Valvoline R&P vs Pennzoil Ultra Platinum

[OFFRD]

This is far from scientific, but I'll share this:

Up until January of this year I had a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.6L Pentastar V6. It had a steady diet of dealership oil changes every 5-6k miles throughout its entire life. From what I've been told on this forum, that dealership 0W20 is actually Pennzoil Ultra Platinum oil. Judging from the inside of the throttle body, underside of the oil fill cap, and heavy varnish on the dipstick the engine was pretty dirty.

I ran Valvoline R&P in it beginning at 200k miles on the odometer. Within a week I was already seeing the varnish on the dipstick disappear. There were signs that the Valvoline was doing what it claimed to do.

So that raises the question... if the Valvoline R&P was reversing the crud left behind with PUP, can the two oils even be compared? To me it seems like the R&P really is something different. If other oils were just as good, the Valvoline wouldn't have had anything to clean up to begin with.

 

[kschachn]

So that raises the question... if the Valvoline R&P was reversing the crud left behind with PUP, can the two oils even be compared? To me it seems like the R&P really is something different. If other oils were just as good, the Valvoline wouldn't have had anything to clean up to begin with.

No I don’t think you can. R&P, whatever it is makes specific claims of cleaning. PUP on the other hand is just a Group III motor oil in that regard. That base stock isn’t one that will clean. Of course the R&P is also Group III base, but whatever they add or do to it results in the cleaning claims.

One has to read “cleaning” claims carefully. Another user posted such claims for PUP, but sludge removal and keeping parts clean is not the same as active deposit removal as you see being made for R&P.

 

[BornSlippy]

This is far from scientific, but I'll share this:

Up until January of this year I had a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.6L Pentastar V6. It had a steady diet of dealership oil changes every 5-6k miles throughout its entire life. From what I've been told on this forum, that dealership 0W20 is actually Pennzoil Ultra Platinum oil. Judging from the inside of the throttle body, underside of the oil fill cap, and heavy varnish on the dipstick the engine was pretty dirty.

I ran Valvoline R&P in it beginning at 200k miles on the odometer. Within a week I was already seeing the varnish on the dipstick disappear. There were signs that the Valvoline was doing what it claimed to do.

So that raises the question... if the Valvoline R&P was reversing the crud left behind with PUP, can the two oils even be compared? To me it seems like the R&P really is something different. If other oils were just as good, the Valvoline wouldn't have had anything to clean up to begin with.

While Pennzoil might have a relationship with Stellantis, it doesn't mean the dealers are using Pennzoil. The only PUP I am aware of that a dealer would explicitly use is the 0W-40 in the SRT engines.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

The dealer will use the cheapest swill they can find that meets MS-6395.

 

[buster]

This is far from scientific, but I'll share this:

Up until January of this year I had a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.6L Pentastar V6. It had a steady diet of dealership oil changes every 5-6k miles throughout its entire life. From what I've been told on this forum, that dealership 0W20 is actually Pennzoil Ultra Platinum oil. Judging from the inside of the throttle body, underside of the oil fill cap, and heavy varnish on the dipstick the engine was pretty dirty.

I ran Valvoline R&P in it beginning at 200k miles on the odometer. Within a week I was already seeing the varnish on the dipstick disappear. There were signs that the Valvoline was doing what it claimed to do.

So that raises the question... if the Valvoline R&P was reversing the crud left behind with PUP, can the two oils even be compared? To me it seems like the R&P really is something different. If other oils were just as good, the Valvoline wouldn't have had anything to clean up to begin with.

Unfortunately this is all too common with average run-of-the-mill synthetics. I don't think the dealership oil was PUP, but it could have been.

It seems to me that many off-shelf oils are OK to a point, but they seem to lack the solvency of the more expensive oils ($$). However, there are off shelf oils that do have more cleaning ability and better deposit control - mainly M1 FS and ESP oils.

VRP is different, as Valvoline clearly stated from the beginning. But we know that most people love to lash out and say "it's marketing" for everything they don't want to hear.

 

[4WD]

Unfortunately this is all too common with average run-of-the-mill synthetics. I don't think the dealership oil was PUP, but it could have been.

It seems to me that many off-shelf oils are OK to a point, but they seem to lack the solvency of the more expensive oils ($$). However, there are off shelf oils that do have more cleaning ability and better deposit control - mainly M1 FS and ESP oils.

VRP is different, as Valvoline clearly stated from the beginning. But we know that most people love to lash out and say "it's marketing" for everything they don't want to hear.

I have one on a dealership extended warranty with a dozen oil changes - they are very clear that it’s AC Delco 0W20 (P66)
M1 would be an added cost - and think PUP would also be+ …

 

[tired]

You found a quote from me in 2011? So, this was when I was young and even more prone to generalizations.

I don’t hold the same black and white thinking stance anymore, though. That post lacked nuance.

Optimal use vs absolute capabilities. I was wrong back then regarding the latter.

Ha yes. I wasn't looking for it though. I was just searching for reports of AMSOIL stopping oil burning issues, and I came across that post. You are a prolific poster!

 

[ltslimjim]

Ha yes. I wasn't looking for it though. I was just searching for reports of AMSOIL stopping oil burning issues, and I came across that post. You are a prolific poster!

That occurred to me afterwards that it was a coincidence. All good and nah I’m just here to learn like you. Far more knowledgeable posters here that have given some much needed nuance and improved understanding to the boards.

 

[Ayrton]

Amsoil SS was going to be my original test until R&P showed up at my Wally. I believe it would have taken more than 10,000 miles to work if it was going too.

Maybe SS did a tiny, tiny bit of the early cleanup too. Probably not, but maybe.

 

[Glenda W.]

Maybe SS did a tiny, tiny bit of the early cleanup too. Probably not, but maybe.

It’s completely possible SS got the ball rolling. Good point!

 

[martinq]

It’s completely possible SS got the ball rolling. Good point!

I would be really interested to see if Amsoil SS, or any other readily available oil, can clean up the piston ring pack. As of today, SS is a little bit cheaper than VRP for my area.