Z-Max & other additive update

[lee]

I remember a few posts from some time ago wherein some loved Z-max, some thought it snake oil (I'm in the latter camp). Then there's Prolong, etc.

So, I thought some folks might be interested in what the Federal Trade Commission has said - draw your own conclusions. See links below if interested.

Z-Max
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/zmax1.htm
Prolong
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9909/prolong.htm
Duralube
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9905/duralub2.htm
Motor Up
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/9904/motorup5.htm
Valvoline TM8
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1997/9710/valve.htm
Slick 50
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1996/9607/slick.htm

[Ron Mummert]

Whew...for a minute there I was afraid I'd see my favorite, Motor Honey, ripped by the FTC. Since it wasn't, it must be that the stuff really works. Anyway, when mixed with gin, it's a great morning pick-me-upper when poured over cornflakes.

Ron.

[lee]

Do you find the gin adds, or subtracts from the cachet of the Motor Honey?

I may have to try your morning pick me up. I have been using vodka mixed 50/50 with Marvel Mystery Oil, all over frosted mini-wheats myself. I thought the mystery oil gave me that special "something" with the ladies (please tell me that's not my wife looking over my shoulder, is it?).

[Ron Mummert]

Originally posted by lee
Do you find the gin adds, or subtracts from the cachet of the Motor Honey?


The gin helps dilute the Motor Honey, thus aiding in the flake absorbtion process. While the gin DOES perhaps lessen the full Motor Honey experience, if enough is consumed, you'll find you won't really care.


I may have to try your morning pick me up. I have been using vodka mixed 50/50 with Marvel Mystery Oil, all over frosted mini-wheats myself. I thought the mystery oil gave me that special "something" with the ladies (please tell me that's not my wife looking over my shoulder, is it?).

I don't know, Lee; I've found that Marvel tends to be retained in the system for a while, then uhhh....secreted as a less than desirable body odor. That special something could be flatulence. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I mean if your lady likes...uhh..
nevermind.

Ron.

[sfsvx]

It really hurts to see Slick 50 on there. I swear my mileage increased when I used it in my '86 Honda Accord and suddenly went back down after about 50K miles. Placebo effect?

I thought Prolong was that stuff guys used to . . . errrrr . . . ummmmmmm . . . well, you know.

No wonder things haven't been too cheery around my house lately.

[DavieGravy]

Originally posted by Dick Young
It really hurts to see Slick 50 on there. I swear my mileage increased when I used it in my '86 Honda Accord and suddenly went back down after about 50K miles. Placebo effect?

I thought Prolong was that stuff guys used to . . . errrrr . . . ummmmmmm . . . well, you know.

No wonder things haven't been too cheery around my house lately.

Funny. I had one of these cars. I made it from Green River Utah to Boulder Colorado on one tank of gas. This figures to about 40 miles to the gallon. Surprising considering I was going 80 the whole way. Never got that kind of mileage out of the car again.

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by DavieGravy

Funny. I had one of these cars. I made it from Green River Utah to Boulder Colorado on one tank of gas. This figures to about 40 miles to the gallon. Surprising considering I was going 80 the whole way. Never got that kind of mileage out of the car again.

It's all in your consistency. Driving at 80mph is fine as long as you don't slow down and speed up a lot. Hell, on the way down to Autofest last year I got 31.4mpg in my SVX by just driving at 80mph for a few hours straight without taking it out of cruise.

On the other end of the spectrum, take the Justy. Some weeks I'm just hard on the poor thing - shifting really late, jumping off railroad tracks, etc. I get pretty poor mileage on those weeks - like high 20s.

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by Ron Mummert
Whew...for a minute there I was afraid I'd see my favorite, Motor Honey, ripped by the FTC. Since it wasn't, it must be that the stuff really works.

Ron.

I wouldn't make a leap like that. If they haven't pursued the matter, then it probably means one of a couple things:

1. Casite doesn't make outrageous claims, while misquoting 'proof', that their product can't live up to. They're unspecific in their advertising and don't guarantee results. 'Reduces oil burning and consumption' is pretty vague. I could run a comparison of 50 engines - 25 with just 10w-30 and 25 with 10W-30 and vomit - and come up with the conclusion that vomit reduces oil burning and consumption, in certain conditions, by at least 1%.

2. Enough complaints haven't been lodged for the FTC to take action yet. I imagine that when hundreds of people call up the FTC and say, 'these people ripped me off,' they take notice. Like most other gov't organizations, they're probably over-worked and can only take care of the more serious cases.

I suppose a third explanation is that it really does something, but since they don't quote any proof, I don't see any reason to believe them.

[DavieGravy]

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets


It's all in your consistency. Driving at 80mph is fine as long as you don't slow down and speed up a lot. Hell, on the way down to Autofest last year I got 31.4mpg in my SVX by just driving at 80mph for a few hours straight without taking it out of cruise.

On the other end of the spectrum, take the Justy. Some weeks I'm just hard on the poor thing - shifting really late, jumping off railroad tracks, etc. I get pretty poor mileage on those weeks - like high 20s.

Very true! By keeping the gas constant, I was able to get 25 miles to the gallon out of my SVX on my way back from California. And I was doing between 85 and 110.

I love Marvel Mystery Oil as a fuel additive. I own a Nissan Pulsar right now, its 15 years old with a stock engine. If I use Marvel I get about 36 miles to the gallon, before i started using Marvel it was around 32 MPG. I buy Marvel by the gallon and use in in both the cars and my scale Nitro engines as a after run oil. Its good stuff and i was glad not to see it bashed on- yet.

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by MT maniac
I love Marvel Mystery Oil as a fuel additive. I own a Nissan Pulsar right now, its 15 years old with a stock engine. If I use Marvel I get about 36 miles to the gallon, before i started using Marvel it was around 32 MPG. I buy Marvel by the gallon and use in in both the cars and my scale Nitro engines as a after run oil. Its good stuff and i was glad not to see it bashed on- yet.

I don't know that I'd trust any fuel additive that claimed to be a 'mystery.' That suggests to me, 'well, it just works, okay? We don't know why it does, but it does.'

Has anyone heard of a viscosity modifier to add to the atf when you have the binding , shuddering feel coming from the transfer case when making slow tight turns. Any other suggestions. Someone on the yahoo site said they used a goodwrench product like that to fix their problem but cant remember part number and GM dealer cant find anything on it. Thanks. Bill

[lee]

the additive is the GM posi-traction additive....there are other brands such as Kendall. You can tell if it's the right stuff because it comes in a 4 ounce container and has an incredibly strong/bad smell.

IMO I'd have to think long & hard about using it, because as a friction modifier (it's really synthetic whale oil) it will reduce the grip for the cluches & bands. Still, there have been multiple posts on the forum saying it works.

I just put in a product called Mr.Shudder ( there also is a product called Shudder fix) that I got from a local Transmission specialist that he said works 80% of the time. I drove around town about 40 miles running errands afterwords and no shudder. I even tried some real sharp U turns and nothing. I may be imagining but I think it also shifts smoother. Thanks for your input. Bill

[Earthworm]

It would shift smoother since the additive runs through the entire tranny including the AWD and all the gears.

Unfortunately additional slipping increases heat and may also shorten the life span of the clutches.