"Q" horsepower or Pennzoil Platinum

Status
Not open for further replies.
I would have answered to go with the QHP 2 days ago but now I say the PP. While I still think the Q synthetics are good oils I am very dissapointed in what I saw in an engine run almost exclusively on it in total, and solely on it for the last 2 years +/-, 2 days ago. It has dropped way, WAY, down on my list now.
frown.gif


I had my Sister stock up on it when AutoZone had such a great deal a couple years back( 5qts w/ filter for $19 ). She has been running it ever since in her 06 3.5L Impala( not known to be hard on oil )and so has her husband in his truck( 06 Colorado I5 ). I was going to have them start using the new Ultimate Durability( renamed/refomulated HP )but not now. I am going to be borrowing her car for a trip so I was doing some maintenance on it as a thank you.

I was working under the hood and on a whim I pulled the oil filler tube( it unscrews )just to have a peak and see how the top end looked( you can actually see quite a bit through the hole surprisingly ). I was SHOCKED to see the valve train all varnished up( VERY dark! ). I also saw what appeared to be some deposit build up. This is a completely healthy engine with no fluid leaks or anything else wrong that would lead to either conditon. The oil in the crankcase at the time was approx 5 months old and about 4K worth of use. The engine is not known for being hard on oil as I said and the vehicle is not abused/beat on either.

I am not impressed with how the oil performed in "this" application. I actually have run it in other things and felt it did much better. The engine didn't blow up but it is filthy inside at just 27K( approx 24K on QHP only ). I have torn down motors with over 100K run on cheap dino oil that had a cleaner valve train than her car does.

What does that say for her lower end and oil pan condition? I may end up pulling the valve covers to get a better look but really I saw enough through the fill hole to know it won't make me happy. I am going to take a look at her husbands truck to see what it looks like next. He runs the oil 7-10K between changes. I am almost afraid to look as I am the one who recommended they run it.
33.gif


I added some Seafoam and took it for a good cruise down the highay, then let it run at idle for about 30 minutes, to try and clean it out. I then did a swap over to Kendall GT1 synthetic. The Seafoam seemed to remove the deposits I had seen but the valve train is still all varnished and dark.

I know that doesn't mean anything supper bad but it doesn't impress me or mean anything super good either. This out of a supposdely top quality synthetic changed every 5K. I would expect better out of a dino oil in an engine with so few miles that has been cared for as well as her car has.

I may at the next OC for her suggest she do an Auto RX treatment. I wanted to send off a sample of her oil for analysis but I didn't have a kit and I was under such a time constraint I said forget it and just changed the oil.

Hoping the Kendall does a better job.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: coffee
PP for sure! Better specs and a great oil.


No it doesn't.

Example: 5W30 QHP has a lower pour point and higher flash point than 5W30 PP. Lower NOACK too.


I would run Q-HP because everyone else runs PP.
 
Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: coffee
PP for sure! Better specs and a great oil.


No it doesn't.

Example: 5W30 QHP has a lower pour point and higher flash point than 5W30 PP. Lower NOACK too.


I would run Q-HP because everyone else runs PP.


I was actually referring to specs like:

Approved to Acura HTO-06 for turbo-charged applications (5W-30)

Sorry for the confusion.
 
Originally Posted By: coffee
I was actually referring to specs like:

Approved to Acura HTO-06 for turbo-charged applications (5W-30)

Sorry for the confusion.


And that applies to a '97 Sentra? It's a spec for one engine, in one model.
Perhaps SOPUS did not see value in paying to have it's other syns tested.
 
Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: coffee
I was actually referring to specs like:

Approved to Acura HTO-06 for turbo-charged applications (5W-30)

Sorry for the confusion.


And that applies to a '97 Sentra? It's a spec for one engine, in one model.
Perhaps SOPUS did not see value in paying to have it's other syns tested.




Probably a valid point as the oil probably meets the spec even without the printed and paid for label.
 
Originally Posted By: Jax_RX8
Same company, but the formulations between the two are different.

Shell positions their various oil brands in this order (for gasoline engines)
1. Pennzoil
2. QS
3. Shell

From that, you would always expect the Pennzoil oils to be of slightly higher quality.


I remember reading something like that somewhere.. probably BITOG. Do you have a source because I don't see Shell promoting QS as #2?
 
Believe it or not, Shell has three different marketing departments. Just depends on which one feels their job security is in jeopardy.

I remember some bozo saying when Shell bought Pennzoil/Quaker State that he wanted to promote the Pennzoil brand and the luxury car oil for the more mature person, and the Quaker State brand as the performance/hot rodder brand for the young spirited person. Just plain stupid.
 
Last edited:
I don't remember reading that, lol, but my impression was that Pennzoil>QS.

QS puts Group II in their dino 10w30s. PYB is Group II+. I think you said that Johnny. PP uses XHVI which is one of the best Group III basestocks. QS does not.
 
Interesting comparisons between PP & QS.

I haven't been able to find the links to the QS Enhanced or Ultimate Durability Product Data Sheets anywhere. I know they're out there.

Thanks,
Gary
 
Originally Posted By: webfors
PP if the same price.
+1

That said, I'm currently running the QHP in a 3.0L Accord and plan on 1yr. or 5-10% OLM.

But, with all the recent promo's, I have a small stash of both.
 
sorry to hear that. i have run it a few times in my GM trucks and it seemed to do pretty well. This last run that i put the QS HP in my suburban after 7K on previous run on HP and it is dark/ almost black now after 2k miles. Making me nervos becuase in my vehicles it is usually pretty clean up too about 3-4 k miles. Ill probably run it 4 or 5 and change it. Maybe the 7k run was too long and it made things a little dirty.
 
Originally Posted By: NHHEMI
...
I was working under the hood and on a whim I pulled the oil filler tube( it unscrews )just to have a peak and see how the top end looked( you can actually see quite a bit through the hole surprisingly ). I was SHOCKED to see the valve train all varnished up( VERY dark! ). I also saw what appeared to be some deposit build up. This is a completely healthy engine with no fluid leaks or anything else wrong that would lead to either conditon. The oil in the crankcase at the time was approx 5 months old and about 4K worth of use. The engine is not known for being hard on oil as I said and the vehicle is not abused/beat on either...


That's not good. While the engine should be fine, varnish with only 4k OCI using a synthetic oil is not good. Maybe Wmart had Q torque on clearance for a reason.

To the OP, my vote goes to PP.
 
I bet you wouldn't be able to tell them apart in a uoa of the same motor in the same enviorment.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top