What caused "Pennzoil sludge"?

[TheFuror]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ray H:
So,... Getting back on topic, why do paraffin wax-laden Pennsylvania grade motor oils routinely cause caked-on sludge? After all, if ya' can't trust a dealer mechanic, whom can ya' trust?... (Please, someone - anyone, ask me why no one touches my car except me!

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I always (once I joined BITOG) thought that paraffinic crude contained alarge amounts of microcrystalline waxes and slack wax, which older methods of refining did not properly resolve, hence the sludge.

Bob W.

 

[medic]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ray H:
So,... Getting back on topic, why do paraffin wax-laden Pennsylvania grade motor oils routinely cause caked-on sludge? After all, if ya' can't trust a dealer mechanic, whom can ya' trust?... (Please, someone - anyone, ask me why no one touches my car except me!

)

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Easy - THEY DON'T! The only oil that currently makes a claim to Pennsylvania Grade Crude is Brad Penn. I haven't seen anybody complain that this oil caused their engine to have a sludge build-up.

quote:

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PENN-GRADE™ crude oil is a superior quality crude oil that is free of asphaltic constituents, contains only trace amounts of sulfur and nitrogen, and has excellent characteristics for refining into lubricating base stocks. Lubricants made from refined Pennsylvania Crude Oil have been the choice of equipment manufacturers and consumers for well over 100 years.

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So, why do you think Pennsylvania grade motor oils contains paraffin wax? I have never seen the word "wax" on any MSDS.

I will use Schaeffer's #701 for an example.

MSDS states components as:

Zinc C1-C14 Alkyldithiophosphate
Molybdenum Trialkyldithiocarbamate
100% Paraffin Base Oils
Polyalphaolefin Synthetic Base Fluids

While I see paraffin oil here, I do not see the word wax anywhere.

 

[scoobdude]

I don't trust Pennzoil becasue every mtor i have put it into develops early morning rod knock. change it over to mobil 1 and its gone (after a few oil changes)

This has happend on:
81 BMW 320I
85 300ZX Turbo
95 Nissan Maxima
98 Chevy Malibu

and i know that the nissan engine in the maxima is the one they still use (which i think has the microfinished crank and cams).

I never pulled any of these apart as they are all still running or gone to another owner. So unfortunatly i cannot comment on the actual sludge issue. However both Nissans and the BMW had clean heads under the valve cover.

just my 2 cents
joe

 

[Ray H]

So,... Getting back on topic, why do paraffin wax-laden Pennsylvania grade motor oils routinely cause caked-on sludge? After all, if ya' can't trust a dealer mechanic, whom can ya' trust?... (Please, someone - anyone, ask me why no one touches my car except me!

)