Pennzoil

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
1,242
Please visit the main page and click on Pennzoil FAQ for the answers to the questions you submitted.
 
Just gives me the outline of the website with no text. must be because i am fro outside the US. i also noticed my reply to the thread with questions about Pennzoil never got posted (disappeared right away after posting).

nice one, pennzoil.
 
Well, crinkles, Pennzoil has nothing to do with whether or not you post got deleted on this site, as they have nothing to do with the main page of this site. At the very top left corner of this screen where is says "underlined" BOB IS THE OIL GUY, if you click on that and it does not take you to the main page, then "you" have a problem with your server. If you can open that page, look on the left column and go to the bottom where it says Pennzoil Q&A and click on that.
 
Johnny, I click on your link. I follow the regular links to the main page and click on the Pennzoil FAQ link.

Both ways, It says Pennzoil FAQ. no text otherwise.

My post did not get deleted, it never showed up. sorry, i should have made that clear. (and yes i made sure i clicked "submit"!
34.gif
 
Last edited:
Here's what it says:



Pennzoil FAQ
Hello again BITOG Members.


We at Pennzoil greatly appreciate your interest in Pennzoil UltraTM and thank you for the thought provoking questions you have provided. The entire team was excited by the many questions posted and enjoyed taking the time over the past week to ensure that we answered each as thoroughly as we were able.


Below is a collection of the questions posed, along with the answers to each. There were a few instances where similar questions were asked, and in those circumstances, we consolidated and provided the answer to the most robust of those questions. Additionally, as indicated in our initial request for questions, we were unable to answer a few inquiries and hope you understand our need to be discreet about this highly-advanced formulation and the performance of our competitors.


Thank you all again for your interest and support of the new Pennzoil UltraTM. We hope you find this information valuable, and we look forward to further dialogue with you in the future.


The Pennzoil UltraTM Team


Debbie Van Schalkwyk

Global Pennzoil Brand Manager


Dr. Robert Sutherland

Pennzoil Technology Manager


Pete Sant

Global Passenger Car Motor Oil Technology Manager


Mark D. Ferner

Lubricants Technology Group Manager US

ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician and Advanced Engine Performance Specialist

BITOG Questions:

1. Will Pennzoil Ultra™ replace Pennzoil Platinum®, or will both remain available?

No. Pennzoil Platinum® is a great oil with a very loyal following. Pennzoil Ultra™ sets a new tier in engine cleansing, performance and protection.

2. Will Pennzoil® make any recommendations for extended drain intervals for Pennzoil Ultra™?

No. It is the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) who set the oil drain interval for their particular vehicle engines. Pennzoil® stands by the vehicle manufacturers recommendation, whether this is 3,000 miles or 15,000 miles. We are confident our products will excel as long as the Pennzoil® motor oil selected meets the requirements outlined in the owner’s manual. For example, Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 5W-40 is approved by BMW, Mercedes Benz and VW for extended drain intervals.

3. What is the TBN of Pennzoil Ultra™?

TBN, varies by viscosity grade and specifications and can be within a specific range. The TBN for Pennzoil Ultra™ is approximately 11.4. At Pennzoil® we focus on the product’s overall engine performance rather than a specific analytical number.

4. What is the main anti-wear additive?

As you might expect we are not able to disclose our formulation secrets. What we can tell you is that Pennzoil Ultra™ contains a unique anti-wear system that is a variant of (ZDDP or ZDTP) Zinc DiThioPhosphate and is designed to protect the engine from wear in different ways under different operating conditions. However, this is only part of our anti-wear componentry.

5. Will the Hyper Cleaning additives be visible in a UOA (Used Oil Analysis)?

A standard UOA may not necessarily identify the Hyper Cleansing Technology™ additives.

6. Are there any other viscosities planned?

Yes. A 0W-20 viscosity will be added in the near future.

7. Will Pennzoil Ultra™ be available in 0W20, 0W30 and 0W40 grades? And will you try to make them available at retail stores when you have these grades?

Yes. A 0W-20 viscosity will be added in the near future. The 0W-30 & 0W-40 viscosity grades may be added if the OEM’s require it. We assure you when 0W-20 becomes available and if 0W-30 & 0W-40 become available, we will work with our retail customers to make these vis-grades available.

8. Pennzoil Platinum® 0W20, 0W30 and 5W40 are available only online, when do you plan to have these grades in retail stores such as Pep Boys, AutoZone, Kragen, Wal-Mart?

These vis-grades across all motor oils have not been high in demand to justify Retailers having them on the shelf. We assure you we are working with our retail customers to make these vis-grades more available as we anticipate growing demand.

9. Could you provide a VOA of Pennzoil Ultra™?

Yes. VOA’s (Viscosity Oil Analysis) already exist on the www.pennzoil.com website. We have provided our technical data sheets for your ease of reference.

10. What type of testing methods and engines were used in the testing of Pennzoil Ultra™?

All international and OEM specific engine and bench tests required to meet the specification claims were used, as well as extensive field testing covering US, European and Japanese engines.

Pennzoil® also uses knowledge gained from taxi fleets in New York City, Las Vegas and overseas.

Our technical relationship with the professional race teams like Richard Childress and Ferrari provides additional insights into building great oils.

11. Are the base stocks group III, IV, or V?

Pennzoil Ultra™ is blended with Group III base stocks. These give superior solvency performance to Group IV base stocks, which we believe aids our aim to provide oil that delivers as close to “Factory Clean”. Rather than focus on any single component in the formulation, we focus on the end product.

12. Has Pennzoil Ultra™ been tested against European ACEA standards?

The TDS (Technical Data Sheets) on the Pennzoil® website currently shows the three of the six Pennzoil Ultra™ viscosity grades that meet the North American and Asian standards. The European versions of Pennzoil Ultra™ indeed exceed all of the relevant ACEA specifications and European OEM specifications. Thank you for drawing this to our attention. We will add all TDS sheets to our website.

13. A VOA performed on this board showed a significant amount of boron in the formulation of Pennzoil Ultra™.

The function of the boron in Pennzoil Ultra™ formulations is one of protection for non-ferrous metals and sealing materials.

14. Has Pennzoil® incorporated any type of Esters into the base oil blend for Pennzoil Ultra™?

No ester base oils were used or are required in the Pennzoil Ultra™ range.

15. Will Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 5W-40 replace the Pennzoil Platinum® Euro 5W-40? When will we see the Pennzoil Ultra™ 5W-40 in stores?

In the near future we will only have Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 5W-40. We are working with our retail customers to make these vis-grades available.

16. Do you plan on lowering the price of Pennzoil Ultra™ to be more competitive?

Pennzoil Ultra™ is our most advanced motor oil with exceptional cleansing, protection and performance. We also have our next best oil, Pennzoil Platinum® for those who are seeking a great synthetic motor oil at a more affordable price.

17. You state that Pennzoil Ultra™ already meets the new SN standards. As a current user of Pennzoil® Conventional motor oil, will you be upgrading your other product lines, Pennzoil Platinum®, Pennzoil® Conventional, etc to the SN standard anytime in the near future as well?

Yes, we will and always do upgrade Pennzoil® motor oils when the industry specifications are upgraded. Members of our technology group participate and lead in various industry committees that define oil specifications. We will have our products ready for the upcoming needs of our industry.

18. If it is not proprietary, can you say with no ambiguity, Pennzoil Ultra™ (as well as other Pennzoil oils) made only from what is known as "Pennsylvania crude" coming from Pennsylvania, and the surrounding states?

No, we do not use 100% Pennsylvania crude in Pennzoil® motor oil. Let’s put it this way. Even if the Pennsylvania crude oil was the absolute best crude oil, the volume is simply not there to keep up with our current demand. We have the formulation expertise to build exactly what we need at any of our plants.

19. Will you produce a special version of Pennzoil Ultra™ made with group IV and or group V true synthetic base stocks?

At Pennzoil our goal is to make synthetic motor oils that provide performance for our consumers that is not available from conventional or synthetic blends. All Group III, IV & V base stocks are considered synthetic. They all have attributes in terms of lubricant performance. E.g. Solvency, film strength, film thickness, wear performance, etc. Our formulators use one or a combination of base stocks with the required characteristics to meet whatever the challenge we are facing.

20. Has Pennzoil® incorporated any type of Esters into the base oil blend for Pennzoil Ultra™?

No ester base oils were used or are required in the Pennzoil Ultra™ range.

21. How much of Pennzoil Ultra™ technology was derived from racing with your partnerships with RCR?

As you can imagine, the NASCAR engines begin in pristine condition because each component must function with precise clarity as originally engineered. The real technical benefit of working with the NASCAR team has been their perspective on which formulations perform well or do not perform well, which has allowed us to better understand how each component impacts the overall formulation.

22. Why are European Grades different from that sold in the USA -- Different as in lower quality?

The European oils are not inferior or superior to those sold in the United States. They are two separate systems and meet different engine performance requirements. In the US, one of the top requirements for engine oils is that they must contribute to fuel efficiency. European engines require different types of oil in terms of (HTHS) High Temperature High Shear, viscosity and also application. Europe also has a large light duty diesel engine fleet.

Each system is balanced to favor issues that exist with regard to the types of engines, fuels and driving habits in each market. Thus the testing reflects these differences and oils are formulated to provide protection and cleanliness based on the demands of each system.

23. Can you please provide HT/HS?

High Temperature High Shear (HTHS) varies with viscosity grade. Pennzoil Ultra™ 5W-20 =2.7, Pennzoil Ultra™ 5W-30 = 3.0, Pennzoil Ultra™ 10W-30 = 3.0, Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 5W-30 = 3.5, Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 5W-40 = 3.7, Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 10W-60 and Pennzoil Ultra™ Racing = 4.7.

24. When will Pennzoil Ultra™ be available in Canada?

Unfortunately, we have not yet launched Pennzoil Ultra™ in Canada. We do plan to do so in the near future.

25. Will there be a Pennzoil Ultra™ synthetic ATF?

Cool idea! We’ll see.

26. Are there plans to use the Pennzoil Ultra™ add-pack or a % of the Pennzoil Ultra™ base oil in other Pennzoil products? If so, which ones?

No. The Hyper Cleansing Technology™ used in Pennzoil Ultra™ may raise the overall price of other Pennzoil® products to the end consumer. We would like to avoid this where possible. We have very good Active Cleansing Technology in our other Pennzoil® motor oils.

27. What oil was the 'standard oil' in the ASTM sequence III G test in the dirty/clean piston display on the Pennzoil® website?

The point is to show you the visible difference between what good oil can do and what Pennzoil Ultra™ can do if both oils undergo the same test.

28. Does Pennzoil Ultra™ meet or exceed the performance of M1EP?

At Pennzoil® we do not comment on competitive products. However, we are confident Pennzoil Ultra™ is helping establish a new tier in motor oils.

29. I've learned Shell has the expertise on GTL (Group 3+). Known as The Pearl project. Could Shell enlighten us what is GTL and how it performs? Also is the GTL included with the Pennzoil Ultra™.

GTL (Gas To Liquid) is a Group III base stock produced from natural gas. Shell has operated this technology since the 1990’s and the base oil is sold today under the Shell XHVI (Extra High Viscosity Index) brand. The Pearl project is a new much larger plant that will supply Shell XHVI base oil in a larger quantity globally.

Pennzoil® will always be looking for advantages for Pennzoil Ultra™, thus new base oils will be fully considered for future formulations to achieve enhanced performance for our products.

30. Other than cleaning, what benefits are there in changing from Pennzoil Platinum®?

The Pennzoil Ultra™ formulation is a very robust product! In addition to the credentials posted on the label, Pennzoil Ultra™ has outstanding cleansing capabilities, turbo performance, great wear protection, excellent shear stability, etc. You also have access to a 15 year/500,000 mile limited warranty.

31. I have a Direct Injection engine and it is highly suspected that using oil with a NOACK rating over 10% is not good for DI engines. Since Pennzoil Ultra™ is over 10% would Pennzoil® guarantee no deposits to form on the valves of DI engines?

Oil volatility is not a significant factor for inlet valve deposits in a direct injection gasoline engine. The significant factor is viscosity modifier type and concentration, so using fully synthetic narrow span viscosity grades such as 5W-20 is beneficial. In North America, there is no specification calling for NOACK of less than 10%. The most important thing for DI engines is engine design, to better prevent deposits on ITV’s (In Take Valves), since there is no fuel wash as in PFI (Port Fuel Injection) engines.

Unfortunately, offering a guarantee against deposits would be tough since so many other variables could impact the outcome.

32. Would Pennzoil® recommend Pennzoil Ultra™ for use in a factory fresh engine?

Absolutely. This would be the optimal use for the new range of Pennzoil Ultra™ to maximize - “Factory clean”. Some OEMs use synthetic oil as factory fill. Based on our experience with NASCAR teams and others, we recommend our synthetic oils for breaking in new engines.

33. When you do release a Pennzoil Ultra™ 0W-20 will it meet the Toyota and Honda requirement for low viscosity oil? I.e., a low 40C viscosity spec' significantly under 40cSt.

Yes, when we do introduce a 0W-20 viscosity grade it will meet the specifications of OEM’s that require it at the time.

34. Would you consider bring out 30wt version of Ultra that meets ACEA A3 standards (HT/HS of at least 3.5) for those of us with more sporting, or high performance engines? I think that is what everyone is trying to imply with their HT/HS questions. WRX's, Evos, RSX's etc. A competitor to Castrol 0W30 and Red Line 5W30.

The two European versions of Pennzoil Ultra™ are there to meet this requirement. They both meet ACEA A3. The Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 5W-40 has a HT/HS viscosity of 3.7 and 10W-60 is 4.7.

35. If Pennzoil Ultra™ is so good why does it have to be changed every four months or 4K miles in order to make a lubricant related warranty claim?

Regarding Pennzoil’s position on oil drain intervals, we standby the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation. If the vehicle manufacturer recommends 3,000 miles or 15,000 miles for drain intervals, we are more than confident our products will excel as long as the Pennzoil® oil selected meets the requirements outlined in the owner’s manual.

Given the variety of oil drain interval recommendations from vehicle manufacturers including custom intervals set by oil life indicators, Pennzoil chose 4,000 miles as a single data point to apply to all participants. If your vehicle manufacturer recommends drain intervals shorter than 4,000 miles, Pennzoil strongly recommends adhering to those requirements to maintain both your vehicle warranty and your Pennzoil warranty.

36. The super clean piston picture from Pennzoil Ultra™ versus current standard. I would like more info on the dirty versus clean piston, are the pistons from the same mileage, or hours would be even more of a comparison between engines? I would like more specific information as to the piston comparison information such as oil used for both (if you do not want to give brand name please list the oil specifications used in current "dirty piston"). Heat, fuel used, hours test ran each piston, load on piston, the complete test in an easy to understand breakdown would be awesome.

Agreed. The test used to generate the piston pictures is an industry standard ASTM test run in a real engine on a dynamometer at an industry-approved third-party lab. The two pistons were run in the standard Sequence IIIG piston deposit test, using the same fuel, the test hours and the same test conditions; the only thing that was different was the oil used to run the test. You can see a synopsis of the all of the industry test procedures online at www.SwRI.com.

37. What is the relationship (differences) between the Formula Shell®, Quaker State® and Pennzoil® product lines?

We are all one company under the Shell Group, but we understand that consumers have a very strong brand preference – for whatever the reason. We respect this and have marketers and formulations to support the different brands. Rest assured that the specific formulations for Formula Shell®, Quaker State® and Pennzoil® are different from each other.

38. Can Pennzoil Ultra™ provide protection for the maximum oil change interval recommended in an owner's manual or by the oil life sensor?

Yes. Our oils will meet ANY of the drain intervals set by the OEM as long as the Pennzoil® oil meets the viscosity and credentials specified in the owner’s manual.

39. Will you offer Pennzoil Ultra™ coupon(s)/rebate(s) to members of BITOG?

We are so encouraged by the interest in Pennzoil Ultra™ by BITOG fans we have a special on-line offer for you.. Take a look at the new banner ad on BITOG. If you purchase Pennzoil Ultra™, you can receive an authentic Scuderia Ferrari cap! Follow the on-line instructions, fill out the request form, and we will send you a cap in the mail while stocks last.

40. Will you pay for the cost of UOA's of Pennzoil Ultra™, so that you have real world data how it performs in many differences engines and environments?

We already have taxi fleets in NYC and Las Vegas in addition to other used oil analysis. Thank you for the offer though.

41. What is the specific weight percent of the following in Ultra:
1) sulfated ash wt. %
2) phosphorus wt. %
3) zinc wt. %
4) calcium wt. %

Pennzoil® has published the oil analysis of Pennzoil Ultra™ at www.pennzoil.com. More specific information than that is considered proprietary.

42. What prompted SOPUS Products to create Pennzoil Ultra™ in the first place? Your Pennzoil Platinum® line emphasized the cleaning ability of that product and a large number of used oil analysis verified you are producing a high quality product at a great price point. So why did you decide to "mess with the recipe?"

We didn’t “mess” with the recipe of Pennzoil Platinum® to make Pennzoil Ultra™. In fact we continue to supply Pennzoil Platinum® for our loyal customers who wish to continue using it. Rather we started with a much higher/stretched performance target of “Factory Clean” and designed an oil to meet this challenge or get as close as possible.

43. Why doesn't Pennzoil® recommend following the manufacturer's recommendation? Will you recommend Pennzoil Ultra™ to follow manufacturer guidelines? Pennzoil Platinum® to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation?

Pennzoil® always states that you should follow the manufacturer’s recommendation at all times. That is why we go to great lengths to work closely with manufacturers when developing our oils and spend millions of dollars to qualify them against international and OEM specifications.

44. Any ideas on MPG going up with Pennzoil Ultra™?

Currently Pennzoil Ultra™ meets the current industry standard fuel economy specifications and as such will deliver the same MPG (miles per gallon) savings. As MPG is related to viscosity grade then using the lowest viscosity grade recommended for your vehicle by the OEM will give the best MPG available.

45. Compared to Pennzoil Platinum®, how does Pennzoil Ultra™ do in the 4-ball wear test (better, worse, or about the same?)

The 4-ball wear test has no correlation with wear performance in an actual engine. It was developed to test industrial oil performance for roller bearings under extreme load. The test repeatability is very poor. However given the above then for an equivalent viscosity grade and anti-wear package (Industry specification controlled), then the performance can be expected to be equivalent.

46. What is the shelf life of Pennzoil Ultra™?

Oil shelf life varies depending on storage conditions. Under normal home garage storage conditions, you can expect a minimum storage life of five years.

47. Are there add-pack strategies of competing oil manufacturers that would represent an additive conflict if added to Pennzoil Ultra™?

It is highly unlikely that another oil that is qualified against International specifications would cause a conflict with Pennzoil Ultra™.

48. Would Pennzoil Ultra™ represent a particularly poor choice to use as a supplement of some other oil?

We would not recommend using Pennzoil Ultra™ or any oil as a top treat to another oil.

49. Are there any OTC additives that would be particularly poor choices to add to Pennzoil Ultra™?

As we do not test our oils with supplemental OTC (Over The Counter) additives we can’t comment. However, all Pennzoil® products are designed to deliver performance right out of the bottle, supplements are not needed or recommended.

50. Overall, is there any such thing as additive conflicts and if so, what particular add-pack components or formulation strategies would be particularly poor choices to add or mix with Pennzoil Ultra™?

Yes. There have been formulation and fuel conflicts (Pyro-cracked gasoline with some types of synthetic oils), in the past. Most notable have been conflicts between certain types of base stocks and some viscosity modifier types. Thus we recommend using our products without additives so as not to diminish their performance.

51. I really want to use some Pennzoil Ultra™, But it is way to thin for my application. Is there some kind of additive I could add to it to thicken the Pennzoil? Maybe like STP blue bottle or red bottle?

The 10W-60 Pennzoil Ultra™ Racing is heavy enough for all street and race track usage, only exception may be some types of dragster’s.

52. Pennzoil Ultra™ marketing statement: No leading synthetic oil provides better wear protection. *As measured in ASTM sequence IVA engine test using SAE 5W30*. Please provide test results of measured Sequence IVA wear in microns.

This is proprietary information, but rest assured that no other synthetic can outperform Pennzoil Ultra™ in this test.

53. In my opinion, the oil should be more robust/durable/protective for extended oil changes, than have more cleaning power.

It is the OEM’s that set ODI in their engines. We work closely with them on this, and when they recommend extended drain, we make oils to meet this such as the Pennzoil Ultra™ Euro 5W-30 & 5W-40. Both of these products meet BMW, Mercedes Benz and VW extended drain requirements.

54. Is it a full synthetic using a premium oil formulation?

It is a full synthetic using a unique Pennzoil® super premium formulation.

55. Does Pennzoil Ultra™ use nano-boric acid as an anti-wear/fuel saving add.

No, the boron in the formulation is used to protect non-ferrous metals and oil seals.
 
Originally Posted By: crinkles
mozilla works.

wow, W7 and IE8 is really starting to give me the creeps.


IE8 did not work for me either but Firefox did.
 
45. Compared to Pennzoil Platinum®, how does Pennzoil Ultra™ do in the 4-ball wear test (better, worse, or about the same?)

The 4-ball wear test has no correlation with wear performance in an actual engine. It was developed to test industrial oil performance for roller bearings under extreme load. The test repeatability is very poor. However given the above then for an equivalent viscosity grade and anti-wear package (Industry specification controlled), then the performance can be expected to be equivalent.
 
Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
A lot of very good info there. Of course there were a few lawyer-speak answers, but that's to be expected. Thanks to Pennzoil for giving us the time of day!


Yes. I found the response informative and candid. Only mild (and sensible) filtering involved.

We were indulged.
 
Very nice that a large oil company would take the time to provide us this information. I already use Platinum, looks like I'll have to give the Ultra a try.
 
awesome,glad to see a company that large responding to the public. i think i'll give PU a shot next OCI
 
I've been using Mobil 1 in my 06 Vibe the past few years. After my rebate problem with Mobil 1 last year, my next oil change will be with Pennzoil
thumbsup2.gif
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top