Z-max... does it work, or no? - Dodge Dakota Forum

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Fenris Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 10/25/2002 06:47:08	Subject: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: I've seen the infomercial for Z-max a few times... It claims to micro-lubricate the inside of the engine, cleaning all carbon deposits and keeping deposits from building up again, and restoring gas mileage, preventing blow-back, and increasing the life of the engine.. Now, I don't pay attention to infomercials, but this stuff, if it can do what it claims, seems like something I might buy. And my mom's old car could certainly use it if it does really work. So, has anyone actually had an experience with this stuff, and can say if it actually works? http://www.zmax.com/
TurboGuy Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 10/25/2002 07:31:45	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: in a word....NO!!! Dont believe that crap. There is a reason why they have infomercials. They tried to sponsor a race I was once in. Kept asking me to put some decals on my bike and use their product. I said no (and so did the rest of the racers..lol) Microlube....lol thats funny. Spend your money on important things, like good oils and tools.
TurboGuy Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 10/25/2002 07:34:04	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: IF your looking for something that does actually work, try Redlines FI cleaner. Mix it according to the instructions (less is more!) and drive the vehicle a few thousand miles. Also keep your fuel filters clean!
Fenris Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 10/25/2002 07:50:18	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: K, thanks for clearing that up.:) I need to clean my fuel injectors, actually... And the rear-differential as well.
sandman Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 10/26/2002 10:42:02	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: It is doubtful if it does what it claims. If it did do what it claims I think it would be of limited benifit. Most of the rough open metal in an engine is the block. What good would it do for most of this stuff to be coating your block? Lynkite(sp) has been used in Aircraft for a long time and I have never seen a bad oil sample due to Lynkite. With this said all this would prove is that it is not hurting the aircraft engine it does not tell us that it is doing any good for the engine. So I would invest in a good synthetic like Amsoil, Mobil 1, Redline or NEO and leave the snake oils alone!!! Better to spend money on proven products then speculate on unproven products.
bj Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 10/31/2003 16:16:13	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: Haven't seen the commericals for this stuff..there are some famous people endorsing it..wonder how much they are getting paid to do this? The question I have is if it's so good why is'nt put into motor oil already? It seems to me the oil companies would increase their sales.
AmsoilSponsor DakotaEnthusiast 10/31/2003 17:00:21	Amsoil = www.american-synthetic-oil.com IP: Logged Message: bj, I have made many posts here (search under Slick 50, zMax, MMO, Marvel Mystery Oil) regarding the HAZARDS of using any additives. There are a few good advantages to additives ... but VERY few. It's the fact that oil chemistry is a science and many hours and lots of $$$ goes into blending oil. To think that an additive maker can come out with something that works in improving the quality of an oil without disturbing the existing oil's chemistry is definitely not thinking about the long term consequences. Chemistry clash is a good reson not to mix differant oils and/or additives to achieve your own "homebrew". Steven Roark , Amsoil Dealer , Proud Sponsor of www.DodgeDakotas.com AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils, Lubricants, Filtration, and Truck Care Products
Vic Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 10/31/2003 23:35:14	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: There was a recent suit against them because they overcharged people for the product because it did not deliver all that they said it would. I was a part of the suit and received a partial refund. Does that answer your questions?
AmsoilSponsor DakotaEnthusiast 11/01/2003 14:53:28	Amsoil Dealer discusses zMax IP: Logged Message: First, zMax's secret ingredient, "Linkite", mixed with mineral oil, was used as a preservative against rust during WW2 on aircraft engines shipped by sea to England. The rest is " TV Infomercial Spin". I try to keep my posts free of discrediting another manufacturers products. EXCEPT, when it comes to additives. The way additives are sold to the public really pisses me off ... so here goes: -------------------------------------------------- zMax Power System: Oil-Chem Research Corp., a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports Inc. (yeah, the guys who own all those NASCAR tracks), have been marketing this kit of three additives: one each for oil, fuel, and transmission. They claim rather impressive gains with the product, and claim that their results are laboratory-proven. The FTC disagreed with this assessment, and in a suit for a permanent injunction the FTC accused Oil-Chem of falsifying the test results. The FTC also charged that zMax is nothing but mineral oil, and that it actually causes a 50% increase in bearing wear, proven by Oil-Chem's own testing! Oil-Chem didn't take this lying down, and Federal Trade Commission v. Speedway Motorsports went unresolved for quite a while. One of the more creative assertions in defense of zMax was that the benefits of using zMax need not be backed by "competent and scientific evidence", but only "reasonable basis" (the "lower your expectations and we'll meet them" defense). Finally, in one of the more convoluted additive rulings, both sides have claimed victory: the FTC has restricted zMax advertising and imposed a $1 million mandatory consumer refund, while Oil-Chem is ecstatic to still be able to advertise that zMax helps your car by reducing engine deposits. Unfortunately the settlement doesn't address the issue of whether zMax is little more than colored mineral oil. The bottom line seems to be that zMax works as a solvent of some kind, so if you have a sludged-up engine it may help clean it up. Oil-Chem apparently has documentation to back its claims but, for whatever reason, doesn't want the public to see it. BOTTOM LINE ... this is what the FTC determined ... ... "zMax is nothing but mineral oil". -------------------------------------------------- Use any aftermarket additive at your own risk. -------------------------------------------------- Other "Snake Oils" that have been the subject of FTC investigations, fines, etc. DuraLube: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9905/duralub2.htm ProLong: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9909/prolong.htm MotorUp http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9904/motorup5.htm Slick-50 http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/9607/slick.htm -------------------------------------------------- To request a FREE Amsoil Catalog click the following link. Steven Roark , Amsoil Dealer , Proud Sponsor of www.DodgeDakotas.com AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils, Lubricants, Filtration, and Truck Care Products
fastdak Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 11/01/2003 23:21:19	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: i put some of this crap in my winter beater/work car. i just changed the oil after running it for 3000mi. no difference in performance,but the oil was very black! looked like i ran it for 10,000mi. this car has 137,000 mi on it. save your money !
fastdak Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 11/01/2003 23:24:49	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: i put some of this crap in my winter beater/work car. i just changed the oil after running it for 3000mi. no difference in performance,but the oil was very black! looked like i ran it for 10,000mi. this car has 137,000 mi on it. save your money !
01Motorsport Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 11/02/2003 21:37:39	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: Z-max sponsors the "John Boy and Billy" show! There you go.
Diesel Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 11/03/2003 18:02:42	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: I love Diesel, If you want to clean a gear box(differential too) Drop all the oil, refill with Diesel fuel. Have the wheels off of the ground and run the truck in gear (high) for twenty minutes or so. Drain the gearbox completely and let drain overnight. refill with regular lube and run as/per usual. I also use this method to clean the inside of an OLD engine. Drain oil, change filter, fill crankcase with diesel (and 1qt of DextronII) Idle the engine for about 20+ min. DO NOT PLACE ENGINE UNDER ANY LOAD!! Drain crankcase,let stand with plug out overnight. change filter, refill with regular lube. Do another oil change after about 1000mi. Your engine will be clean as a whistle inside. I have successfully used these methods on older vehicles, and would definately do it to a newer diff, but probably not a newer engine.
Pete Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 2/03/2004 10:10:44	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: I want my $$$$$$$$ back. FTC Sues Speedway Motorsports and Oil-Chem Subsidiary Performance Claims For zMax Auto Additives Are Unsubstantiated, FTC Charges The Federal Trade Commission has filed suit in U. S. District Court seeking to halt false and misleading advertising for zMax auto additives and has asked the court to order refunds to consumers who bought the products. The agency alleges that enhanced performance claims for the product are unsubstantiated, that tests cited to support performance claims actually demonstrated that motor oil treated with zMax produced more than twice as much bearing corrosion than motor oil alone, and that the three different products - an engine additive, a fuel line additive and a transmission additive - were all actually tinted mineral oil. zMax is manufactured by Oil-Chem, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Speedway, based in Concord, North Carolina, operates NASCAR race tracks in the South and in California, in addition to marketing the zMax products. According to the FTC complaint, since at least May 1999, zMax ran infomercials touting its "Power System," a $39 package of three additives to be used in the engine, fuel line and transmission of automobiles. The infomercials feature testimonials from consumers and race car drivers making claims such as, "I was averaging about 22 miles to the gallon on the highway. I installed the zMax and so I jumped right up to about 28 miles per gallon;" and "zMax guarantees a minimum of 10 percent gas mileage increase." Other marketing and promotional pieces claim, "zMax with LinKite has the scientific, CRC L38 proof it takes your car to the MAX!" and "Why zMAX Works - Cuts carbon build-up on valve stems 66%; Lowers wear on valve stems 66%; Lowers wear on piston skirts 60%; Reduces blow-by leakage 17.7%; Increases combustion efficiency 9.25%; Lowers fuel consumption 8.5% - Results of an independent CRC L38 test." According to the FTC, the CRC L38 test is a standard auto industry tool to measure the bearing corrosion protection properties of motor oils. In February/March 1997, an independent laboratory performed two CRC L38 tests of zMax for Speedway and Oil Chem. In those tests, motor oil treated with zMax produced more than twice as much bearing corrosion as motor oil alone. The complaint also states that the defendants fabricated one "report" from the two test reports, eliminating the bearing corrosion results and all other negative test results, and then used that report and the "official laboratory results" - similarly edited to remove detrimental data results - as sales tools in the infomercial and on the zMax Web site. The FTC's complaint alleges that the defendants did not possess and rely on reasonable substantiation for the following claims in the infomercial, on the Web site and in brochures that zMax: increases gas mileage; increases gas mileage by a minimum of 10% reduces engine wear; reduces or eliminates engine wear at startup; reduces engine corrosion; extends engine life; and reduces emissions. The agency's complaint also alleges that the defendants falsely represent that the results of the CRC L38 test proved that zMax: increases gas mileage; reduces engine wear; extends engine life; lowers fuel consumption by 8.5% lowers wear on valve stems by 66% lowers wear on piston skirts by 60%; and cuts carbon build-up on valve stems by 66%. Finally, the FTC charges that in consumer testimonials and endorsements in their advertising, the defendants did not have substantiation for the representation that the endorsers' experiences were, "The actual and current opinions, findings, beliefs, and/or experiences of those consumers; and the typical or ordinary experience of members of the public who use the product." The FTC is asking the court to bar the defendants from violating the FTC Act, which prohibits deceptive acts and to order consumer redress or require that they give up their ill-gotten gains. This case is the latest in a series of FTC law-enforcement initiatives targeting unsubstantiated claims made by auto additive manufacturers. The FTC previously halted allegedly deceptive advertising by the marketers of Dura Lube, Motor Up, Prolong, Valvoline, Slick 50, and STP, other major brands of engine treatment products. The Commission vote to file the complaint was 5-0. It was filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, in Greensboro, January 31, 2001. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: The Commission authorizes the filing of a complaint when it has "reason to believe" that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the defendants actually have violated the law. The case will be decided by the court. Copies of the complaint are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies worldwide. MEDIA CONTACT: Claudia Bourne Farrell, Office of Public Affairs 202-326-2181 STAFF CONTACT: Heather Hippsley or Elaine Kolish, Bureau of Consumer Protection 202-326-3285 or 202-326-3042 (FTC File No. 002 3256) (Civil Action No. 1:01CV00126) (http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/zmax1.htm) Related Documents: File No. 002 3256 FTC v. Speedway Motorsports, Inc., and Oil-Chem Research Corp. (Middle District of North Carolina). Complaint For Permanent Injunction And Other Equitable Relief [PDF 27K]
Vic Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 2/03/2004 11:09:27	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: I too, was part of the recent suit and received a partial refund. See Amsoil for good oil products.
Christian86 Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 2/03/2004 16:38:19	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: Hey, i thought i'd just ad this in....My Dad use to work right beside Bruton Smith the owner of Z-max and all the speedways and 80 or so car dealerships and all that....and well, we got that stuff for free.....however all it is is "colored mineral water" it doesn't do sh*t!
01Motorsport Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 2/03/2004 17:50:07	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: Wasn't that the dealerships that Dateline checked out for customer scams?
Endless_R/T Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 2/03/2004 17:57:01	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: No.
Endless_R/T Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 2/03/2004 17:58:16	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: No to the original question...Z-Max is Z-WHACK!
HelpfulDak Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 6/30/2004 12:39:01	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: zMax Marketers to Offer Refunds “The company’s intentions – to save its customers money and to protect the environment – are certainly commendable,” said attorney Kenneth Jacobsen. “But it didn’t work because conventional oils just don’t stand up to those intervals.” In order to settle a false advertising lawsuit brought by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the marketers of zMax oil additives have agreed to refund $1 million to customers who purchased the product. The settlement prohibits Speedway Motorsports Inc. and subsidiary Oil-Chem Research Corp. from making general claims regarding zMax’s ability to improve fuel economy, reduce engine wear and corrosion, lower emissions and extend engine life. However, they are still allowed to make more specific claims, including that zMax can maintain fuel efficiency in newer vehicles and reduce wear on valve stems and guides, piston rings and skirts by reducing deposits. The zMax Power System is a package of three separate fluids that are added to the engine, fuel line and transmission. Oil-Chem infomercials and advertisements claimed the package was guaranteed to improve fuel efficiency by at least 10 percent, reduce engine wear and corrosion, extend engine life and reduce emissions. The FTC’s 2001 complaint alleged that Oil-Chem’s claims were false and manufactured from results of a 1997 L-38 engine test. The L-38 test measures the bearing corrosion protection abilities of motor oils. According to the FTC, Oil-Chem removed detrimental information from the lab report and results actually showed zMax caused more than twice the bearing corrosion as motor oil alone. The zMax settlement is the latest in a long line of false advertising settlements obtained by the FTC since the mid-1990s from aftermarket oil additive companies, including STP, Dura Lube and Slick 50. Penalties have ranged from less than $1 million to $10 million. Other additive companies, including Prolong, Motor Up and Valvoline, have settled without fines on the promise of halting all unsupported claims.
Ray Dodge Dakota JOIN HERE 1/31/2007 11:31:21	RE: Z-max... does it work, or no? IP: Logged Message: IN FACT Z-MAX DOES WORK! Right b4 your eyes to be exact. For instance, I spilled a small drop on top of my engine when adding'em in. Now they say that this stuff will soak up your engine walls through tiny tiny little holes that oil cant get into and seal up gastets when oil cant. That drop stain I left has been there for years and it looks like a drop of water soaked onto paper 3 minutes ago.
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