PU darkens in under 625 miles?

[Falcon_LS]

I was happy to find my local Chrysler dealership was stocking Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5w40 for Chrysler's SRT vehicles, so I switched my Montero over at the last oil change.

The engine internals were not exactly what I'd call clean when I took over the maintenance of this vehicle, but I've used Liqui Moly Pro-Line Engine Flush regularly for the past 3 or so oil changes. This oil change wasn't an exception, and the old oil came out pitch black with the flush as always.

It's not even been 1,000 km (625 miles) since I made the switch, and the oil on the dipstick is already a dark caramel brown color (originally golden yellow). Normally, the golden yellow appearance lasts for 4,500 km (2,812 miles) or so with other lubricants I've used, including Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 which I briefly used at one point.

Is it a safe assumption to say the PU has started cleaning up? I know my camshafts are not clean:

Anybody else noticed something similar when they switched to PU?

 

[Donald]

PU has been reported by many on this forum to perform excellent cleaning of the engine. But as always, your color (of oil) may vary.

The proof will be the shape of the engine after one or more oil changes and maybe a cut open filter, rather than the color of the oil.

 

[Trav]

I believe Pennzoil. The Ultra is the premium product under Shells Pennzoil label.

 

[LeakySeals]

My view is an oil that stays clean on the dip through the entire OCI is a do-nothing oil leaving deposits behind. What your seeing is the PU cleaning up after do-nothing oils IMO. Verification of this will be subsequent oil changes stay clean looking longer.

 

[Trav]

+1 that sounds like a fair assessment.

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
My view is an oil that stays clean on the dip through the entire OCI is a do-nothing oil leaving deposits behind. What your seeing is the PU cleaning up after do-nothing oils IMO. Verification of this will be subsequent oil changes stay clean looking longer.


What if you are starting with a clean engine??

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: BISCUT
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
My view is an oil that stays clean on the dip through the entire OCI is a do-nothing oil leaving deposits behind. What your seeing is the PU cleaning up after do-nothing oils IMO. Verification of this will be subsequent oil changes stay clean looking longer.


What if you are starting with a clean engine??




Then no worries mate!

 

[Coprolite]

Even starting with a clean engine, the oil will be preventing new build up. All my vehicles over the past few years have been low mileage with clean engines and have darkened the oil with use.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Anybody else noticed something similar when they switched to PU?

Not in my case. My first run of PU in the 530i was close to 6K miles. By the time I got it out, it was only slightly darker than when new. I guess the engine was fairly clean to begin with. Maybe yours was slightly more dirty so PU has more work to do.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Anybody else noticed something similar when they switched to PU?

Not in my case. My first run of PU in the 530i was close to 6K miles. By the time I got it out, it was only slightly darker than when new. I guess the engine was fairly clean to begin with. Maybe yours was slightly more dirty so PU has more work to do.


+1 Bingo. Given the photo in the initial post I would agree that PU is just doing what it does best. Cleaning out your engine.

 

[Falcon_LS]

Thanks for the input.

Change of plans, big time. I'm not running this interval for the full 6,250 miles I usually run. Going to be running two 3,000 mile intervals, because of this sample I just pulled out the dipstick tube:

 

[Boss302fan]

I have seen worse. If you continue to use PU, then go to 5K with your oci... Oil is still working even if it looks dirty.

 

[volk06]

Looks like some serious cleaning going on! Definitely need to take some after pictures!

 

[Jaymus]

I agree, it is probably just cleaning. You should have seen Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 when I first started using it in my 86 F150 5.0 EFI about 4 years ago. 500 miles it was pitch black. I did a few early changes, then it got to where it was taking 1000 miles to get as black, then 1500 miles to get as black. It still gets pitch black in 1200ish miles, but I run it for 3000-4000 miles. Don't think my engine will ever stop doing this until 20 or 30k miles of this oil, lol.

 

[Phishin]

I was cleaning out the old dirty 350 in my truck I bought about a year and half ago.

The first 4 oil changes were at 500 miles because they got so dark so fast. Then I started using solvents because the oil wouldn't darken up until about 2k miles. Now it won't even turn dark.

Then I added Kreen. 100 miles later down the highway, and it looks like liquid asphalt.

Before Kreen, you could barely see the oil after 2k miles.

Depends on what you're cleaning with. Just oil will only do what just oil can do. LOL!! And Kreen will get all the rest. That stuff is crazy.

 

[Boss302fan]

If you really want to clean it up fast, then do a few short OCI's with Kreen and Pennzoil Conventional...

Then use PU to keep it clean...

 

[BrianWC]

I pay attention to Pennzoil Conventional out of the corner of my eye..so WHAT is the magical cleaning property of it, again?

Just wondering since a few years back the complete lack of oil's ability to clean out my saab thrust me into the loving arms of arx, lol.

I've used plenty of Pennzoil High Mileage and even a change or two of Pennzoil Conventional in my recently departed Fit but never had reason to glance at the internals...

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: Boss302fan
If you really want to clean it up fast, then do a few short OCI's with Kreen and Pennzoil Conventional...

Then use PU to keep it clean...


lol, ^ this.

Though, I was pleased with how quickly the Ultra darkened on my last OCI.