GENESIS provides the user with a unique technology and economic benefits. There are several products which add PTFE (polytetrafluouroethylene, commonly known by its trade name "Teflon") to engine oil. PTFE was originally discovered by DuPont in the late 1930's and is considered to be "the most slippery solid substance known to man". These PTFE additive producers claim that their products "protect the engine from wear", especially "at engine start-up". Most of these products, including the market leader Slick 50, make no claims of producing economic benefits, such as improved fuel efficiency, increased horsepower, extended miles between oil changes, and reduced emissions. GENESIS achieves these benefits because it microplates the internal engine metal parts with a super-low friction, heat repelling, be-metallic layer. In other words, GENESIS dramatically improves engine properties, while oil additive products marginally improve oil properties. The benefits from improved engine properties far exceed those of improved oil properties.
Slick 50 is the dominant product in the PTFE engine additive market. Slick 50 was the first major product in the engine oil additive market when it was introduced in the late 1970's. Petrolon Techologies, Inc. (PTI), the manufacturer of Slick 50, has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing and advertising. In 1993, they spent approximately $60 million dollars. PTI's biggest claim is that their product "protects the engine from wear up to 50% for up to 50,000 miles" especially "at engine start-up". Much of PTI's marketing material explains how the PTFE (Teflon) bonds to the metal in an engine, and that one application lasts 50,000 miles. PTI does NOT make claims concerning Slick 50's ability to produce engine operating economic benefits. PTI DOES NOT claim that Slick 50 will increase fuel efficiency, nor increase horsepower, nor reduce hydrocarbon emissions, because, in 1992, the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus asked Petrolon to discontinue such assertions due to lack of substantiating evidence.
In gasoline and diesel engines, there is tremendous heat and pressure. Oil, treated with a Teflon (PTFE) additive, can withstand approximately 4300psi in the Timken Bearing Test (TBT). GENESIS holds about 500,000psi in the TBT, because it is a metallic, alloy surface, not Teflon or other chemically bonded materials. GENESIS ability to hold over 100 times more pressure than a Teflon treated oil product, results in better compression, higher horsepower, greater fuel economy, and reduced emissions.
In the October 1994 issue of Motor Trend (page 148), Rik Paul wrote:
"..To the average consumer, all of the hype, claims, and counter-claims can seem confusing to navigate as a bayou. Part of the problem is due to the fact that objectively evaluating these products in order to substantiate their anti-wear claims is almost impossible without prohibitively expensive lab tests. Which, of course, provides fertile ground for exaggerated assertions and inflated statistics…"
"…PTFE's history as an engine oil additive, though is spotty, due largely to the fact that not all formulas are created equal. It was first used for this application in the "70"s, but by 1980, DuPont had decided to discontinue Teflon sales to oil-additive manufacturers, a ban that remained in place for about a decade. One problem was that anyone could - and still can - buy the polymer in bulk, add it to a carrier oil, and package it as their own formula, without sufficient technical expertise to make it work. In some products, the PTFE reportedly separated from the oil and settled in the oil pan. Plus, there was concerned over particle build-up clogging oil filters and passages. Such problems with these early versions has left a stigma that still lingers.
Petrolon (manufacturers of Slick 50) got the current bandwagon rolling about five years ago when it introduced a reformulated Slick 50 Engine Treatment. The product has been heavily marketed and is currently the category's undisputed sales leader. In fact, in "92, it held a 90-percent share of the engine-treatment market…"
"…A few years ago, the company (Petrolon) also made claims regarding improvements in performance and fuel economy, but in 1992, the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus asked Petrolon to discontinue such assertions due to lack of substantiating evidence. Although Petrolon was targeted for this review largely because of its size, the same scrutiny should be applied to any of the products in the category…"
Tom Wright of the Panterra Club of Dallas (PCD) wrote in their 11/92 Newsletter:
"A recent article in the August 1992 issue of Road Rider magazine entitled "Snake Oil, Is the Additive Really a Negative?" dealt with the Slick 50 issue and reviewed test results from the following institutions:
From this lengthy list of reputable institutions, not one would support the claims of Slick 50. Each institution spoke out against using Slick 50 in your engine. When you asked the Slick 50 folks about the source of their test results, there is no response.
Consider this quote: "…By far the most damming testimonial against these products originally came from the DuPont Chemical Corporation, inventor of PTFE and holder of the patents and trademarks for Teflon. In a statement issued about ten years ago, DuPont's Fluoropolymers Division Product Specialist, J.F. Imbalzano said, Teflon is not useful as an ingredient for internal combustion engines."
At the time, DuPont threatened legal action against anyone who used the name "Teflon" on any oil product designed for use in an internal combustion engine, and refused to sell its
[ What is GENESIS? | Common questions ]
[ GENESIS uses | Economic benefits ]
[ Letters of Endorsement | Testimonials ]
[ Competitive Analysis | Report on GENESIS ]
[ Laboratory Analysis | Test summary | Developing a tester ]
[ GENESIS Home | NASA Chemical Products Home ]
For comments or problems contact: nasachem@ghg.net
Copyright © 1996 Genesis Products Company All rights reserved.