2003 3.9L vs Pennzoil Platinum
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2003 3.9L vs Pennzoil Platinum
I've got an old 3.9L second gen that I bought with 178k miles back in 2019, ran great with zero oil leaks. Since buying it, I ran Mobil 1 through it for about a year until the new Pennzoil Platinum (made from natural gas) made its debut, and I switched to that on my old dodge, which at that time had just crossed 200k on the odometer. Over the past year and 20k subsequent miles, the engine has developed a leak in every possible location, from the pcv valve grommet on the valve cover to the oil pan gasket.
I apologize for the long read, but this next but is what I need an answer on.
I have an idea that seems be supported by claims from other people also running this oil on high mileage engines with no pre-existing issues. Supposedly the natural gas derived oil is significantly more pure than any conventional or synthetic crushed dinosaur juice. Combined with the detergents added to it, I believe the oil has been washing away 2 decades worth of deposits from the seals, making them susceptible to leaking where they didn't before (Some of the people I've seen claim the same issue happened have torn their engines down and found that their seals were not cracked, dry, split, or deformed, but still leaking). And the final nail in the coffin is the issue I'm having at startup, where the engine starts with low oil pressure, and slowly builds pressure until it reaches normal levels (takes about 10 seconds). If my thinking is correct, all of those deposits would find their way to the screen on the pickup tube, blocking the oil flow and causing an extended amount of time to build pressure, which also started within the past year.
I don't know if anyone else has had this issue, or if my thinking is way out in left field, but in my mind, it all adds up... 🤷🏻♂️
I apologize for the long read, but this next but is what I need an answer on.
I have an idea that seems be supported by claims from other people also running this oil on high mileage engines with no pre-existing issues. Supposedly the natural gas derived oil is significantly more pure than any conventional or synthetic crushed dinosaur juice. Combined with the detergents added to it, I believe the oil has been washing away 2 decades worth of deposits from the seals, making them susceptible to leaking where they didn't before (Some of the people I've seen claim the same issue happened have torn their engines down and found that their seals were not cracked, dry, split, or deformed, but still leaking). And the final nail in the coffin is the issue I'm having at startup, where the engine starts with low oil pressure, and slowly builds pressure until it reaches normal levels (takes about 10 seconds). If my thinking is correct, all of those deposits would find their way to the screen on the pickup tube, blocking the oil flow and causing an extended amount of time to build pressure, which also started within the past year.
I don't know if anyone else has had this issue, or if my thinking is way out in left field, but in my mind, it all adds up... 🤷🏻♂️
Champion
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 449
From: Atlanta
I've got an old 3.9L second gen that I bought with 178k miles back in 2019, ran great with zero oil leaks. Since buying it, I ran Mobil 1 through it for about a year until the new Pennzoil Platinum (made from natural gas) made its debut, and I switched to that on my old dodge, which at that time had just crossed 200k on the odometer. Over the past year and 20k subsequent miles, the engine has developed a leak in every possible location, from the pcv valve grommet on the valve cover to the oil pan gasket.
I apologize for the long read, but this next but is what I need an answer on.
I have an idea that seems be supported by claims from other people also running this oil on high mileage engines with no pre-existing issues. Supposedly the natural gas derived oil is significantly more pure than any conventional or synthetic crushed dinosaur juice. Combined with the detergents added to it, I believe the oil has been washing away 2 decades worth of deposits from the seals, making them susceptible to leaking where they didn't before (Some of the people I've seen claim the same issue happened have torn their engines down and found that their seals were not cracked, dry, split, or deformed, but still leaking). And the final nail in the coffin is the issue I'm having at startup, where the engine starts with low oil pressure, and slowly builds pressure until it reaches normal levels (takes about 10 seconds). If my thinking is correct, all of those deposits would find their way to the screen on the pickup tube, blocking the oil flow and causing an extended amount of time to build pressure, which also started within the past year.
I don't know if anyone else has had this issue, or if my thinking is way out in left field, but in my mind, it all adds up... 🤷🏻♂️
I apologize for the long read, but this next but is what I need an answer on.
I have an idea that seems be supported by claims from other people also running this oil on high mileage engines with no pre-existing issues. Supposedly the natural gas derived oil is significantly more pure than any conventional or synthetic crushed dinosaur juice. Combined with the detergents added to it, I believe the oil has been washing away 2 decades worth of deposits from the seals, making them susceptible to leaking where they didn't before (Some of the people I've seen claim the same issue happened have torn their engines down and found that their seals were not cracked, dry, split, or deformed, but still leaking). And the final nail in the coffin is the issue I'm having at startup, where the engine starts with low oil pressure, and slowly builds pressure until it reaches normal levels (takes about 10 seconds). If my thinking is correct, all of those deposits would find their way to the screen on the pickup tube, blocking the oil flow and causing an extended amount of time to build pressure, which also started within the past year.
I don't know if anyone else has had this issue, or if my thinking is way out in left field, but in my mind, it all adds up... 🤷🏻♂️
