I've seen an infomercial about zMax and thought I'd see what kind of thread this would start.

If you haven't seen it, Carol Shelby is putting it in all of his new Series 1 cars (I've read about this car for a couple of years and it sounds cool!) AJ Foyt also uses it and both are interviewed in the infomercial. The website doesn't have the whole interview of either but has some quotes. Here's the zMax website zMax

Quick summary, it's a package of lubrication additives to add to your engine oil, tranny and fuel. It contains Linkite. It's very small molecule, a micro-lubricant, they describe it's size compared to oil as what a golf ball is to a basketball, highly refined petrolium lubricant that impregnates the metal keeping it "wet" as well as cleaning carbon deposits etc. It also keeps deposits from forming again.

So here we go. Will this thread be a war of lube's? Will it be a dud? There a a lot more people out there that know a lot more about lubricants than I do so let's hear your opinion.

 

Once again, one more case of snake oil. Let me ask you one simple question. How is it that auto manufacturers and oil companies, each of whom puts billions of dollars into research every year, never find these "discoveries"? How come it is that some second rate podunk company, with a marketing budget much larger than its R&D budget, is able to come up with such "miracle cures"?

The fact is that like all others, ZMax is worthless at best, and could create engine damage at worst. Why is it that nowhere on the ZMax website is there an actual description of what is in the product? "Micro molecules"? What bazz fazz! Water is one of the smallest micromolecules around. You want that in your engine?

But, don't take my word for it. The FTC has filed a suit against the makers of ZMax for fraud and misleading advertising. See

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/zmax1.htm

The only that that ZMax will do for sure is extract money out of your wallet.

 

That in the FTC's standard tests, bearings had twice as much corrosion when ZMax was used as when plain old motor oil was used. ZMax is pure unadulterated crap.

 

This is a good start!

You have to wonder about Carol Shelby and his claim that zMax will be in every Series 1 car produced. Hmm, have any been produced yet?????

 

ouch! as much as tinted mineral water (http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/zmax1.htm)! im glad i never bought that stuff, I'd seen it before and I thought about too! Atleast I never had quite that much disposable income to go buy that garbage.

 

My guess it's all marketing and endorsement fees that is his motivation. I'd claim that too, if they paid me enough......................

I thought most sanctioned racing bodies forbid the use of engine additives and the like..............

Just a thought. No proof or anything. Just the knowledge of what the power of the mighty dollar will do to people.

 

TTT

Man, I thought this would surely stir up some emotions!

 

Ouch this hurts....I tried it......snake oil. It didn't do a thing for my truck, I guess it will be SFR for now on.

 

I must admit, those infomercials are powerful stuff. If I sit through 1/2 hour of some guy pouring a bucket of sand over a 500ci V8 engine running at 4000 rpm with no valve covers, no oil pan and ( obviously ) no oil, it's all I can do to keep my Visa card away from the 1-800 operators standing by awaiting my call. I think that was the Pro-Lube commercial. I guess that's the secret of being a good snake oil salesman--make a worthless product seem absolutely essential. Glad I had the power to resist.