Joe Lencki

Photo Gallery: Joe Lencki Photos

By: Ed Rachanski Sr.

Joe Lencki, born at the turn of the 20th century, was intrigued with the internal combustion engine at a very young age. One of his first mechanical interests was a miniature steam engine. Joe explained that the start of the power stroke of the steam pressure cycle remained constant from the top-dead to bottom-dead center, something that gasoline or diesel power stroke engines cannot accomplish.

Lencki's grandfather was a Colonel in Bismarck's German Army. His parents were born in America and his father manufactured cigars in Chicago. At the age of 10, his father bought Joe a Belt Drive X motorcycle. He would disassemble and reassemble the engine often and marvel at how the hairspring under the intake valve allowed the piston intake suction to open the valve, thus allowing the fuel air charge to enter the cylinder.

Joe attended the first Indianapolis Race in 1911 with his father and met Ralph Harroun and others. From that day, Joe's obsession was to participate in future Indy racing. During WWI, Joe's father had a government position at the Liberty Engine plant in Detroit. Young Joe worked on machining and balancing Liberty engine crankshafts.

Joe built his first racing car around 1920, using a 4-cylinder Gallivan/Lencki designed cylinder head, Lencki/Rajay (Racine Joe Jaggersberger) foundry Engine block from Racine Wisconsin. His relationship was quite friendly with the Chevrolets, Dusenbergs, Lockharts, etc. He explained that while most race cars were running 4:1 to 6:1 compression, Kettering gave him a vial of tetra Ethyl lead with the instructions to raise his race engine compression to 10:1. Using long rubber protective gloves, he put 10 ccs of his potent chemical to one gallon of his racecar fuel, (65 octane in those days). He had the edge for a bit of time and defeated his competition easily. In 1923 Joe designed an built his own cylinder head, utilizing two-inch intake valves, and a hemispherical combustion chamber, a forerunner to the Chrysler hemi - 30 years before its time.

In 1934, Joe's first year as an entrant in the Indianapolis 500, Joe started experimenting with lubricants to diminish camshaft and lifter wear; Lencki explained that legend camshaft grinder, Ed Winfield, made his camshafts at a cost of $200.00 each (very expensive at that time). The lube problem he recognized was that down-time between races would be one to three weeks - allowing oil to drain off internal parts and because it would take 90 to 120 seconds for the oil to reach the rear lobes of the cam and cups. This "dry start" damaged the Camshaft and lifter cups because of lack of proper lubrication at initial start-up. On the Offenhauser, engine in order to lubricate cam components, Lencki (inventor, petro chemist, engineer self-taught), started his process of developing a lubricant (Lenckite/zMAX) that would penetrate the porous metal, "soak in," preventing oil drain off. Thus, retarding wear of the engine components, and providing a "wet start." Today, we know that 95% of engine wear is caused during starting. At Oil Chem., we have our own definition of "dry start." It does not mean that the engine parts are dry without oil at startup. As Lencki explained it, "A dry start means that oxidation, along with drain off of the right amount of oil causes a lack of proper oil film needed at startup. This resulting metal-to-metal contact is a principal cause of wear."

Joe designed and build the "Lencki Double Overhead Cam Six" Indy Race engine in 1937-38. The engine was unique, Leo Goosen, the world's greatest racing engine draftsman drew the tracings for Lencki and friend/engineer George Lyons. The majority of machine work was done by Walter Sobreski and Sonny Meyer at Fred Offenhauser's shop. Lencki and Lyons updated the Hemi 2-valve six to a 4-valve pent roof design in the early '50s. The engine developed more horsepower normally aspirated then the popular "Offy." The Lencki six ultimately became zMAX's proving ground. Joe's best finish at Indy was fifth in 1939. Tony Bettenhausen, George Connor, Mauri Rose, Duke Nalon, Emil Andreas, Jimmy Snyder were some of the famous drivers in the era who drove Joe's race cars. Many great racing names such as George Bignotti, Roscoe Turner, Johnny Parsons Sr., and Jr., have used zMAX. A.J. Foyt still uses zMAX in his race cars.

Joe's WWII story is a very important part of zMAX. A few days after Pearl Harbor, Joe attempted to enlist in the Navy, his dream was to be Chief of Maintenance for all fighter aircraft on a flattop carrier. At the time Joe was ready to be sworn in the Navy, an Air Corps Captain interrupted and said "Lencki, follow me." The Captain told Joe that when they realized Joe's racing background and engine development work, they assigned him to the Buick Division Aircraft engine Plant west of Chicago in 1941.

Lencki became a key supervisior in the plant, building Pratt & Whitney 1830 bomber engines. It wasn't until 1943 that Joe's research with lubrication and metals came into closer focus. Joe was transferred from the Buick Plant to the Dodge Chicago Plant, building the Wright R-3350 B-29 Bomber engine. Lencki worked for the Chrysler Corp. president Newberg. Joe was in charge of engine assembly, test cell run-up, green test, shipping and he was responsible for testing when the R-3350 passed its 50-dive test in the presence of General "Hap" Arnold.

In 1947, after overcoming some setbacks, Joe finally brought his product called "Speedway Cocktail" to market. The benefits of Speedway Cocktail included improved horsepower, fuel economy, less wear, and reduced carbon, varnish and other harmful deposits. It took a few more years to get the formulation down to perfection. There were similar additive imposters during this periods, but Lencki's formula worked and stood the test of time.

Joe's early evaluation of zMAX consisted of SAE L-4 (6-cylinder Chevrolet) and L-38 Single cylinder CLR Labeco Laboratory engine tests, and his vast experience with metals and lubricants in aircraft factories during WWII, confirmed his personal research and development. It gave him the edge over competition.

Joe raced against friends Augie & Fred. The Dusenbergs, pioneers in engine and auto design (famous Dusenberg autos) became the founders of the Laboratory Equipment Company, manufacturers of the Labeco Single Cylinder test engine. Joe explained that this engine was designed as the world's basic test engine, to record prediction data from an operating basic engine. The engine measures horsepower, torque, wear, fuel economy, oil oxidation, sludge varnish, bearing weight loss (L-38) and more. Unlike some current test engines, the Labeco uses a removeable cylinder sleeve, with 360° of evenly spaced water holes around the liner for even expansion. The block-cylinder core of normal manufactured auto engines distort, and are not reliable for repeatable precision testing. The Labeco single cylinder test engine is repeatable.

In the early '50s, zMAX was tested against itself. The results showed an 8+% horsepower gain and an 8+% fuel efficiency gain. the L-4 test showed oil viscosity almost doubling without zMAX! In the '90s, the same evaluation of zMAX was performed using the Labeco single cylinder test engine along with the L-38 modified protocol. The horsepower and fuel efficiency data practically overlaid the '51 test.

We're frequently asked; if the product is so good, why didn't Joe's sales excel? There is a simple answer. Joe never wanted to sell his formula; he and Clara (Joe's wife) manufactured 50 to 100 cases/week or month, depending how long they enjoyed their fishing trip! For example, when people would place an order for 25 cases, they were told, "I'll send you 10...when you sell them call me back. " The love of Joe's life was his devoted wife Clara. They had no children, but loved hunting and fishing and raising Labrador retrievers. Clara and Joe contributed generously to orphanages, needy children everywhere and automobile racing.

Oil Chem's field-testing by competent sources is numerous. zMAX is a pre lubricant, working whenever metal rubs against metal. The reformation process changes the molecular structure of zMAX, which enables the product to "soak into" and spread the subsurface... more than regular motor oil. This is the "ounce of prevention" not the "pound of cure." zMAX keeps the metal surface wet. In a sense, it puts oil on roller-skates. Its micro-lubricating property helps dissolve carbon, varnish and other harmful deposits, and the wet metal surface helps to prevent "dry starts" which causes wear. The principle claim doesn't involve friction - although zMAX does help reduce friction by keeping working surfaces cooler. The principle claim is to keep the combustion chambers cleaner, protecting them from excessive/harmful residues that can contribute to valve and piston ring leakage. zMAX's penetration helps keep pistons, cylinder walls, valve stems and guides dimensionally correct. Without question, engine combustion efficiency is the heart of vehicle performance.

The greatest accomplishments of zMAX (trademarked under the AvBlend brand name for aviation) was attaining FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) approvals for the products use in aircraft piston engines. After the 7,700 hours of flight and five engine overhauls by Ed Rachanski's Blueprint Aircraft engine overhaul facility, a specific Helicopter engine showed minimal wear in its cylinder barrels, whereas, normally these cylinders do not pass as "serviceable" after two overhauls or 3,000 hours. These four cylinders never had to be re-bored or chromed. They are still serviceable. These 4 cylinders are available for inspection at Oil Chem.

Joe Lencki died in May of 1994 at the age of 93. Joe's best testimonial is that because of his many decades of devotion and hard work, Oil Chem & zMAX lives on. Numerous calls received from happy consumers, confirm, "this product really does work" and is the most powerful endorsement and "test of time".

In 1996 O. Bruton Smith, CEO of SMI (Speedway Motorsports, Inc.), long time friend of Joe Lencki and very knowledgeable about Joe's product "Lenckite," contacted Ed Rachanski Sr. in Chicago to purchase the company. It didn't take long for Ed to make the decision to sell, with Bruton's knowledge of the product, his "King Midas touch" and financial ability, Ed knew he could take this great product and promote it into the world as in fact he did. Today zMAX is a great product being used in consumer's vehicles all over the world with a competitor edge that goes unchallenged!

Go to zMAX.com for more information.

Additional Stories and Information

Ed Rachanski Sr. Story		Joe Lencki Story		3rd Kurtis Built Offy Now on Display		Lenki’s Blue Crown Spark Plug Special #8