Unveiling the Superiority of Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Oil: A Detailed Analysis by Mr. Lake Speed Jr.

[Glenda W.]

I'll take the thin Pennzoil over the thick Quaker State

I would too. But if I’m honest I would prefer something different.

 

[Sienna dude]

Why not take their best if you get a price like this

I hoarded 3 cases

 

[Sienna dude]

There is some evidence out there that QSUP uses GTL too though

Well I'm not a chemist or anything, I watched the oil geek, and he saw no GTL there

 

[Glenda W.]

This is BITOG, why not go for POA/Ester/AN!! How I long for the Tri Syn days. Oh wait Dr. Rudnick formulates for HPL!!

 

[BornSlippy]

Latest (April 2025) Quaker State Full Synthetic 5w-30 shows 40-50% GTL on the SDS.

 

[Patman]

This is BITOG, why not go for POA/Ester/AN!! How I long for the Tri Syn days. Oh wait Dr. Rudnick formulates for HPL!!

That is one thing I like about using M1 ESP is that all of the viscosities use better base oils than vanilla M1

 

[Sienna dude]

This is BITOG, why not go for POA/Ester/AN!! How I long for the Tri Syn days. Oh wait Dr. Rudnick formulates for HPL!!

Too expensive for a regular car.

 

[Glenda W.]

That is one thing I like about using M1 ESP is that all of the viscosities use better base oils than vanilla M1

Agree 100%. For ~ $28 it can’t be beat.

 

[Glenda W.]

Too expensive for a regular car.

Only if it’s not used to it’s full potential. A case where a UOA actually makes sense.

 

[Sienna dude]

Only if it’s not used to it’s full potential. A case where a UOA actually makes sense.

I've said this many times before, I cannot trust the stupid oil filters. So if I jack up my big ass van to change the filter, might as well just open the valve and change the oil. I have 4,600 miles as of right now on the hpl 0w16. when I get the oil filter dissected at 6,000 miles and if I see some stuff, I might switch to HPL and then run it for 15,000 miles

 

[Glenda W.]

I've said this many times before, I cannot trust the stupid oil filters. So if I jack up my big ass van to change the filter, might as well just open the valve and change the oil. I have 4,600 miles as of right now on the hpl 0w16. when I get the oil filter dissected at 6,000 miles and if I see some stuff, I might switch to HPL and then run it for 15,000 miles

Good point. This is where a cartridge filter is superior and why I don’t like using one filter for multiple oci’s.

 

[OVERKILL]

QS is not GTL

That wasn't the argument you were making, you were talking about additives.

I think historically QS might have continued to use Shell's XHVI base oils, and perhaps it is still the dominant base in some of the products, but here's the SDS for the 5W-30:

That "Distillates (Fischer-Tropsch)" is GTL.

 

[Sienna dude]

HPL has been giving me great gas mileage as well, like TGMO. Is it all that Moly doing its thing?

 

[Sienna dude]

That wasn't the argument you were making, you were talking about additives.

I think historically QS might have continued to use Shell's XHVI base oils, and perhaps it is still the dominant base in some of the products, but here's the SDS for the 5W-30:
View attachment 276139

That "Distillates (Fischer-Tropsch)" is GTL.

My point is that Pennzoil gets the job done with less additives while QS needs more additives. So more additives don't mean anything. So it must be the GTL that is playing a part. Not my words, it's what that oil geek on YouTube said.

 

[RDY4WAR]

All other things equal I would still prefer to have GTL over the other versions of group 3 base oils though…

Why?

Without digging into specific specs, let me say this. The pinnacle of quality in engine oils typically comes down to oils formulated for long-drain intervals and oils formulated for professional race teams. You don't see GTL usage in either of these areas and for good reason. GTL is just group III with the downsides of group IV.

 

[buster]

I don't think this is correct, I'd be fascinated to see the evidence supporting this and have my skepticism enlightened. I doubt anyone would pay a premium for expensive co-base or tribase blends if there was no payoff in engine wear.

Additive concentrations in PPM only trick us in to thinking we know things we don't. I recall a recent LSJr video comparing M1 15w50 and VR1 20w50 in SP grades vs SN grades. Both adds packs are "weaker" for SP and yet both oils showed less camshaft wear in the SP formulations. Less wear with lower additive concentrations.

I seem to recall the striking finding that the new VR1 dino oil was actually better than the previous synthetic M1 15w50. So not only did the oils gets better with the "weaker" add packs, the improvement was enough that the newer dino outperformed the prior synthetic, and by a notable margin.


There are lots of ways to skin the cat and there are great oils out there with high boron levels (300+) and great oils with zero boron. Moly levels are all over the place. Higher SAPS vs mid SAPS might be better or worse-- one can find cases of each.

It's recipe vs recipe, not ingredient vs ingredient.

I'm in agreement. It really is the end product that matters.

 

[Sienna dude]

I don't think this is correct, I'd be fascinated to see the evidence supporting this and have my skepticism enlightened. I doubt anyone would pay a premium for expensive co-base or tribase blends if there was no payoff in engine wear.

Additive concentrations in PPM only trick us in to thinking we know things we don't. I recall a recent LSJr video comparing M1 15w50 and VR1 20w50 in SP grades vs SN grades. Both adds packs are "weaker" for SP and yet both oils showed less camshaft wear in the SP formulations. Less wear with lower additive concentrations.

I seem to recall the striking finding that the new VR1 dino oil was actually better than the previous synthetic M1 15w50. So not only did the oils gets better with the "weaker" add packs, the improvement was enough that the newer dino outperformed the prior synthetic, and by a notable margin.


There are lots of ways to skin the cat and there are great oils out there with high boron levels (300+) and great oils with zero boron. Moly levels are all over the place. Higher SAPS vs mid SAPS might be better or worse-- one can find cases of each.

It's recipe vs recipe, not ingredient vs ingredient.

Exactly. I keep things simple. All these big brands are good, buy the one that offers a better deal. I have hoarded both Mobil1 and Pennzoil.

 

[OVERKILL]

My point is that Pennzoil gets the job done with less additives while QS needs more additives. So more additives don't mean anything. So it must be the GTL that is playing a part. Not my words, it's what that oil geek on YouTube said.

Except I just showed you the VOA's that have basically the same additives, so.... And of course I also showed that QS uses GTL.

 

[Sienna dude]

Except I just showed you the VOA's that have basically the same additives, so.... And of course I also showed that QS uses GTL.

I thought you had no faith in VOA's

 

[BornSlippy]

Number of years ago QS showed 90% GTL. Then they started listing "0-90% interchangeable low viscosity base oil". I think it always had some GTL in it, depending on how much surplus GTL Shell had.

Maybe 540RAT was right about QS........