z max

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Does anyone know if this stuff really works, is it just another snake oil additive that claims to clean carbon from your engine and soak into the metal parts to micro lube parts but is just baby oil ?
 
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Does anyone know if this stuff really works, is it just another snake oil additive that claims to clean carbon from your engine and soak into the metal parts to micro lube parts but is just baby oil ?


There is no valid scientific evidence that it does either.
 
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Actually, after the 2001/2003 Federal lawsuit, they re-formulated zmax and re-tested it with independent scientists and it did what they claimed. Read the full text on the FTC sight.
 
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I'm an open minded individual so over the years I've tried pretty much everything once.
If the stuff didn't help fuel economy I never bought it again.
Mos2 is the only product I've used that I can repeatably improve fuel consumption when I use it.
So I don't bother with anything else anymore,other than ceratec and I use ceratec first for its anti-wear properties then mos2 for the fuel economy gain.
In 4 cylinder engines I've not been able to note any noticeable fuel consumption benefit however on v6 and v8 engines I can,so to each there own.
This xado stuff might work however I won't be trying it,not when mos2 costs 8 bucks a can,and works.
 
There is a guy on this forum running it in his diesel and really likes the stuff.

A very well respected member on this forum (Johnny, might be gone now) was very well educated on zmax and said it was a good product.

Like previously said in this thread, Zmax had to get some of its claims validated to a certain extent in the court of law and did so. Their products are not snake oil but I don't think any product like this will provide you enough benefits to really blow your mind.
 
Originally Posted By: badtlc
There is a guy on this forum running it in his diesel and really likes the stuff. A very well respected member on this forum (Johnny, might be gone now) was very well educated on zmax and said it was a good product.

Like previously said in this thread, Zmax had to get some of its claims validated to a certain extent in the court of law and did so. Their products are not snake oil but I don't think any product like this will provide you enough benefits to really blow your mind.

Okay, but what's in it to make it special? According to the MSDS, it is >99% mineral oil. There's nothing wrong with that, but you might use TCW3 or a host of other products that are primarily mineral oil. Since the manufacturer says you can add it to oil or fuel, that limits some of the possible mystery ingredients that might be used.

It really sounds like a close cousin of MMO... except that it's 6 times the price and not as readily available.
 
mikered30,

If I remember the FTC's final conclusion....zMAX was nothing more than some sort of refined "mineral oil" and that's all.
They were also ordered by the court to redefine all the claims they made because of the testing.

Personally if that's the case then I'd rather try XADO product instead but the other side of me tells me to be cautious. If the claims are too good then it;s too good to be true.

Durango
 
Originally Posted By: Durango
If I remember the FTC's final conclusion....zMAX was nothing more than some sort of refined "mineral oil" and that's all. They were also ordered by the court to redefine all the claims they made because of the testing.

Z-Max was another name for Lenckite also known as Linkite and also known as Avblend. Avblend is still sold as an FAA Approved oil additive. All of these products are primarily refined mineral oil - they do not claim to be anything else. There is an interesting history of this group of products on the Avblend website. If you google 'Avblend' or 'Lenckite' there is more information on the web, much of it related to piston aircraft.

The FTC complaint was about Z-Max's advertising claim that it 'soaked into metal'. The FTC settlement agreement specifically permitted Z-Max to continue making this advertising claim. This was an agreed settlement - not a court order. Z-Max also agreed to establish a fund to refund the purchase price to purchasers (before a certain cutoff date) if the purchaser wanted a refund. It is unclear if there were many takers on this refund offer. All things considered, Z-Max pretty clearly held the high ground in this FTC matter.
 
Originally Posted By: dave5358

Z-Max was another name for Lenckite also known as Linkite and also known as Avblend. Avblend is still sold as an FAA Approved oil additive.


Be aware that FAA approval is not proof of efficacy, only that the product was proven to do no harm.

Ed
 
True. I could just as easily sell 1-ounce bottles of plain AeroShell as an "additive" and I could get FAA approval.

Originally Posted By: edhackett
Originally Posted By: dave5358
Z-Max was another name for Lenckite also known as Linkite and also known as Avblend. Avblend is still sold as an FAA Approved oil additive.

Be aware that FAA approval is not proof of efficacy, only that the product was proven to do no harm.

Ed
 
Originally Posted By: Durango
mikered30,

If I remember the FTC's final conclusion....zMAX was nothing more than some sort of refined "mineral oil" and that's all.
They were also ordered by the court to redefine all the claims they made because of the testing.

Personally if that's the case then I'd rather try XADO product instead but the other side of me tells me to be cautious. If the claims are too good then it;s too good to be true.

Durango


You remember incorrectly. Zmax was allowed to continue making all of its prior advertising claims EXCEPT one regarding a specific increase in gas mileage.
 
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