in getting more miles per gallon. However, here is what you have to remember. While many of the so-called gas saving systems are theoretically possible, they are not a quick fix, nor has there been much independent testing of the most popular commercially available ones.

Water4gas is not a snap your fingers product, the Auto Repair Information Blog notes.

It’s a complicated system that can take a lot of man-hours to reach its full potential. The general consensus is rhat you may get better milage if you invest enough effort in understanding the system, have a four-cylinder car and use the car primarily for highway driving. But the system is clearly not for everyone.

Auto mechanic Mark Gittelman, founder of both Auto Repair Information Blog and AutoFacts.org, warns consumers may not get what they expect if they respond to an ad for a water for gas product. “What the websites may not make clear is that you are not purchasing a ready to install system. What you are paying for is an education in ways to increase your fuel economy plus the directions to build your own hydrogen on demand system,” he said.

For motorists who have never even changed their own oil, building a hydrogen generator to power your car is not likely to be easy.

The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers to be wary of any gas-saving claims. Most don’t work, it reports—and the few that do offer only minor improvements in mileage. All of them have the long-term potential to harm the cars or negatively affect performance, the agency adds. You can read more about the test results here.

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