Pennzoil

[LOW DOUGH]

I have heard from a lot of people that Pennzoil has an ingredient in it that gums up you motor, and blocks oil passages over time. I work at an auto parts store so I hear everything.

Does anyone no if there is any truth in this statement?

I don't use Pennzoil... Just want to know

[old Rusty C10]

i never heard that one.. but there are alot of stories about oils that someone doesnt like... valvoline causes more oil consumption ive heard.. i personally use quaker state or castrol

[woodridge]

All parifin based oils (crude oil) if not changed regularly tend to "gum" up an engine. Seems like the Quaker State of years ago was the worst. The chemistry of oils today has come a long way and it is not an issue anymore. Unless you try to go 40k on an oil change.

[cdowns]

biggest causes of sluge in an engine infrequent oil changes and lack of a properly working PCV system

[LOW DOUGH]

parifin based ...... that's what they said

[NONHOG]

I have seen it ! Owner swore regular oil changes with only Pennzoil.
(back when I wrote service) more than one of our techs were betting before the owner came in that he used Pennzoil . They were right. I am not saying it was the Pennzoil . But interesting situation eh ? I wonder if driving habits were a factor as in short trips , stop and go ?
That by the way was over 10 years ago.

[68 short step]

i would agree 100% pennzoil is the worst oil ever.....the worst engine i ever tore apart was a pontiac 400 and the PO " only use pennzoil in this, and i chage it regularly too." and it has gumed up oil through out the entire engine....so much so that the oil only had a pea size hole to drain back to the oil pan....it had 3 spun rod brgs, as a direct result of this im sure.....
also, pennzoil has that terrible smell to it, and that engine reaked of it..

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

My old man swears that pennzoil is the worst thing that exists from dealings he had with it and other peoples cars when he was younger. I don't use it and never will.

[vectorit]

My 68 327 has had NOTHING BUT Penzoil in it since new, and it has had a hard life in the begining. Living its entire life in a hot climate, pulling trailers and loaded down with stuff. This engine has NEVER failed due to it's oil, and I have rebuilt it when it had over 200K miles of hard livin only to freshen it up with a new cam etc. The inside of this motor was still golden and silver, you could wipe the inside of the oil pan down with a rag and reuse it...
The reason why? Good oil, and regular maintenance.
If an engine is gummed up, filled with crud, smells of burnt muck and the owner says its been maintained? Well my friend, he ain't tellin you the truth. Plain and simple.

[70cstjr]

i dont have to worry about what oil i use in my saturn i just usually get the cheapest, usually just the oreily special, my saturn burns through it so fast it never needs an oil change, just change the filter lol

[70' GMC]

I use havoline, castrol, valvoline

[chevybill]

Penzoil does stink really bad, as previously stated, I always hear the "gummed up insides" attributed to quaker state.

[fun in dirt]

Quaker State does it. My uncle had a truck that was proof.
We always call it "Kanker State"

[fastwillie 696969]

back in the day when engines were running on straight 30 w detergent oil ,would carbon up due to the bee wax they used in the oil
the worst thing on a engine is friction ,friction brings on heat which then burns the oil which has the wax and when the oil breaks down the molecues clinges on to the carbon which turns to sledge which then sit in the bottom of the engine where it gets pump thur engine by oil pump
now adays its synthic oil and multi blends which doesnt sludge up as much which make oil change every 5 k now and if you go full sythnic 7500 k changes

[jsbgump]

Back when I worked in a parts chain that had a machine shop the worst, sludge engine had been runnin pennzoil or quaker crap in them

[Palf70Step]

This is one of those things that you'll get the love and hate from both sides of all brands previously mentioned. Most of the stories from the "old" Quaker State and Pensoil (Pennsylvania based oils) are so old and out dated, but like everything else (especially on the Internet) won't die. I know folks who swear by them, while others hate them with a passion. Most of the gum/sludge found in engines are becuase of improper equipment/equipment malfunctions or not changing the oil enough. Most people only use the mileage as a basis for oil changes and not time or just looking/examining the oil. before/during and after changes.

[68C15]

Palf, you hit the nail on the head.
I see no difference in oil other than comparing organic to synthetic.

it all comes down to the car owner. how he drives and maintains his car.

[Cyclone44]

Originally Posted by chevybill

Penzoil does stink really bad, as previously stated, I always hear the "gummed up insides" attributed to quaker state.

I have seen it to but not in years.....

[berencam]

ok this is a picture of a 90 ford econolines engine that had 10-30 Pennzoil in it. The oil was changed every 3k miles as it was a service vehicle. However as you can see from the picture the the sludge goes up to my second knuckle. (the motor had 78000 miles on it)

[fine69]

I have used Penzoil for years. Never had a sludge problem.

[truckdude239]

i use castrol my self i ran penozil oil in my lawn motor 20w50 and i changed it every 3 months or so and it sluged up bad

[fastwillie 696969]

thats all carbon and wax ,you can get that clean like new with enginewity fluids

[Shane]

I ain't buying that Penzoil caused that Ford engine to look like that in only 78K miles.

Sorry, but something else was amiss there.

[berencam]

Originally Posted by Shane

I ain't buying that Penzoil caused that Ford engine to look like that in only 78K miles.

Sorry, but something else was amiss there.

Pictures worth 1000 words, and the fact is, pennzoil sludged the **** out of that motor. Whether or not there was another factor in the mix i dont know, but the motor i pulled apart that had 3x as many miles but was run with castrol had little to no sludge.