Pp 5/30

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I purchased our Acura MDX 3.7L. Used. The previous owner changed the oil every 5k with M1 5/20. She did this religiously she owned it from the time it was new until 99k miles. I've ran Castrol 0/40, PP 5/30 now PP 10/30. Awesome car. when I look inside the oil fill hole straight into the valve cover I can see no sludge and shiny aluminum on the cylinder head, I do see some varnish. (brown). My question is with this change Pennzoil Platinum 5/30 SN+. The oil was almost black at 2500 miles. Is this oil doing some serious cleaning up? It didn't do this with the Castrol 0/40 until around 5k miles. I changed the 5/30 out. Now running the PP (SN) 10/30; btw. Using a fram ultra synthetic filter. Previously I've used the Purolator boss. The Honda OLM at 15% is around 5500 miles. M-F it's all short trip. The wife commute round trip is 5 miles. I use it on Saturday nights for Lyft and Uber and usually put on about 500 miles. I know what some say, I make 6-700 on a Saturday night. Yes I found a little gold mine where there is few drivers and high demands. If this is really doing some serious cleaning power maybe I'll leave the oci at 3000 until the oil is still clean at that mileage
 
Well, PP does have good cleaning properties but so do the other oil you mentioned.
I don't think your engine is dirty, it just has a bit of varnish and that's normal even on well maintained engines.
But yes, PP will do its job the best it can and some oil do in fact turn dark(er) more quickly than some others.
 
Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
I purchased our Acura MDX 3.7L. Used. The previous owner changed the oil every 5k with M1 5/20. She did this religiously she owned it from the time it was new until 99k miles. I've ran Castrol 0/40, PP 5/30 now PP 10/30. Awesome car. when I look inside the oil fill hole straight into the valve cover I can see no sludge and shiny aluminum on the cylinder head, I do see some varnish. (brown). My question is with this change Pennzoil Platinum 5/30 SN+. The oil was almost black at 2500 miles. Is this oil doing some serious cleaning up? It didn't do this with the Castrol 0/40 until around 5k miles. I changed the 5/30 out. Now running the PP (SN) 10/30; btw. Using a fram ultra synthetic filter. Previously I've used the Purolator boss. The Honda OLM at 15% is around 5500 miles. M-F it's all short trip. The wife commute round trip is 5 miles. I use it on Saturday nights for Lyft and Uber and usually put on about 500 miles. I know what some say, I make 6-700 on a Saturday night. Yes I found a little gold mine where there is few drivers and high demands. If this is really doing some serious cleaning power maybe I'll leave the oci at 3000 until the oil is still clean at that mileage

I align your varnish with Castrol, not SOPUS oils. I once had varnish for 3-4 years and that's when I used Castrol in the 1990s. Haven't seen a trace of varnish prior or since.
It sounds like your engine is clean-otherwise. But the specs say Ultra Platinum cleans even better than Platinum.

So if you desire a more spotless look, then switch to Ultra Platinum or Mobil-1.
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
I purchased our Acura MDX 3.7L. Used. The previous owner changed the oil every 5k with M1 5/20. She did this religiously she owned it from the time it was new until 99k miles. I've ran Castrol 0/40, PP 5/30 now PP 10/30. Awesome car. when I look inside the oil fill hole straight into the valve cover I can see no sludge and shiny aluminum on the cylinder head, I do see some varnish. (brown). My question is with this change Pennzoil Platinum 5/30 SN+. The oil was almost black at 2500 miles. Is this oil doing some serious cleaning up? It didn't do this with the Castrol 0/40 until around 5k miles. I changed the 5/30 out. Now running the PP (SN) 10/30; btw. Using a fram ultra synthetic filter. Previously I've used the Purolator boss. The Honda OLM at 15% is around 5500 miles. M-F it's all short trip. The wife commute round trip is 5 miles. I use it on Saturday nights for Lyft and Uber and usually put on about 500 miles. I know what some say, I make 6-700 on a Saturday night. Yes I found a little gold mine where there is few drivers and high demands. If this is really doing some serious cleaning power maybe I'll leave the oci at 3000 until the oil is still clean at that mileage

I align your varnish with Castrol, not SOPUS oils. I once had varnish for 3-4 years and that's when I used Castrol in the 1990s. Haven't seen a trace of varnish prior or since.
It sounds like your engine is clean-otherwise. But the specs say Ultra Platinum cleans even better than Platinum.

So if you desire a more spotless look, then switch to Ultra Platinum or Mobil-1.

The previous owner used M1 and the varnish was their when I purchased the car. She always took the car to a quick lube she told me which one and I know they strictly only use and1 products
 
I never said one was better than the others. I just offered more options and read plenty on how well Ultra Platinum cleans up things like areas in and around pistons.

But come to think of it, lets just say I've seen the top of more engines taken apart using Mobil-1, than Pennzoil Platinum. So if anyone knows of Platinum users with their valve covers off, I need to see more of those.
 
The reason I used the Platinum is because I wanted to try the 10:30 that one supposedly has the lowest noack ultra Platinum is a little harder to get and the noack is up by 1%. I think I'm the next Oil change I will try ultra Platinum
 
I found PP working better in my application than PUP. I've tried switching between PP and PUP and the car really works easier on PP, easier starts and better performance.
Might be subjective, but I tend to believe my feelings over 4 OCI.
Also, PP now meets SN plus and D1G2 while PUP does not and is loaded with lots of calcium.
I am not an expert really, but I do believe meeting latest specs is better.
 
Originally Posted by Bullwinkle007
The reason I used the Platinum is because I wanted to try the 10:30 that one supposedly has the lowest noack ultra Platinum is a little harder to get and the noack is up by 1%. I think I'm the next Oil change I will try ultra Platinum


Aquariscsm says his Accord runs great on PPHM and that the oil did some cleaning. I'm about to put PP 5w20 in the Camry and PP 5w20 has a 8.6% NOACK as I found a file here showing this
 
Whenever you switch oils, there is likely to be a cleaning effect. That is where the new oil dissolves the previous oil's deposits of excess additives... and starts laying down its own excess additives.
 
Originally Posted by HangFire
That is where the new oil dissolves the previous oil's deposits of excess additives... and starts laying down its own excess additives.


I only buy oils with standup additives.
 
I've been using PP in both cars since new and it always gets dark early, ran Castrol 0w-40 last summer and it was just dark brown at next oil change.
 
Packaged in it, too.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted by dubber09
I've been using PP in both cars since new and it always gets dark early ...
I've been using PP for 3 consecutive changes. It gets dark remarkably slowly, just like the previous two brands did in this engine.
 
Originally Posted by dubber09
I've been using PP in both cars since new and it always gets dark early, ran Castrol 0w-40 last summer and it was just dark brown at next oil change.


(my guess) The PP is cleaning your 2.4 carbon better than the 0W40 Castrol.

Does Kia allow 0W oils in their manual? My 2019 Hyundai does not.
 
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