Cruising Magazine, June 2006
The Knights of Clean Fluids
It's happened to me many times, and I'm sure it's happened to you, too. You are about to pour five fresh quarts of shimmering synthetic gold into your crankcase. You grab a funnel, but before you pour, you notice just how grimy it is inside. Fluid residue from the last use has left a sticky film, and trapped in that film are bits of dirt and debris and sometimes even a dead fly or two. Do you really want to dump 40 bucks' worth of Mobil 1 through that nasty funnel? Worse, do you want to flush all that gunk into your engine? It's only human nature to grab a not-too-filthy rag and wipe out the big chunks, then pour away. But deep down we know better. And now there's a better way.
Like you and me, lifelong car nuts Ted and Larry Salani have been there. Growing up near Chicago, they were pouring oil at a tender age. While other kids were playing ball, they were taking things apart and putting them back together or helping their father work on the family car. According to Ted, "Whenever something broke around the house, we didn't replace it. My dad tore into it and fixed it." As adults, the brothers still love to get their hands dirty. Ted owns a 1973 Corvette LS-4 project car along with other toys, while Larry owns a restored 1972 Corvette. No doubt, these guys have wiped out a lot of funnels over the years!
In addition to their mechanical aptitude, the brothers' parents bestowed upon an entrepreneurial spirit. "My parents had an apartment building when we were younger, and also a Laundromat for a while," says Ted. "We grew up with a 'go out and try it yourself' philosophy." Later, Ted started an engineering company while Larry opened a graphic design company.
Eventually Ted and Larry came up with the idea for disposable funnels, and they pooled their talent. In 2000 they formed S&S Concepts, Inc. and began marketing their idea under the name Fast Funnel.
"No matter how many funnels you have sitting in your garage, they're always filthy on the inside," Ted says. "Fast Funnel is a small investment to make to be sure your oil is as clean as it comes from the bottle."
Made of heavy, coated paper, Fast Funnels come three to a pack and are folded flat. When you need one, just pop it open and pour. No dirt, no grit, and no dead flies.
Although Fast funnel is aimed primarily at the automotive and motor sports markets, the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in Avila Beach, California embraced the product and has incorporated it into their maintenance program. Previously, analyses of equipment lubrication systems showed foreign material contamination that was traced to the use of dirty funnels. By using Fast Funnel, the company hopes to eliminate this problem.
Fast Funnel is available in our area through Wal-Mart, Sears, Advance Auto Parts, Auto Zone, Boater's World, and select Ace Hardware Stores to name a few. For more information, visit www.fastfunnel.com.