Pennzoil Ultra on S2000

[DisgustipatedAP1]

A funny anecdote: two friends of mine (brothers, one is a professional mechanic and the other works at Jiffy Lube) both claim that Pennzoil Ultra is junk. They claim it has wax in it, and causes sludge build-up. They don't really provide any evidence, just claim that's what they know.

I personally just started using (over the last month and a half) PZ Ultra 10w-30 in my '02 AP1 S2000. I used Castrol Edge before. Good oil, but I've read a few UOA's on Ultra in the last year and saw that its really well regarded. It's also very affordable, about $28 for 5 quarts at my local Wal-Mart. I've also considered becoming a preferred customer with Amsoil and getting their stuff @ Wholesale but I'm not sure if it's worth the extra expense when PZ Ultra is so cheap.

I was just wondering if anybody else could give insight on Ultra, maybe offer experience in high-revving applications and how well it holds up? I'll be tracking the car soon so it'll be exposed to constant 6-9k usage for 20-30 minutes at a time several times a day here in Southern California. Just wondering if Pennzoil Ultra is worth using in this application. Note that my AP1's F20C does burn oil depending on how often it's put into high revs. It's normal for the engine.

Also, is there any truth to what my friends claim? I don't believe there is, personally, but if someone could offer some idea as to why people would try to hate on PZ Ultra... [censored] is up with the 'wax' statement?

 

[moviedave]

Sounds like a repackaging of the old "Pennzoil will turn your engine to wax" rumor. Ask them to show you some of these waxed up engines. If it really does that, there should be plenty of cars to choose from. As Pennzoil is one of the biggest oil brands, I find it funny that all you ever hear is rumors and hearsay. You would think the lawsuits would be flying in a litigious society such as ours.

 

[synthetic_crazy]

Your two friends are completely incorrect of their analysis of Pennzoil Ultra. PU is a fine oil that WILL NOT cause wax build-up.

By the way,

to BITOG!

 

[shpankey]

Your friends have been fed the myth, probably since youth and it's just engrained into their thoughts. I had it done to me and it took a place like bitog to prove it out of me. Mind you, I never actually seen a sludged Pennzoil engine... Just heard if from soooo many people for so long you just kind of take it on faith.

It's funny to me now Pennzoil actively attacks sludge in all their formulations so hard and advertises so hard about cleaning. It's my belief this is to once and for all dispel this stupid myth. Read your bottle of Ultra. That stuff is the opposite of sludge causing. It's sludge cleaning! And is marketed for Ferrari and to keep a cars internals factory clean. Trust me, you have an awesome oil and your internals will be spotless running it.

 

[dtt004]

Hi.

Your friends are misinformed. Pennzoil Ultra is a perfectly good oil.

I would also like to add that, just because Ferrari endorses it doesn't mean "oh it's great." Ferrari and Shell have been technical partners for many decades. They use it simply because of this partnership. Other synthetic oils on the market don't lose to Ultra in any way. However, this partnership means that the consumer will always consistently receive consistently good oils. The reason I say this is because at work, we regularly develop chemicals and lubricants for motorsports. This includes testing competing products.

Pennzoil Ultra performs similarly to other synthetic oils. There are however, several products, that best it in 2 areas: wear protection and high temperature shear stability. The difference is minuscule, and not noticeable by consumers. However, any difference, no matter how small, is easy to spot when running and analyzing oils immediately after endurance testing on our track.

I will refrain from mentioning these products because I strongly believe that this site should be as far away from marketing certain products over others. Especially when they all are great products for the consumers.

I have an Acura NSX that runs fine on conventional oil. Your S2000 should love Ultra.

Have fun!

 

[electrolover]

my engines are not sludged up yet. i have ran alot of PP and PU (to clean them up) with good results.

 

[Astro14]

Running PU 5W40 Euro formula in my wife's Volvo - and M1 0w40 in mine. Both great oils....

With no evidence to back up your friend's claims...they're just that: unsubstantiated claims...

 

[yaris0128]

wow thats classic. its 2011 and pennzoil still has waxy oil? HA!. that should be in the next pennzoil commercial. Pennzoil ULTRA!!! Wax free since.... not recently how about that!! So shut up you counter jokeys and oil monkeys!!!

 

[dubie2003]

Just putting this out there: Why did you choose PU over PP? Is it more shear stable or etc... Just wondering since you will be burning off a qt ever so often and will need to top off so you will always be putting in new when you Auto-X the car.

 

[shpankey]

My pointing out the partnership with Ferrari was not intended to prove the oil is "great". It's just that you can be sure, Ferrari would not make a partnership with an oil that caused its engines to have waxy sludge buildup. More to just give the OP's mind some ease on the matter. Anyhow, my bigger point was just that Pennzoil takes a proactive attitude towards engine cleanliness and sludge removal. Quite the opposite of this old Pennzoil wax sludge myth. Rest assured, running this oil at the proper intervals with a good filter your engine will be nice and clean. It has an aggressive cleaning additive package and is pretty much the entire premise of the oil and what it's marketed to do.

 

[901Memphis]

Going to be doing some track use? Might want to look at Redline.

Installing an oil cooler would be a good idea as well to keep the oil temperature under control.