"HiredGun", thanks for sharing! Very conviencing! Most of us don't actually have the opportunity to get that type of data. Thanks, again!

 

Wow!! That's pretty impressive testimony.

It does put some bite in my opinion that the main reason for Mobil 1 these days is at the temperature extremes, which after all, was its "claim to fame" initially. I believe that current refining and additive packages make some regular oils almost as good in other areas; certainly cost effective at 80% less per quart. But if your wife and daughter have to start the truck at 20 below, or pull the horse trailer at 90 (degrees and MPH--well, maybe I exaggerate a little) with the AC on full, and then you expect it to run flawlessly for at least 250,000 miles, then you've got to use Mobil 1.

Interesting about Pennzoil. Maybe they've gone the "lower our costs regardless" route like Fram. I'm hoping Ford doesn't go too far down that path.

As they say on CNBC, in the interest of full disclosure, do you have any relationship with Exxon Mobil?

 

i helped on of my neighbors rebuild a truck motor when i was 16. he was a strict only penzoil and nothing else kind of person. well 2 years ago he decided to rebuild it because it began to knock. well i will never forget the sight when he pulled that valve cover off. you could not see the rocker arms because there was so much buildup, it was just one big blob that was shapped like his valve cover, it looked like when you use one of those jello molds and flip it over and pull it off!!!!!! then off came the intake. same thing there you couldnt see the lifter valley or lifters and most of the pushrods were covered too!!!! you can use penzoil if you want too but not me, ill stick to valvoline or havoline.

 

I use quaker state semi-sythetic 84 Honda Fourtrax, I got the stuff really cheap at wally world for a 1.00 a quart. I also used quaker State semi-sythetic Tranny Juice in ZF-5speed, Shifts were greatly improved, I guess I will see how long the honda atv and ZF 5 speed live!!!

 

I think that Pennzoil-quakerstate changed formulation when Shell oil company purchased them. They have something called purebase now. Maybe its not parafin based anymore.

 

I don't have as much experience as some of you folks but I can testify to the fact that I have used Mobil 1 in my 97 F250 460 (as well as all my vehicles) since the day I bought them new. I have never had a problem and in fact my mechanic friend says that he cannot believe how good the inside of the engine looks. Yes it is expensive. But for my money I want the best for my vehicles because at times I ask alot of them. Good luck with your decesion.

Kevin

 

Pennzoil's legendary sludging is just like seeing space alien's. Everybody's neighbor's brother-in-law has seen them and swears they exist. But nobody has ever thought to take a picture to prove it.

I have to wonder how Pennzoil can have such reported universaly poor performance when it's manufactured from a varied source of base stocks. Pennzoil is a large customer for base stock from other major oil companies such as Excel, Petro Canada, and Chevron RLOP.

And that information doesn't come from my neighbor's brother-in-law. It's documented here. The link is to a civil court decision from the United States District Court of New Jersey. Castrol challenged Pennzoil's marketing claims in a lawsuit and won. But the interesting part about the base oil's can be found under "7. The Double-Length Sequence IIIE Engine Tests, II. Motor Oils, A. Pennzoil's Base Stocks"

Pennzoil's formulations of SAE5W-30 used three different base oils. They are Excel, Petro Canada, and Chevron RLOP. Each of these base oils have been exposed to a Sequence IIIE engine test and meet the minimum standards for classification and licensing established by API and ILSAC. According to API publication 1509, and based on their chemical composition, these base oils are categorized as Group II base oils.

So if we are to believe all the negative hype about Pennzoil, we have to be willing to believe the same about all their supplier's. Who knows? Maybe our favorite brand is a supplier to Pennzoil.

 

I have been noticing that my wifes Dodge intrepid has a little slud on the oil fill cap. I have been using Castrol GTX 5w-30 every 3000 miles. I am now changing it every 2500 miles and that sludge has disappeard from the cap. Any Oil Will sludge give it time. Driving habbits have a great effect oil life.

 

I love those "my brother's cousin's dog's neighbor's friend's buddy ACTUALLY saw a giant alien sludge ball inside his brand-new [insert engine size, type and mileage here]!" That is just complete and unadulterated bull!

Pennzoil sells millions of gallons of oil throughout the world. If engines were truly sludging up like the ubiquitous "my buddy" lore, they would have been out of business 50 years ago!

Anyone that believes that garbage, come on out to my place, and you can inspect my entire fleet for sludge - you won't find any. And why is that? Because I maintain my vehicles and equipment when I'm supposed to! I don't wait 20,000 miles to change my oil and get mad when the engine falls apart.

And, for the last time, there is no wax in Pennzoil, Quaker State or Kendall!!

As I said in my earlier posts, any one of the major oils will work great for you.

 

well thats yalls opinion and i wont bash that but i saw what i saw so i wont be using penzoil. can i prove that it is bad ? no i cannot. can you honestly say that a company could produce something sub standard and would definitely 100% not be in buisness after all this time? NO YOU CANNOT.

 

and yes penzoil and quaker state did use a parafin wax based oil, they even said it in there own literature, although they use much more scientific terms other than parafin wax!! that was a few years ago so i really dont know that they still do. im going to research this again and see what i come up with. what i do know is with the oil i use i can abuse my truck, and flog it to hell and back, over rev it and over heat it, change the oil after the recommended time and mileage and i still wont have any sludge, or build up. try that with penzoil or quaker state if you want to but i sure wont be using it. EVER!!!!!

 

I ran QuakerState in my 88 T-Bird with the 3.8. I beat the living hell out of it and never complained, I was drunk one night and went into the ditch and pierced a big hole in the radiator. I drove it home (5miles) with no coolant. Never seamed to hurt anything!

 

I guess this will never stop. Paraffin is the chemical term for linear saturated hydrocarbons, CnH2n+2. Methane gas (CH4) is a Paraffin and no one would confuse that with wax!

Pennzoil/QS must curse the day they ever decided to use such a misunderstood chemical term in advertising.

Jim

 

You sure got that right, Jim!

Thanks for the edit horsepuller - I'll endeavor to clean up the language and use of alternate letters...

bearfoot - so in your (what is it 18?) long years of experience, you have seen a total of one engine failure that was supposedly directly caused by Pennzoil, is that your contention? Just want to make sure if that is the factual basis for your argument.

Okay then. Let's deal with facts.

Fact - Pennzoil is the #1 selling gasoline engine motor oil in the U.S.

Fact - Pennzoil's millions of loyal customers actually pay a premium price over Havoline and the other "service station" brands for it.

Fact - Pennzoil doesn't even refine its own base oils. I suspect it doesn' manufacture its own additives either, but I am not certain of this.

Now if you like I'd be happy to write to Pennzoil's tech service department for some additional engine testing and performance factual information which I would be happy to post, but I fear it would bore the heck out of most of us! But I will do it if you want me to.

Now it is your turn -

Why again was your "neighbor" rebuilding his engine?

What kind of car was it? Engine size and mileage?

Can you absolutely guarantee there was no blowby which caused sludge to accumulate in the valve covers?

How were the head gaskets?

Did your "neighbor" have the oil analyzed?

Did he contact his dealer?

I'm sure you have all the data regarding frequency of oil changes, etc. Could you please post that?

Did he ever make a claim of any kind against Pennzoil?

Lastly, I especially enjoyed your comment: what i do know is with the oil i use i can abuse my truck, and flog it to hell and back, over rev it and over heat it, change the oil after the recommended time and mileage and i still wont have any sludge, or build up So, am I correct in saying that it is your position that only non-Pennzoil users abuse their vehicles? Or is it your position (based on your vast experience) that ALL Pennzoil users have a sludge problem? I know you're smarter than that.

 

All I can say for sure is that when I pulled apart my 84 ranger to rebuild it I could not believe how clean it was inside there since it had many many miles on it. Maybe it was just from proper maintenace and not the oil. I use Havoline and I stick with it because of what I saw when I got into the ranger motor. Another oil might have been the same way with proper maintenance but why mess with success. That is why I stick with havoline. Others may stick with theirs for the same reasons.

Many of the vehicles that go to mechanics and are reported to have sludge build-up have not had the proper maintence done as required. That is what it is due from as opposed to the oil itself.