zmax = engine damage?

[Dave424]

I remeber back in highschool i had a 1985 civic with 205k miles. And i saw this zmax ad, so went and bought it thinking it would reduce oil consumption.

Next morning when i started the car it smoked a alot, like somebody stuck a smoke grenade in the exhaust.

I think adding a cup of olive oil in the crankcase would do less harm...

Here is one of the statments they make about their product."zMAX does not replace your regular oil. And, using zMAX will not overfill your normal oil level, because it soaks into metal."

 

[SargeGTO]

I dont remember High School. It was the 60's. I've seen pictures though! Looks like I was having a good time

Marketing people are crazy....I blow that marketing stuff off.....and Ol Carol Shelby looks like he is about to "expire" any second on the Zmax commercial....

 

[Dave424]

Also from what I remeber I think the oil additive smelled like kerosene.

 

[SargeGTO]

Did you pour kerosene in your motor young man?
Fess up!

 

[Tempest]

Quote:

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Did you pour kerosene in your motor young man?

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That is entirely possible...I've asked for an MSDS twice and never heard back from them.

 

[mdocod]

lol... I can't believe there are still bottles of stuff like that on shelves, don't the lawsuits ever put hem out of business??? Slick50 should have been gone, zmax, a LOTof them, should be totally GONE...

what is zmax anyways? looks like bottles of mens shampoo.

 

[sw99]

Last I heard, Z-Max was currently being highly reccomended by Cadillac... I wonder if the z-max formula has change at all since it was popular in the early 90's?

 

[Johnny]

Quote:

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I dont remember High School. It was the 60's. I've seen pictures though! Looks like I was having a good time

Marketing people are crazy....I blow that marketing stuff off.....and Ol Carol Shelby looks like he is about to "expire" any second on the Zmax commercial....

---

Sarge, that's good. I don't remember the 60's either. But something deep in my mind tells me I would like to go back.

 

[boxcab]

Snake oil for Madison Avenue-led sheep. Check out the Federal Trade Commission release: FTC sues Speedway

While at the FTC site, be sure to search for info on other such junk, suck as Prolong, Duralube, Slick 50, STP, etc.

 

[RTexasF]

I bought that junk once. I'm glad they had a 30 day money back guarantee at the time cause I took them up on it. Sarge, looks like we both live in the valley.

 

[tenderloin]

boxcab....The end result......


zMAX vs. The FTC Summary CONCORD, NC (March 20, 2003) -

Oil-Chem Research Corp. (Oil-Chem) and Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) announced today a resolution to their dispute with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concerning the advertising of zMAX Power System.

"We at Speedway Motorsports are very pleased that the staff of the Federal Trade Commission has specifically confirmed that Oil-Chem can continue to make the following claims in its advertising and promotion of zMAX,” stated Marylaurel E. Wilks, vice president and general counsel of SMI.

zMAX soaks into metal.

zMAX reduces friction.

zMAX increases horsepower.

zMAX dissipates engine heat.

zMAX helps to improve or restore gas mileage and reduce emissions in older cars, by virtue of reducing engine deposits.

zMAX helps to maintain gas mileage and emissions in newer cars, by virtue of reducing engine deposits.

zMAX helps to reduce engine wear on engine valve-stems and guides and piston rings and skirts, by virtue of reducing engine deposits.

zMAX helps to extend engine life, by virtue of reducing engine deposits.

This confirmation is specified in an exchange of letters with the Division of Enforcement of the FTC. Oil-Chem’s letter lists the tests and other documents that substantiate the zMAX claims (provided by Oil-Chem to the FTC during the litigation), and the FTC responded that no compliance action would be merited as a result of Oil-Chem making such claims.

Oil-Chem and SMI have not admitted any liability in this litigation. However, in order to avoid the significant expense and time involved in the litigation, the FTC, Oil-Chem and SMI have agreed to end the litigation by the signing of an order, which, in summary, states: (a) Oil-Chem and SMI do not admit any liability and continue to deny any liability; (b) The FTC has issued its compliance letter (which confirms that enforcement is not merited for the eight specified claims); (c) Oil-Chem and SMI will not make advertising claims which are not properly substantiated; and (d) Oil-Chem and SMI will offer a refund of up to $1 million, in the aggregate, to certain purchasers of zMAX, who bought zMAX before January 31, 2001. No refund will be offered to purchasers after that date. For more information visit [non-sponsor link] .

zMAX was developed in 1947 by Joe Lencki as Speedway Cocktail. Sold to the racing industry and car dealerships since it development, it has been marketed as zMAX since1989. AVBLEND, the zMAX formula for aviation, is FAA approved for all piston driven aircraft and has been available since 1980. In addition to company efforts to market zMAX through infomercial, zMAX is available at better auto parts stores including Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, Checker, Kargen, Murray's Auto Parts, O'Reilly Auto Parts, PepBoys, Schuck's, Strauss Discount Auto, VIP as well as Target stores and #@$%!'s Wholesale nationwide. zMAX became a part of Speedway Motorsports Inc in 1987.

 

[dailydriver]

Quote:

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...and Ol Carol Shelby looks like he is about to "expire" any second on the Zmax commercial....

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Probably the only reason 'ol Shel signed on with them is to get some extra cash for his charity/foundation for kids with cardiac problems. For this I can forgive him.

 

[rcy]

Quote:

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the zMAX formula for aviation, is FAA approved for all piston driven aircraft and has been available since 1980.

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Do Boeing and Airbus know about this stuff? Think of the fuel savings alone...

 

[Tempest]

I don't think Boeing and Airbus make too many piston driven aircraft anymore.

 

[bheinz57]

Speaking of the 'ol Z

I got money a couple years ago from the class action lawsuit due to their unproven claims. I think it may have been just over $5. I used Z-Max many years ago in my old '93 5.0 Thunderchicken.

Brian

I also still see it on the shelves at auto stores

 

[Trajan]

It's still in stores because it sells. And accordimg to this, they won. http://www.carbibles.com/additives.html


Well on 20th March 2003, Speedway Motorsports Inc. (TRK) and Oil-Chem Research Corp., the manufacturers of zMax, announced that they had settled their dispute with the FTC. The Concord, North Carolina-based Speedway said that the dispute was concerning the advertising of zMAX Power System. Marylaurel E. Wilks, VP and general counsel said, "We at Speedway Motorsports are very pleased that the staff of the Federal Trade Commission has specifically confirmed that Oil-Chem can continue to make the following claims in its advertising and promotion of zMAX:".

•zMAX soaks into metal,
•zMAX reduces friction,
•zMAX increases horsepower,
•zMAX dissipates engine heat,
•zMAX helps to improve or restore gas mileage and reduce emissions in older cars, by virtue of reducing engine deposits,
•zMAX helps to maintain gas mileage and emissions in newer cars, by virtue of reducing engine deposits,
•zMAX helps to reduce engine wear on engine valve-stems and guides and piston rings and skirts, by virtue of reducing engine deposits,
•zMAX helps to extend engine life, by virtue of reducing engine deposits.

 

[Mystic]

Well, I don't know how they won. Maybe the FTC did not want to spend a lot of money in court. After all-money talks.

All I know is-I still would not use the stuff.

I still remember the Indy 500 race car driver who pushed one oil supplement one year, and the next year he was pushing another oil supplement. I can recall the days when people would have 'Valvoline' or 'Pennzoil' painted on the outside of their race car and they were actually using Redline in the engine.

And I still kind of remember this one ZMax commercial where they said something like they had driven this car some incredible number of miles and had realized all of these benefits. The car they showed had just barely come out. Seemed to me kind of unlikely they would have been able to put that many miles on that car-even driving it like a taxi.

I have never used Slick50. But I would use Slick50 before I used a lot of these magic oil supplements. Johnny said that they changed the formulation for Slick50, took the PTFE out, and just have antiwear and antifriction additives in it.

 

[racetek27]

Originally Posted By: Mystic
Well, I don't know how they won. Maybe the FTC did not want to spend a lot of money in court. After all-money talks.

All I know is-I still would not use the stuff.

I still remember the Indy 500 race car driver who pushed one oil supplement one year, and the next year he was pushing another oil supplement. I can recall the days when people would have 'Valvoline' or 'Pennzoil' painted on the outside of their race car and they were actually using Redline in the engine.

And I still kind of remember this one ZMax commercial where they said something like they had driven this car some incredible number of miles and had realized all of these benefits. The car they showed had just barely come out. Seemed to me kind of unlikely they would have been able to put that many miles on that car-even driving it like a taxi.

I have never used Slick50. But I would use Slick50 before I used a lot of these magic oil supplements. Johnny said that they changed the formulation for Slick50, took the PTFE out, and just have antiwear and antifriction additives in it.


Trajan is correct.... zMax conducted successful and extensive independent ASTM/SAE Testing in Vehicles, Lab Test Engines and other various Test's to prove the product works.

Conducting ASTM/SAE testing is the correct way to prove a products value. Their tests can be seen at [non-sponsor link] .

zMax performing the necessary testing accepted by the FTC is how zMax kept their performance claims and can legally advertise them .

Qualified technical people who understand ASTM/SAE testing will know that zMax works. The proof is in the performance of the product.

Also,aircraft operators rely on it FAA APPROVAL to keep their engines dimensionally correct and operating in proper condition. There are no gas stations they can pull over to at 20,000 feet. There is no tougher test for a lubricant relying on it's performance in an air cooled environment where cylinder head temperatures can reach 500 F.

 

[Johnny]

Originally Posted By: Tempest

I've asked for an MSDS twice and never heard back from them.


Here:

[non-sponsor link]

 

[Ben99GT]

Originally Posted By: Johnny

Quote:
I've asked for an MSDS twice and never heard back from them.


Here:

[non-sponsor link]


So it's over 99% white paraffin oil. Sounds like 100% snake oil.