Ideal Vehicle

[Frank Cahill]

Paul McCloud wrote:
> 
> List:
>         I wonder if all you hi-mileage car/van owners use any of the motor
> treatments like Slick50, Tribotech, Duralube, etc.  I would recommend
> them highly (take your pick).  My wife's car, which formerly belonged to
> my mother, has over 220,000 miles on it and runs like new.  I had my
> mother put Slick50 in the motor every 50,000 miles since it was new,
> starting at 30,000.  The car is a Chrysler LeBaron '86.  My work vehicle
> is a '86 Dodge van with 215,000 mi.  I also have a Mercury Sable wagon
> with 150,000 miles.  Each is treated with Slick50 or Duralube (teflon
> PTFE).
>         If you haven't tried this kind of thing, you might find it well worth
> the small price (average about $15.00).  You only need it once every
> 50,000 miles.  JMHO.
>         Paul McCloud

Hi, Paul and others!

I beleive that the Federal Trade Commission made the manufacturers of
this product STOP advertising its claims.  Apparently the company had no
scientific data to back up the supposed benefits.  

When you hear about independent test labs in advertisng, they do exist.
When I was an engineer I often traveled to such a lab on Long Island to
monitor the lab's procedures.  If I found any problems with the
procedure they followed or any problem with the equiment used, such as
equipment not in calibration, I could stop the procedure.

So...my own feeling is that Slik50 is not what it is claimed to be. Show
me test data from an independent lab, then I might use it. I think
however, that regular oil changes with a name brand oil will do the
trick.

Consumer's Union did a test recently where they tested the affects of
oil changes. They tried to determine if changing oil per manufacterer's
spec was adequate.  The monitoered engine wear on some New York city
cabs. Oil was changed about every 7500 miles. After 60,000 miles they
tore down the engines and measured wear.  They determined that wear was
insignificant!  It seems that today's oils are far better than those of
20 and 30 year ago.

'Course, I still change oil and filter every 3,000 miles.
-- 

Frank Cahill
Associate Member
Northern Va