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If everything the manufacturer says works in an automobile engine really worked as advertised car engines would last forever and there would be no need to have any spare parts. No matter what you do, engines wear out. Some faster than others no matter what the design. Most people do not do their homework when looking at oils and additives and most are not chemical engineers. Some people swear by changing their oil every 3k because that's what their father and grandfather before them did. Hey it's their money to spend. If people want to pour some type of goop in their engine and hope that it lasts longer that's their perogative. Everyone has a friend of a friend or a sinster-in-laws brother-in-law that said if you add Humpty Dumpty fluid goop to your flux capacitor it will make the engine run into the next century with no problems.
I have a back door neighbor who is in his mid seventies who is a retired GM engineer who helped design the old 396, 427 and the 454. He has an 84 Impala with a 427 with a big Rochester on it that you could eat off of. It has 325k on it and runs like a top. He does not baby it and loves getting it on. He details it every 6 months or so. He puts in a half-pint of kerosene in the tank every time he fills up. That's it. I do believe the car will outlive him by a few years.
Pour in what you like if you want to. Me i'll stick to what the engineers say. And no I don't use kerosene other than in the heater in my garage.
I read all the Z Max pros and cons, and I had a choice to believe one side or another...OR TRY IT FOR MYSELF.
It is not THAT much money. Worth a try. My conclusion so far is that it WORKS. 1995 C 4 Corvette. Mobil 1 main oil.
I idled it for ONE HOUR. Oil Temp was down 30 degrees after 60 minutes, and it did not begin to leave Zero for 25 Minutes Water Temp...took 30 Min before the engine was able to signal the radiator fan to turn on. Without Z Max this happened normally after 5 Minutes of idle.
Too early for gas mileage data, but this cooler engine data is hardcore and encouraging.
My issue, to share, is HOW LONG an additive works...heat, oxidation, dirt...will it last till the oil change????
My other issue about the FTC Drama is that all these companies are STILL in business, still are on the shelves, and the unique claims are STILL on their packaging.
My '03 Z06 has over 160,000 miles. It doesn't leak, uses no oil between changes and has never used an additive. Runs perfectly. And as I said, has never used an oil additive.
My take is that ZMax WORKS, as my Engine Water Temp and Oil Temp are drastically lower after 5 days of putting it in with Mobil 1 main oil. (1995 C4 350 cu in Corvette, 64,000 miles.)
But to share there is another product that makes similar claims and similar HOW it works called Hot Shots FR3 Friction Reducer. They want about 32 dollars for 32oz and 8 oz added in the oil after each oil change, relatively cheap to try. I am still on the Z Max test and the Mobil 1 is less that 500 miles since my oil change.so I can't report on FR3, yet.
Another lubricant called Liqui Moly I have not seen discussed. It is made in Germany, and makes Claims similar to ZMax that the slick Moly Disulphide ingredient fills the Microscopic Cracks in the piston bores, reduces heat and quiets the idle engine sound dramatically. But in this case the oil changes color to gunmetal gray and loses that clear golden tone.
It comes in 5 liter containers and 9 dollar small cans to add to other brand oils, if desired.
I would like to hear some chat on this Moly Disulphide, or MoS2, as a super lubricant has some potential issues, such as great for pistons, cam, bearings, but maybe ? bad for valve guides and rear main seals, letting oil slip through that is not wanted...past a seal intended to stop oil.
Arco Graphite, first sold in 1979, was a disaster. It slipped through my rear main on my AMX Javelin in 1990 and lubed up my clutch and destroyed it. It is no longer sold.
One way to actually see what it is and if it does anything is to run an ICP elemental analysis on it as well as GC chromatography. All Oils have additive packages ranging in concentration according to how the manufacturer blends it. Zmax states that it their product is not a basestock enhancer...nor does it interfere in anyway. however I would challenge that statement. I have access to an ICP and a GC however I don't have that specific method or the correct concentration of standards to analyze Zmax accurately.
just by reading and understanding this...
Zmax's claim is that basically it uses your oil to transfer is "micro lubricating" properties directly to the metal surfaces in your engine. I can see why this product has been challenged over it's existance.
They can't tell you exactly what is in the product because that is a trade secret. Based on the ASTM and SAE tests they conducted. It's been theoretically proven to work under controlled conditions.
My only issue is it's viscosity 3cst @100. your 30w oil is about an 8cst and above. I don't know how putting that in there with 5 or 10 quarts of oil will affect it. Could drop down to a 20w sooner than you would like.... that's my guess. they never measured the Vis with Zmax added into a 5w30 wieght oil.
I was thinking about changing mine to Royal Purple, is it worth the price difference
Hell no....people like what they bought, more power to them. If all these additves were so good they would already be in regular oil/gas etc.
Are we chemists, is there something to them? Maybe..but I dont feel its worth spending on. If a motors going to go it will do it with cheap oil just as soon as expensive stuff.
Hey, if Carrol Shelby endorses it, it's gotta be good, right?
I'll stick with what GM recommends: DO NOT PUT ADDITIVES IN YOUR OIL!
+1 - Always go with the manufacturer standards and recommendations. No oil additives. These companies have been trying to convince motorists to use this stuff for 60 years.
All manufacturers state that IT IS NOT NECESSARY.
+1 - Always go with the manufacturer standards and recommendations. No oil additives. These companies have been trying to convince motorists to use this stuff for 60 years.
All manufacturers state that IT IS NOT NECESSARY.
I'm going to just flat out agree with that statement.
The additive package that is in your oil is what makes or breaks your oil.
I already have fuel dilution problems with my oil on my boosted cars. I shear cut a 30w into a 20w in less than 1k miles because oil manufactures these days damn near start their oil off at a really low 30w...its energy conserving ****... the last thing I wanna do is add anything to my oil that I paid good money for, to try to enhance it. YMMV..
I've been in the oil and hydrocarbon analysis business for the better part of 10 years.
See these nice machines at my current unnamed workplace? (blurred out for privacy reasons)
without getting into anymore detail than that... they tell no lies.
All oil additives that claim they give you better gas mileage, cool your engine, or impregnate themselves into your engines metals are 100% complete bullshit.
Don't forget when you buy that ZMAX and it's hype, to also get your tires filled up with nitrogen.
I got my tires filled with Nitrogen but the dealer gave me a 78% discount because the air you and me are currently breathing is 78% Nitrogen... JK, JK...
yikes! i knew as soon as i read the title this would be good For some great reading, look on in on the bobistheoilguy forum. I used to frequent that site quite a bit with the vintage mustangs (the old 289s needed zinc so there was always discussions/debates about how much and which brand). Lots of good info on there from guys that i wish i knew what they forgot...sometimes things get WAY too technical on there, but good info none the less for learnin'....you can read for days about additives on there!
11-27-2007, 08:08 AM
For some great reading, look on in on the bobistheoilguy forum. I used to frequent that site quite a bit with the vintage mustangs (the old 289s needed zinc so there was always discussions/debates about how much and which brand). Lots of good info on there from guys that i wish i knew what they forgot...sometimes things get WAY too technical on there, but good info none the less for learnin'....you can read for days about additives on there!