Pennzoil API SN Plus & 0W-16 Q&A

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wwillson

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Hello BITOG Members:

Firstly, we wanted to say a thank you to all of the folks the Pennzoil team has been able to personally interact with over the past few years! While we've had an opportunity to exchange thoughts with a number of you, we'd like to open the floor to all of BITOG for dialogue on some of the forum's trending topics. This March, select members of the Shell Technical Team will be responding to inquiries regarding the following topics:

- New motor oil specification, API SN PLUS
- Shift toward lower viscosity engine oils, such as Pennzoil Platinum 0W-16

Beginning today, with this post, we've opened a special thread for all of you to submit your questions to Richard Dixon, Pennzoil Technology Manager and Eric Kalberer, Shell Global Product Application Specialist. Richard has been working on Shell Lubricants Technology for more than 20 years, putting his degree and postdoctoral degree in Chemistry from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland to good use. As the Technology Manager at Shell, Richard has worked to develop both consumer and OEM factory fill engine oils for Shell Helix, Pennzoil and Quaker State. Conversely, Eric joined Shell in January 2018 as a Global Product Application Specialist, responsible for technical support to automotive OEMs for engine and driveline lubricants. Additionally, he represents Shell, participating in the American Petroleum Institute's Lubricants Standards Group, Auto Oil Advisory Panel, and BOI/VGRA Task Force, among others.

The thread will be open for submissions from 6:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 14th until 5:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 18th, after which time, Richard Dixon, Eric Kalberer and our full team of scientists and engineers will work together to provide answers to your questions to be posted on Friday, March 30th.

We are extremely excited for this opportunity, and we have only a few notes:

1. Please use this thread only to submit questions. Members of the team have noted that there have been questions posed in various threads, but please repost the question in this thread to help us make sure we address everything.

2. Please understand that there will be some questions that we will not be able to answer. We cannot divulge any proprietary information and can only speak from our areas of expertise.

3. Our Technical Team will also not be commenting or speculating on the products of our competitors.

Thank you all for your understanding and enthusiasm - now, let's hear your questions!

-The Pennzoil Team
 
What are the HTHS values for PP 0W-20 and PP 0W-16?
What are the NOACK values of these two grades?
Just thinking that the 0W-16 might be suitable for our 0W-20 applications.
 
Chevron is touting 50% less wear with their HDEO's, even using reduced ZDDP levels. We know you'all are working on no-heavy-metal chemistries to counter wear, no matter what viscosity the oil is...

These new oils will have to have superior AW properties. The thinner it gets, the more important that AW package is. Will you be able to demonstrate superior AW properties in 0W-16 oils over what's currently in the marketplace (including current 0W-20's)?

Those of us who build engines (less so as I get older ...) can tighten things up to use 0W-16's if they'll survive serious thrashing. We know racers have been going to lighter oils, but the carnage has been high... We need serious AW capabilities since hydrodynamics will be even less available ...
 
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Originally Posted By: fdcg27
What are the HTHS values for PP 0W-20 and PP 0W-16?
What are the NOACK values of these two grades?


Excellent questions; exactly what I first thought as well!
(I speculate HTHS won't be that great due to trying to make CAFE standards)

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
These new oils will have to have superior AW properties. The thinner it gets, the more important that AW package is. Will you be able to demonstrate superior AW properties in 0W-16 oils over what's currently in the marketplace (including current 0W-20's)?


I wonder what the answer will be without "giving away the secret recipe" -
None of us want to sacrifice engine longevity for .04% better fuel mileage.
 
What are the teams concerns when it comes to DI engines and how is the team addressing the formulations particularly with 0w16 oils.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
What are the HTHS values for PP 0W-20 and PP 0W-16?
What are the NOACK values of these two grades? ...
As long as we're checking Noack volatility, let's see 5W-20 and 5W-30 values, too, please.
I assume HTHS values are typicaly only slightly above the minimums for all those grades in ILSAC forms. Right?
 
Since fuel dilution appears here to stay with the proliferation of direct injection, why are lower viscosity oils being developed for use in them?
 
My real question is: with the shift for "new" oils to deliver advanced fuel economy ratings, how can those of us with port fuel injection or even flat tappet engines be sure that the reduced calcium and ZDDP counts are providing adequate protection for our engines? Is Pennzoil going to offer say Dexos 1 Gen 2 oils and then oils with "extra" additives for those of us who refuse to buy GDI engines?

What compound in Pennzoil oils is going to provide the protection older engines need? I use Pennzoil Ultra Platinum because it has proven itself in my engine through UOAs, but how am I going to trust my engine to oils that change the entire chemistry of what has proven reliable for me?
 
With stricter emissions, the levels of additives in oil has been dropping.

My latest fill was four quarts of Pennzoil Ultra Platinum in 5W-30, with half a quart of 0W-30 Racing..
The Racing oil has twice the additives of normal oil,
so this gives it a boost in additive levels in my older car...

Is Pennzoil going to make an product that will do the same thing as my Racing oil,
boost the levels of additives for older cars with less pollution controls?

P. S. Your Pennzoil Platinum Euro In 0W-40 runs very nicely in my Smart.
Normally a three cylinder runs like a cement truck loaded with bowling balls...
 
It has been posited that these thinner grades of oil achieve the "0W" component of their rating as a byproduct of the basestocks that are used in their creation, rather than through active intent of the formulators.

Can you confirm that Pennzoil specifically targeted the 0W part of their 0W-16 formulation through active blending of basestocks and additives.

Depending on the answer above, would there ever be a 5W-16, which is a legitimate grade under J300 ?
 
Is Pennzoil going to produce a 0W-8 oil? Will any of these new super low viscosity oils be approved to use in newer 0W-20 applications? Or will they all only be approved for newer engines (not unlike the FA-4 diesel spec)?
 
NOACK values are necessary for an informed consumer to objectively assess the suitability of a lubricant for certain applications. It is clear that NOACK values are intrinsically not a proprietary value, given that at minimum, a "less than" value is invoked for certain specifications to be met, and other vendors clearly publicize the values in their product data sheets. It is well known that Pennzoil products offer superior NOACK values, based upon third party assessments. When can we expect to see reporting of actual NOACK values for all Pennzoil products, 0w-16 included?
 
Can I run it in my Toyota Corolla 2009 that requires 0-20? Or in my Volvo XC60 Drive-E 2015?
 
Will SN Plus have an advanced timing chain wear component to the certification as well or is it only geared towards LSPI prevention in GDI and TGDI applications. What does SN Plus bring to market that isn't already available in Dexos 1 Gen 2 oils?
 
Wondering if you can tell us, why did API want to get zinc and phosphate numbers below 900 PPM for SN labeled oil. Was it a catalytic converter issue ? Thanks.
smile.gif
 
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