Is Shell better than Quaker State or Penzoil?

 

From what I can gather on BITOG, it goes like this in order of quality:

Pennzoil
QS
Shell

That said, any of them that have the proper SAE Xw-XX & API rating for your vehicle will work flawlessly for the OCI listed in your owner's manual.

Personally, I'm a QS man. I have tons of the stuff in the garage. I use the QS 4x4 semi-syn. 10w30 in my wife's Expedition. It works great.

 

they all meet API specs but oddly enough the shell oil does not meet the ford or honda specs.

 

Ford390gashog makes a very good point here IMHO, as all 5W-20 or 5W-30, ect, don't meet Fords MINIMUM requirements for that particular oil.

So be sure the lubricant you choose MEETS or EXCEEDS the manufacturers minimum requirements.

The reason some don't meet those minimum requirements is that it's difficult to do & requires a good base oil & stable add pack & extra testing!!!!

Ford has determined we need an oil of this quality level, that goes beyond the basic API rquirements, so we don't develope problems.

Engines run hotter, rev higher & output more HP for their size, thus they are working much harder under hotter conditions than they did years ago & these conditions can thrash & cook a lesser able oil to DEATH!!!!

Meaning we really need to look at ALL the requirements a manufacturer places on ALL the fluids we put into our rides & make sure they at least meet those MINIMUM requirements.

Those manufacturers minium requrement specification numbers are called out in our owners manual & we should look for them on the container we are about to buy.

If it doesn't say it meets a manufacturers requrements, leave it on the shelf!!!! IMHO

 

This is what i recieved from Shell in regards to Shell 5W-20
The FormulaShell 5W-20 Motor Oil is our premium conventional gasoline
motor oil and is comparable to the Pennzoil Multigrade 5W-20 and Quaker
State Peak Performance 5W-20. All three of these oils are made
according to their individual formulations,so their exact chemical
composition is not identical. However, all three exceed the
requirements of the API SM classification (this is the American
Petroleum Institute's most recent and most demanding gasoline engine oil
specification) and the ILSAC GF-4 classification (ILSAC is a global
organization of both U.S. and overseas auto manufacturers and the GF-4
is their most recent and demanding engine oil specification). All can
be used with confidence in any gasoline engine that specifies a 5W-20
motor oil. The technical data sheets for these products which list
specification approvals, typical physical properties and other
information are attached below for your reference. Information on all
Shell lubricants products is available through our website,

 

but what they did not tell you is the formula shell oil does not meet the ford 929a or 930a spec. It is also mostly GP I/II the pennzoil is a GP II/II+.

 

Quaker State ultimate durability keeps my 5.4 spotless used it since I drove the truck off the lot.It has 71,000 on her now. Pennzoil ,Quaker State, are great oils.