Just snagged some Pennzoil ULTRA 5w30 (5 quarts) to use for my upcoming oil change in my 2000 Ford Explorer SPORT with the 4.0 V6 88,XXX original miles.

A new Motorcraft FL1-A Oil Filter will be used.

Just wondering if anyone here has used this Pennzoil oil, and what are your thoughts on it if you have used it?

Thank You. Ed

 

Been waiting for a good sale or rebate so no use of it yet. But some good reviews on BITOG

 

I would think that is a good oil but have never used it, am a Motorcraft and Rotella user.

 

Same here.

I've been using Platinum because it costs less.

 

MIKE, ironically, I recently received a check in the mail from Pep Boys, as a reward user from past purchases. All cpnsidered, with the rebate check, I'm paying $4.84 a quart for the Pennzoil ULTRA, so I fugured why not, I'll treat my Explorer with this slippery oil that's tauted as giving you a "self=cleaning" engine!

I'll change it Saturday morning, the wife's car (2007 Saturn Vue) will get an AC Delco Oil Filter and 5w30 CHEVRON SUPREME oil (My favorite dino oil).

Ed

 

You know of course that there are no standard definitions, federal, state, industry, religious, etc. whatsoever for words like "Ultra". So there is no guarantee that "Ultra" motor oil is any different than "regular". They could all very well come from the same tap at the refinery.

All you have is Pennzoil's word on it. C'mon on now. Are your telling me that you really believe what the oil companys say?

Then you probably believe that all the wells in the Gulf are safe and none is leaking anything into the ocean.

 

While it is a pretty hype-sounding marketing name, at least it has a little history with Shell in Europe. Pennzoil is part of Shell. Shell Helix Ultra is Ferrari factory fill. So, at least some grades meet manufacturers standards higher than API or ISLAC. The same Group III+ base oil is used in both products. Shell's proprietary XHVI base oil is different than the generic South Korean Group III that Conoco uses in some products, maybe Motorcraft synthetic blend? Does it matter in an Exploder, who can tell?

 

Here is some info on Penzoils Ultra basestock formulation, as told to Jobbers World. Be patient while reading through the usual Pennzoil marketing verbage, to get down to where the interesting questions are asked & kinda answered.
Pennzoil Ultra

Seems it has some PAO, but is mostly Gp-3 base stocks, because they offer up better solvency for their detergent package, which they seem to be focused on, but were closed mouth about, as to what it's base formulation is. But whatever it is, it apparently likes Gp-3 base stocks best.

SO, that expensive Ultra is mostly GP-3, with some PAO tossed in where needed by the blender to meet specs, guess that means if the Gp-3 base stocks they have on hand aren't the best, they blend in some PAO to boost it's performance to get by.

Seems Pennzoil is more focused on the formulations cleaning ability, rather than it's lubricating ability, so apparently the marketing department has been ordered to beat that drum for some reason!!!!!

Anyway it was a short, but interesting read.

Hey Ed, I think they "snagged" you instead!!!!! lol
Not that I haven't been "snagged" a time or two over the years on various things!!!!

Will be interesting to hear your impressions of it, in your engine, under your driving conditions.

UOA's of it on Bobistheoilguy seem ok so far, but there seems to be some doubt/questions as to it's ability to be used for extended drain intervials, because it seems Base Number depletion goes rather rapidly for an oil of this cost. So if your of a mind for an extended run, maybe consider doing a UOA at about 7500 miles to see how it's doing for you.

Some more Ultra thoughts for pondering, will be interesting to hear how it goes.

 

Shell's XHVI Group III+ is not the ordinary Group III that is so derided by the PAO camp. Its not severely hydroprocessed distillate, but isomerized slack wax, which results in higher purity and, most important, higher viscosity index. Some PAO is in the mix probably to further lower the pour point.

The marketing department does seem to be big on the cleaning ability, both for Pennzoil and V-Power gasoline. But remember, Mobil did the same thing years ago with detergent gasoline and more recently, Mobil Clean motor oils. What may be real is the increased add pack on the Ultra product may help with TBN depletion, resulting in extended drain intervals. How does Mobil One EP do it?

Yes, the Hyper and Ultra and Nitrogen-enriched marketing crapola is a bit hard to take, but how do you sell to the general public and make your brand stand out from the rest. BP uses the word Titanium in the name of its most expensive motor oil, although they used that one before, decades ago. The cleaning power of GTX was also highlighted with those sludge-covered guys from the TV ads a while back.

 

Here is an interesting Q&A from bobistheoilguy site, in which Pennzoil replys to a question about if Ultra uses any PAO base stock & they say no, but in their above interview with Jobbers World, they say it could contain some PAO, but is mainly Group-3 base stocks?????

Also they say there isn't any XHVI Group-3 base stock in it, at least not yet, but they don't rule out it's use when their "Pearl" GTL facility is up & running.
Pennzoil Ultra Q&A - Bob is the Oil Guy

 

Jim, with this new Pennzoil Ultra 5w30 in my Explorer Sport, it does sound and perform like a Ferrari !

Even though I only drove the Explorer from backing it down off of the car ramps, and into the garage - the engine felt very powerful !

JSCHIRA - in case you didn't know, it's simply a bit of joking on my part!

 

I've grown up in a family of mechanics and all swore by Pennzoil, so I've used it ever since I started changing my own oil without any problems and love it. The only time I differ was the last oil change in the stang, used Mobil 1 since I get a discount at work, and so far so good.

 

As a corporate attorney, I was constantly advising the marketing department on what they could or couldn't say. It was almost fun to come up with utterly meaningless verbiage.

 

Yes, I understand. But words like "Boffo" and "Bazinga" seem to hold such deep meaning for some people that it is always good to interject a dose of reality.

Although I have said it before, it bears repeating.

At least GM, Ford and Fiat/Chrysler all test their gas engine to at least 150,000 miles and diesels to 250,000 - 300,000 miles using the oil recommended and oil change interval in the owners manual. That means generic Wally API certified oil changed at 5000-10,000 miles. Nothing "titanium", "ultra", "Sooper" or any other hyperbole oil. Shoot, they do not even switch over to "high-mileage" oil at 75k. And yes, you heard it here first, the 3000 miles OCI is just plain stupid with modern oil.

Personally, 150k miles is far, far longer than I will ever keep a car.

PS - The hardest working engine in your garage is not your car or truck, it is your lawn mower. Sorry if this shrivels the phallic aura of your motor vehicle.

 

I'd venture to say that 90% or more of your off the shelf synthetic oils are primarily Group III basestock. Out of them, you gotta look at oils like Mobil1 0W-40 or 'German' Castrol 0W-30 to get more 'real synthetic' oil.

And looking at UOA's, I go with Pennzoil Platinum over the Ultra because of price vs performance. Platinum is my favorite 5W-20. Always has excellent results in 4.6's, and I run it in my mom's 05 Mustang GT.