I'm going to catch H E Double L for this one

[strombony]

You know, I've been like many of you, confused, not sure what the the heck to use. I've been on the fence over using syn, HM, blend or a straight conventional as well as debating about what brand. I've used Pennzoil now for many years, but have always sort of cringed in the back of my mind nowing all the sludge myths.

Once again, I ran into a guy who swears on his grave he has taken motors apart in the past couple years that have had a steady diet of Pennzoil Conventional and found the engine to be sludged. As a member here, I know the multitude of reasons pointing to sludge, not being the brand. Yet, I hate it. I never, or should say very rarely hear sludge stories out of other brands, two in particular that have had great reports are Havoline and Valvoline. I think I'm actually going to quit using Pennzoil even though logic tells me none of what I hear is true about sludge. I just feel that I'd be happier using a product that I havent' heard so much negative feedback on. I've always been impressed with the lack of advertisment Havoline gets, yet seems to be such a good product, and I don't see the retarded commercials from them that the others put it.

With that, my shirt is off and I'm ready to be whipped. Go easy on me guys..LOL

 

[Rabbler]

Is your engine known to have sludging issues?

 

[Chris142]

I guess it's safe to say that the guy thats telling the Pennzoil stories has done scientific tests on the sludge and was able to determin that it was without a doubt caused by the oil used?

 

[digitalSniperX1]

Oh H E double L, for crying out loud man.

 

[bretfraz]

Dude, go easy on yourself. Seriously, it's just motor oil.

The only person that's going to whip you is you. The rest of us aren't all wound up about a brand of oil as you are. We use whatever makes us happy. Try that instead of all the self-flagelation and you'll feel a lot better.

 

[ericthepig]

Juan Pablo Montoya would give you a big thumbs up on that decision. And Juan knows some stuff.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I've personally been very impressed with Havoline but I can tell you that there was probably something wrong with that motor in order for it to sludge up. Be it PCV issues, over-extended drains, coolant leaks, etc. I highly doubt the oil was to blame. Changed regularly in a perfectly functioning motor, it should never cause sludge.

 

[simple_gifts]

Mechanics usually only take failed engines apart, never any working ones; consequently they only see the bad which they, of course, attribute to the oil.

Exactly how many oil related failures have ever been shown on BITOG? A finger in the wind guess is about .01% of failed engines. Owner neglect is a bigger contributor.

 

[GrampsintheSand]

Rule#1 Dont listen to the uninformed.
Rule#2 See Rule#1

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Mechanic, not a tribologist.

For repairing your car, go to him. For getting your oil analyzed, talk with Terry or Molakule.

 

[oilyriser]

I'll take the spare pennzoil off your hands.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Good. More Pennzoil for me.

 

[Michelob]

You are just being honest and stating how you feel. Each person is entitled to their own reasoning and choices. It does seem to be one company that the stories are usually about and I can understand your reasoning that why not the other companies too if there is no truth to it and it is due to other reasons. Don!t know. Under the circumstances you are better off going with something else. I chose to use something else because of the noise I got when using the yb. My local WalMart does not carry Havoline in 5W20 and my choice is between that and MotorCraft 5W20 which WalMart does carry so I used that because it was cheaper.

 

[firemachine69]

Originally Posted By: oilyriser
I'll take the spare pennzoil off your hands.



I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[KA426]

You're being totally paranoid. Pennzoil is probably the premier oil out there. If this was 1970 and you were shying away from Quaker State I'd say by all means run. Nobody can look at a sludger and tell what oil was used in it. They can only pick on oils which they don't like.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
Once again, I ran into a guy who swears on his grave he has taken motors apart in the past couple years that have had a steady diet of Pennzoil Conventional and found the engine to be sludged.


I agree with simplegifts. Torn down engines are rare unless they're very old, abused, or neglected. If they're young ..then it's design flaws or abuse or neglect. No contemporary rated oil will inflict that gross of a difference between one brand over another under those conditions (design, neglect, or abuse). Now some engine designs appear to tolerate neglect or abuse better than others ..and that can be the inverted view of a poor design. That is, they weren't buffered well enough for the negligent and abusive consumers that owned them.

 

[volvomix]

Ever hear of an old wives tale. That story is 25 years old.

If the guy was driving an 01 or earlier Dodge Intrepid 2.7 L then there is sludge. If he was driving a Camry or Solara V-6 in 00-03 then there may be some sludge to speak of.

Neither condition above was caused by the type of oil used. It was faulty design of the engine oil passages and hot spots cooking the oil.

Just get some PP and run it 6000 miles and get a hobby to take up the time that the worrying about oil was taking.

 

[Dantheman]

And send me your FRAM filters too .

 

[Chero87]

Haha...is that Fram filter rumor a wives tale too? I have always heard that, but my father used Fram filters on everything my whole life and never had any issues.

I used to also, but started buying into the rumors and have been using Napa (Wix) filters for a while now.

 

[strombony]

I'm not refuting the fact that the Pennzoil/sludge is myth. I'm in agreement with all of you. It's just that for me, my own gutt fealing is do what all my friends have done, who'm have had no issues with Havoline and Valvoline, just as none of you or anyone else will have sludge issues with Pennzoil. I know that each of us do things out of habit, or other variosus reasons. I've gained a wealthing of knowlege from you guys so I know that no matter what I use, I'll be fine. But I persoaally do no like what I hear about Pennzoil. I have spoken to two people in the past 8 months who knew the cars they took apart, ran on Pennzoil with short OCI's, and the engine was in sound operating condition accept for being dirty. I can think of very few times I've ever heard this with other brands, and this wives tail is much younger than 25 years old. I know I'm being a little paranoid about this, but each of us have to make a choice that makes one feel good. My paranoid mind feels good right now