HM oils - Pennz, Castrol, Maxlife - which would you pick and why?

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Pennzoil HM 10w30, which is probably what I'm going to used in my Olds van (144,000 miles) when I finish the second Auto-RX treatment.

I like Pennzoil because they seem to be completely up to date when it comes to their additive package, i.e., overbase levels of calcium (for detergency and AW/FM), no magnesium, boron (AW), and a good does of moly (FM with possibly some AW benefit). In addition, with their HM oils, I believe Johnny told me they have about an 8% ester content in the base oil blend.
 
OK... that is a convincing arguement.
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I am currently using Pennzoil 10W-30 dino in my ~87k mile 5.0 Ford, and I am leaning twords a HM oil when I use up my Pennzoil stockpile. Maybe I will stick with Pennz, since thier regular dino has done very well in this engine. Car seems to have started to use/leak 1/2 qt. per 3k miles, that is why I am leaning twords a higher viscosity 10W-30 HM.

Anyone else have opinions?
 
I have used the Max Life in 2 engines, and both acquired lifter noise the next day after the change. The first was a 350 cu. in. GM and the second was a V-8 GM in my ElDorado. Changed both to Pennzoil and no problems.
I personally don't use anything Castrol.
So to answer your question directly, I would use the Pennzoil HM.
 
Running MaxLife 10W-40 in my 1997 Jaguar XJ6 (4.0 I6). 1,000 miles so far with 400 mi city driving and the rest WOT 100+ mph interstate driving. So far i had to add 1/2 quart, dont know if this is good or bad.
 
I've been using the Pennzoil 10w-30 HM with great success. It seems to have more additive levels than the others looking at analysis results, and it does not thin out at all. Plus, even in super cold weather, my motor is whisper quiet with it upon start-up. Consumption is way down as well. My Dad recentlly had Maxlife 5w-30 installed, and his truck consumed that stuff like crazy. Also, my heavy oil consumer feels peppier with the Pennz HM and it gets way better gas mileage with it, which seems to indicate it has worn out rings/cylinder walls, and the HM oil is allowing better compression.
 
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Valvoline Max Life because they have a plant in my town.
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Seriously, I've used it in my van and it doesn't puff blue smoke out the tailpipe at start-up like it does with any other oil I've tried. I've not run Penzoil in it though.
 
I say it might be a toss between the Castrol and Pennzoil . Remember that Castrol HM that went 9600 miles ?
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I like the boron in the Pennzoil though and the 5w-30 Pennzoil HM analysis in a Ford motor here looked great with little to no thinning in 3500 miles , lotsa life left so I bought two jugs of the 10w-30 Pennzoil HM yesterday for the mother in laws car .

Sticking some of that Synergyn additive in it too
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Valvoline Max Life because they have a plant in my town.

Where is the Ashland refinery in Western PA????

Pennzoil it is! I have 10 qts of Pennz dino to "use up", and then I will make the switch.

Drew... you say this oil (10W-30) does well in the cold? Do you think it would work well down to 0 deg F (about the coldest it gets here)?
 
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Originally posted by novadude:

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Valvoline Max Life because they have a plant in my town.

Where is the Ashland refinery in Western PA????

Pennzoil it is! I have 10 qts of Pennz dino to "use up", and then I will make the switch.

Drew... you say this oil (10W-30) does well in the cold? Do you think it would work well down to 0 deg F (about the coldest it gets here)?


I dunno. The HM oils typically are a bit worse in terms of pouir point and CCS than their regular counterparts. However, I recently did an oil change from 5w-30 Pennz HM, to the 10w-30 HM thinking all the cold weather was gone, but we had a cold snap about 1 week after I had changed to the 10w-30, and it started exactly the same at 0 F as the 5w-30 HM did. I also started my car at -8 F with 5w-30 HM Pennz, and it was fine, no noise at all. So I'd say your safe with any 10w-30 down to 0 F. That's usually the break off point for the majority of owners manuals.
 
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Originally posted by Drew99GT:
The HM oils typically are a bit worse in terms of pouir point and CCS than their regular counterparts.

Probably so, but the Valvoline Maxlife has pretty good pour points, not as good as Durablend, but better than All Climate. My recollection is that the 10w30 and 10w40 Maxlife have a -36C pour.

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Originally posted by Drew99GT:
My Dad recentlly had Maxlife 5w-30 installed, and his truck consumed that stuff like crazy.

The 5w30 Maxlife's flash point is not impressive, maybe around 220C. The 5w30 Durablend has a great flashpoint (per tech data sheet), right up with 20w50s.
 
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Originally posted by novadude:
Where is the Ashland refinery in Western PA????

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Right on the Ohio River in Rochester. It's not a refinery any more but they changed it over to a packaging plant.
 
I have been running Maxlife in my '95 F150 300 I6 since October (about 4000 miles) and have not heard any lifter or valve train noise. I like the 10w40 Maxlife because of its high flash point (242C) and its minimum HT/HS of 3.5. On the current OCI at 2250 miles with the 10w40 Maxlife I have not had to top up at all and it is not dropping down on the stick appreciably. And that is running it above the hatchure safe area about halfway between there and the F on the word Full. Probably 1/2 qt over. Now the disclamier: I am biased. I am a Valvoline nut.
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But I do think it is excellent stuff. No moly, but I have heard that moly is not necessary.
 
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