Pennzoil Platinum Change Interval

[Ford Man]

I recently bought several 5 quart jugs of Pennzoil Platinum synthetic and was thinking of using it in my '97 Escort wagon. I was just wanting to know if anyone has used Pennzoil Platinum and had an oil analysis done. If so how long did you run it in your engine and what were the analysis results? Even if you haven't used Pennzoil synthetic and use other synthetics I'd like to know what you use, how many miles you have been using it and what change interval you use. I've read of people running synthetics anywhere from 5K-25K miles between changes. I'd really be interested to hear from anyone who has been running long change intervals and the car is now a high mileage car 250K+ miles. I've got over 500K on my '88 Escort running dino at intervals from 3K when newer, to now running it 10K miles using (http://lubecontrol.com/fuel.htm) There recommended change interval is 10K miles so I thought I'd give it a try to see how it worked out.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

From what I've been told, you can go a bit longer than normal oil change interval if you are driving enough to boil off all the acids out of your motor oil. If you've put 500k miles on your car, you are probably doing a fair amount of highway driving. I don't know if I would go over 10k miles, however.

[Ratman667]

We use Pennzoil Platinum at work and we recommend 5k intervals.

Personally, I'm running 10k intervals with mobile 0w40.

[bigsyke]

You cant boil the acids, you can boil the condensation. Condensation, unburnt fuel and exhaust gasses all lead to acid. Calcium combats acids. TAN numbers are kept low by having a good add package. PP has a good add package and depending on the PCV system, and crankcase seals you could run it 5k easy.

The PCV system and crankcase gaskets are VERY important because if you do infact keep your OEM PCV system, you have to have a sealed crankcase, which means all gaskets have to seal to create a negative pressure inside the crankcase durring high manifold vacuum conditions. If the gaskets are cracked and leak, then the PCV valve becomes a restriction to where there is no negative pressure inside the crankcase, and its not moving volume, its only stirring up air. You want either vacuum, or 0 presure inside the crank case. Both setups will have very low Total Acid Numbers, but if there is a restriction on venting then the TAN numbers skyrocket.

Personally if you live in a very warm climate, I would Vent the PCV system due to anything above idle will be insufficient to cycle vapors through the system due to the restriction of the incomming Throttle body charge being much much lower than the tiny PCV valve.

Ad some Lubecontrol, or BGMOA and your oil could last a while.

[Geonerd]

There are a number of folks over on the Bob Is The Oil Guy forums that would go 8~10K or more on PP.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I run 5,000 miles on Mobil1 0W30 in my truck, and I'm very comfortable with that interval. I can probably stretch it to 10,000 miles but 5,000 is the best compromise between miles driven, ease of remembering when to change it, and my comfort level driving that distance with the same oil & filter in there.

[spotaneagle]

nothing is safe from the saturn as far as oil being discolored and burned,

i use penzoil plat
every 4 k for me cause thats when the blackness gets real black i even try to do 3.5 cause just to make sure

u know that saturns love to burn oil right? PP burns the least for me less so than mobil1

[spotaneagle]

I found Pennzoil best for me, a car that doesn't leak/burn oil I would have used mobil 1

It's too thin though, so it leaks right out of my oil seals(which are a little leaky)
Penzoil platinum has additives that stop that from what I've learned. Get 5 qt 22$ at walmart mobil 1 or Penzoil Plat

[Jay2TheRescue]

Nearly all oils on the market today have seal conditioners in the additives. Oils marketed as "high mileage" generally have a bit more in them.

[GasSavers_GasUser]

I bought 10 quarts of Pennzoil Platinum on sale and used it in 2 consecutive oil changes. (5 qts sump capacity). Prior to that I was using Mobil 1 and Valvoline Syn on my oil changes. I don't think any of the 3 brands I mentioned are any better or worse than the other. They are all good. I was changing at between 3,500-4,000 mile intervals because that is my comfort level with oil changes.

Sometimes I shorten up the interval depending on my usage. As an example, I dolly towed a Mustang from Pittsburg Pa to Albany NY mostly at 70mph on the interstate and after that I shortened up the change interval.

I am sure you could go longer if you are doing easy highway cruising. It would depend on your usage and comfort level as to how long you want to extend your change intervals. The only true way to tell I guess is to do a oil analysis which I never did.

The 5 qt jugs of Syn are not that expensive at wallyworld.

Just my experience with the Pennzoil you asked about.