Pennzoil Q&A – General Motor Oil and Maintenance Topics

[wwillson]

Hello BITOG Members,

Pennzoil here! We are excited to continue the conversation around the industry’s trending topics.

Starting today, we invite you to submit your questions in this thread for Sean Nguyen, Pennzoil Technical Scientist and Automotive Lubricant Specialist. Questions can range from drain intervals to formulation and everything in between!

Sean has held various positions in his 23 years at Shell, including Lubricant Technical Advisor, Lubricant Product Research and Lubricant Technology Trainer. Sean has an MBA and B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Houston as well as a B.S. in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University. He currently works at the Shell Technology Center in Houston.

This thread will be open for submissions from 12:00 PM ET on Friday, October 6th until 8:00 PM ET on Friday, October 13th. To also educate the general public, we will publish the answers to your questions on Pennzoil.com. Keep an eye out for the Pennzoil.com article to be linked in a separate BITOG thread in late November.

The Pennzoil team is excited to kick off this opportunity! Please note:

• Please use this thread only to submit questions. If you do see questions posed in other threads, feel free to repost the question in this thread to help us ensure we address everything.
• Please understand that there will be some questions that we will not be able to answer. We cannot divulge any proprietary information and can only speak about our own products and our areas of expertise.

As always, we are thrilled to kick off another BITOG community event and provide answers to your questions. Let’s get started!


-The Pennzoil Team

[edit Dec 7, 2023 - added link to Pennzoil's answers]
Answers to BITOG members' questions

 

[pbm]

I'm wondering why SOPUS markets a 20K oil under the Quaker State label (QS Ultimate Protection) but not under the Pennzoil label? How does the QS Ultimate Protection differ from the QS Ultimate Durability?

 

[JimPghPA]

Hi Sean, Jim from Pittsburgh PA. here.

I have a 2016 Honda CR-V with the K24W 2.4 L gasoline earthdreams 4 cylinder engine. The door factory sticker shows a build of Oct. 2015. Carfax shows same dealer OC of 6,051 on 2/4/17 and 11,599 on 1/20/18 and 15,726 on 4/22/19 (by the previous owner), and 19,788 on 2/15/20 (just before I purchased it), and 23,558 on 10/21/20 (free oc at same dealer after purchase), after that I have ran PUP 0W-20 with Fram ultra oil filters OC at 27,186 on 8/27/21, 30,704 on 6/11/22 ( I sent a sample in to Blackstone labs and it came back good), 34,389 on 3/22/23 ( currently at 36,923 Mi and showing 50% left on the oil life monitor).

I bougt this vehicle with 19,788 miles on it and it did not require oil to be added from 19,788 miles to 27,186 miles. But with PUP 0W-20 I have had to add about a half quart during each OC, I keep it at the full mark and check it often. It used more during the first OC with PUP and uses a little less with each run of PUP. BTW, this engine does not have any external oil leaks.

I realize that for oil to keep the piston rings and groves for those rings clean it first has to get to those rings, and then has to leave while carrying away with it any contaminants that it has removed. And I fugure that oil that leaves the rings after being there can go back to the crankcase or into the combustion chamber. And also some oil has to lube the cylinder walls.

Question 1, So, is about a half quart burn off for 3,518 miles (minimum oc run) to 3,685 miles (max oc run), fairly normal?

I chane the oil when OLM drops to 20%.

I'm planning on keeping this vehicle for a very long time and the engine runs extremely nice. It has 185 horsepower and will give you every one of those if you ask it to, which I do occasionally when climbing up long hills with the engine fully warmed up before approaching the hill, with no traffic.

Question 2, Pennzoil used to advertise that their oil had clean burn technology, but they haven't been advertising that anymore. Is PUP still a clean burn oil?

Question 3, will running pup actually remove any buildup that had occurred in the piston ring groves before I started running pup at 27,186 miles?

Question 4a and 4b, some on the website Bob is the oil guy have commented that the TBN for pup is not very high, and others have commented that it does not have to be very high because of the quality of the base stock and other additives that are in it. And that it holds up very well over an oil change interval as far as the TBN goes. So, is it true that the TBN for pup does not have to be very high to start with? And is this part of the design of that oil?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Btw, I cleaned the PCV valve about a year ago on my 2016 CR-V. Also, I purchase a new PCV recently and will be installing it soon.

 

[OVERKILL]

Can you explain why some OEM approvals end up under "Meets or Exceeds" while others say "Approval" or "Recommended for"?

Example, the Fiat 9.55535.Z2 says "Meets or Exceeds Requirements" beside it, while others don't, or they specifically say "Approval" like the MB ones:

I understand there is a correlation between ones that a company can "self-approve" for, like the API and ACEA ones, and ones that are based on API sequences like the Ford WSS and Chrysler MS ones, but how does this work the Euro ones and what determines whether it's "Meets or Exceeds" or just "approved for"?

 

[ZeeOSix]

I see that Pennzoil does sell a couple of different motorcycle oils. My question is about the JASO MA2 use recommendation by Pennzoil.

Pennzoil Motorcycle Premium Plus SAE 10W-40

Pennzoil Motorcycle Premium Plus SAE 10W40

www.pennzoil.com

In the link above, Pennzoil has the following statement referring to the JASO spec.

In the JASO T 903 specification for 4-stroke motorcycle oil, there are certain performance requirements that must be met for wet clutch motorcycle use. The friction level of the oil is one of the main performance specifications that is important for wet clutch use.

My question is, since Pennzoil's motorcycle oil is not registered with JASO, meaning all required testing (including the friction testing) was done to verify it meets the JASO specs and that data submitted to JASO for registration, how does Pennzoil determine if their oil actually meets the JASO spec and therefore gets a recommendation for JASO specified motorcycle use? Are all the required JASO performance tests still done (in house or outside test labs), even though Pennzoil doesn't go through the process of registering the oil with JASO so they can put the registration logo and registration number on the oil bottles?

PS - I see that "Shell Advanced 4T Ultra" is registered with JASO as meeting JASO MA2. But that's all that shows up on JASO's motorcycle oil registration list.

Thanks !

 

[johnnydc]

Does Pennzoil have any plans on producing a Hot Rod/Classic Car lubricant for the flat tappet guys?

 

[wwillson]

Is Pennzoil/SOPUS involved in the development of ILSAC GF-7, which should be licensed in 2025?

 

[k1xv]

I have a 2022 Corvette with the 6.2 liter ohv V8. The manufacturer calls for a Dexos spec 0w-40 Mobil 1 "Supercar" oil. I have always preferred Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, but it has no Dexos approval.

While in warranty, I feel I should use the recommended oil. But after warranty, is there any Pennzoil that would be suitable?

 

[himemsys]

1. Pennzoil does not have a lot of Dexos1 Gen3 approved oils. I see that Pennzoil Platinum 5W30 has it, but I have not seen it yet for Ultra Platinum or Platinum High Mileage. Quaker State appears to have more oils with this approval. For example, Quaker State Full Synthetic High Mileage. Will more of your line up get this approval, and if so, what is the time frame?

2. Will availability expand for your oil line up? Favorites such as Pennzoil Ultra Platinum and Pennzoil Platinum Euro LX are very difficult to find and generally priced higher than the competition when they are found.

3. I have noticed that some other oil manufacturers have come out with API SP-rated Euro A3/B4 oils. Is Pennzoil planning on doing the same?

Thank you!

 

[JHZR2]

Looking at simpler/older stuff, is a pennzoil SAE 30 ideal for older lawn mower engines? Is there a variant with more zinc and more optimized? Or should Rotella SAE 30 be considered as a more stout option?

 

[Robertfree]

I have not seen pennzoil on the shelves in Australia.
Could it be marketed under another lable?
Cheers

 

[Best F100]

Not a question, but a request Sean:

I would like to see a more functional difference between your flagship Pennzoil Ultra Platinum lineup and your Pennzoil Platinum oils. To me, (and many others on this forum), the difference between the two products is subtle in formulation. Your Pennzoil comparison chart shows almost identical attributes for the two products.

My suggestion is to move the Ultra Platinum product more “upscale” in formulation and (choke) pricing. If you offered something like an over the counter A) No VII Ultra Platinum product, B) a higher than normal HTHS product for a given viscosity grade (especially in 0/5W20), or C) a Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W20 in a 5 quart jug,
a lot of would open our wallets.

Those are just my thoughts. Run it by your head of marketing. We (Bitog) consumers are always right - and know what we want.

 

[Whimsey]

I was lucky enough to speak with Sean on 9/28 at the conclusion of the Pennzoil Used Oil Analysis Program I participated in. He is very knowledgeable and personable. I posted the results in the UOA forum from the program yesterday. The oil it was compared against was Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30.

 

[JimPghPA]

I was lucky enough to speak with Sean on 9/28 at the conclusion of the Pennzoil Used Oil Analysis Program I participated in. He is very knowledgeable and personable. I posted the results in the UOA forum from the program yesterday. The oil it was compared against was Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30.

How about a link? I looked but could not find it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

How about a link? I looked but could not find it.

Thread '2017 Explorer 2.3EB, PUP 5W-30, 6700mi OCI' https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/2017-explorer-2-3eb-pup-5w-30-6700mi-oci.374531/

 

[Dave P.]

An age old debate on BITOG is Thick vs Thin. Your Platinum 5w-30 is formulated on the thin side at operating temperature and many here claim that it will quickly shear or dilute down to a 20w. The Platinum 0w-20 on the other hand is formulated to the thick side of the range. Does Pennzoil choose this operating viscosity intentionally? Why is one oil "thin" and another "thick"? Does it even matter when it comes to the ultimate goal of making our engines last for as long as possible? Thanks!!

 

[Passport1]

In my time I've used plenty of Pennzoil. What was Z-7?

Ebay

 

[TheRuley]

When comparing data sheets from one oil to the next, what specifically should i be looking at to see which one will be best for extreme cold starts? (-40 and below)

 

[wwillson]

Thank you to all that participated!

 

[wwillson]

Answers to BITOG members' questions