HAS ANYONE USE THAT ZMAX STUFF DOES IT WORK

 

one would be tempted to include it with the rest of the snake oils out there..

however, i am curious also...

has anyone tried it??

i see autozone sells it directly now.


1995 silver f350, 4x4, 351w, automatic, plain old stock steel wheels.

 

Interesting. I just saw their ad in Hot Rod Magazine (Oct 2000) and it looks a lot like this similar stuff called "Energy Release" that is a metal conditioner. Who knows if it works, though.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen. i have tried Zmax. I bought this stuff because of all the hype it had behind it about "cleaning" and "restoring" fuel pressure...and my truck sure does need a cleaning inside. But anyway...here is how it went.

Straight out..this thing lasted 2 oil changes...aprox. 6000 miles. Now i'm back to regular engine performance and to tell you the truth... i kinda miss Zmax already. My truck was idling really rough before zmax...but after about 100 miles with zmax it got better...noticable better but not A Lot. Before zmax...the truck would feel like it was struggling to accelerate at high speeds and up hills. You know that feeling, like when an engine works hard...it sorta feeds back to the pedals. After zmax this thing ran SMOOTH. People, this is where the most difference was out of this product. This potion is nothing more than a SUPER lubricant. my engine ran as smooth as silk...it cut down stalls and rough idles by 50 percent in my case.

The gas mileage thing isn't somehting i can answer easily because i occasionally have a heavy foot. My 1993 I6 F150 got around 10-11 Mpg before i did an exhaust change. After the exhaust change i would average 11-12 Mpg. After Zmax i would get 12.2 - 12.8 Mpg. I use to get 180mi per tank...now its 210-225mi per tank. So there isn't much of a difference but hey...every penny counts here in San Diego.

I'm about to change my oil and i'm thinking...was it worth it? This product can be bought in Kragen Auto Parts here in San Diego for about 35 dollars. Its kind of an expensive additive...but it really did help. The package came with the oil additive, gas treatment <nothing more than an octance boost>, and Tranny additive <not much diff. but a lot smoother in the long run>. SO i dunno.... you'll have to try it for yourself.

If you feel happy and happen to have 40 dollars in your wallet...go and get it and use it during your next oil change and see for yourself. Is it safe? My truck just hit 100,000 miles and the zmax just wore out...and it still runs great.

1993 I6 F150

 

larry619,

appreciate the info.

i use synthetic oil in my 95 escort and commute to work about 106 miles a day , give or take, depending on the route i take. i change oil at 5k intervals or every two months roughly. so if i try zmax, i need to decide if its worth $35.00 every 4 months or so. will it save me over $8.75/month in gasoline?? if i do try this stuff , i will post the results on this board also. gas usage right now is about 3 gallons per day, or about 35 mpg. (running 72-75 miles per hour on the interstate). additional performance would probably be unnoticeable in this small engine.
i am sure the engine could use any cleaning properties this stuff may have.


1995 silver f350, 4x4, 351w, automatic, plain old stock steel wheels.

 

I just bought Z-MAX for my '90 Bronco.It has 107,547 miles on it,so I figure I'd try it out.The Bronco is going into my friend's shop for an oil change&lube next week,so it will be added then.It will be a good test for the EFI302.I'll be taking a 500 mile round trip with it next week,so if there is a boost in power and mileage,I'll be able to tell.I bought the kit at Pep Boys for $39.95.A couple of weeks ago,it was $59.95,so I guess I was meant to try it. I'll let everyone know of the results.

 

The stuff is pure garbage and anything you notice from it is placebo or could be gained by using an oil of the proper viscosity. The government is forcing them to return everyone's money because the product does not work and Zmax falsified test data:

http://cartalk.cars.com/Got-A-Car/Press-Release/FTC-lawsuit.html

It now joins the rank of Slick 50, Splitfires and other products the government has disproved. People will never learn and always like to think they can find magic in a bottle.... sorry guys, but I've seen too examples the pure crap people put into their engines over the years..... it there was such magic the auto makers would put it in their engines.

The only stuff I've ever seen that does what it says is Marvel Mystery Oil --- but they never claim it was anything but a detergent and top-cylinder lube. It contains wintergreen oil which is an extremely effective detergent. MMO is generally used to flush engines or free up stuck rings.

Ken Payne
[img src="/dcforum/User_files/webmaster/usaflag.gif" valign=top align=left] Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin

 

no to mention stops lifter ticking if the lifter is just gummed up and not damaged. Worked well for me.

 

Well,my Bronco did seem to run smoother during the trip.It didn't affect fuel mileage any that I noticed,but I never expected a "new engine" out of the stuff.The EFI302 got a nice cleaning,most likely.The fuel additive probably worked best. I just figured I'd try the product.It's just like any other automotive product,you try it to see if the claims are true.Z-max did okay,but it isn't worth $39.95.I get our fuel injector cleaner for free, and it works good.

 

Yeah, it smoothed out. Its the same stuff as bleach. It'll definitely smooth out an engine... at the cost of longevity. It pits and eats the metal. You shortened the life of your engine.... Read the "Snake Oil" article in the tech articles.

Ken Payne
[img src="/dcforum/User_files/webmaster/usaflag.gif" valign=top align=left] Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin

 

The EFI302 in it is being replaced by a EFI460 next month,anyway.

 

Ken,

I have used Rislone for 25 years every oil change. I would like to hear your opinion on Rislone, if you have one.

Paul

 

If its their detergent, yeah, I've had good results. But some of the claims they make on their other products sound far fetched. Detergents generally work well, ie, clean out gunk. But nothing is a cure for a worn out engine though you can baby it for a while with motor honey.

Ken Payne
[img src="/dcforum/User_files/webmaster/usaflag.gif" valign=top align=left] Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin

 

Ken, You are right. Some of their claims (restores lost compression and power) are far fetched, as are some of the new products (like Ring Seal). I guess I always took the basic Rislone for what it really does and ignored the wild claims. Besides detergent, I think Rislone also has a penetrating oil component. Anyway, I'll keep using it. Thanks, Paul

 

I have always used Slick 50 and I am sure it does not work, but I always get suckered in by the free oil or the free watch or the free gas additive ect... But I think I am going to try the Marvel Mystery Oil. It is the only one that doesn't really advertise but everyone knows about it and says it works. There has got to be a reason it is still in buisness and you never see them advertising or claiming miricles.