AMSOIL vs Pennzoil: What's the better oil?

AMSOIL vs. Pennzoil: A Heated History

AMSOIL and Pennzoil have quite the history with one another. AMSOIL Founder Al Amatuzio was a fighter pilot and squadron commander whose call sign was Ammo. The first iteration of the current company name was "Ammo's Oil," which his friends later convinced him to change to "AMZOIL." This led to a Pennzoil vs. AMSOIL lawsuit that transpired in the early 1970's, where "AMZOIL" was being sued because Pennzoil didn't like the "Z" in the name and wanted Amatuzio to remove it. Eventually, Amatuzio decided to remove the "Z" from the company name just in case he lost the lawsuit (which he actually won in the end).

Pennzoil

Both companies have heavily contributed to the history of engine oils and automotive lubricants. Pennzoil's origins can be traced back to the founding of the South Penn Oil Company in 1889, which was part of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Co. After the dissolution of the Standard Oil Trust in 1911, South Penn became an independent company and in 1913, the Pennzoil brand name was born. In 2002, Pennzoil was acquired by the British multinational Shell Oil Company (Shell PLC). Although British-owned, all engine oils distributed in North America are primarily manufactured in multiple blending plants across the US.

Pennzoil has made significant technological advances in recent years, particularly with their PurePlus Technology, which creates synthetic base oils from natural gas rather than crude oil. This process, according to Pennzoil, results in base oils that are 99.5% pure with fewer impurities than traditional crude oil-based synthetics. They maintain strong relationships with major automotive manufacturers and are the factory-fill oil for many Ferrari models. Pennzoil also has longstanding partnerships with NASCAR, IndyCar, and Formula 1.

AMSOIL

AMSOIL's most widely known for creating the first full synthetic motor oil in the world to meet API service requirements. Founded by Albert J. Amatuzio in the late 1960's, AMSOIL remains a private, family-owned company, operating primarily through a network of independent dealers, business partnerships, and professional relationships with engineering companies & sanctioning bodies of various racing organizations. AMSOIL specializes in full synthetic lubricants for a wide variety of applications, including: racing, diesel, automotive/truck, high zinc (for hot-rods), powersports, hybrid vehicles, industrial, and commercial, just to name a few.

AMSOIL's approach to oil development has consistently focused on extended drain intervals and maximum engine protection, often recommending longer oil change intervals than competitors when using their premium products. Their manufacturing facility in Superior, Wisconsin, maintains strict quality control standards, and they regularly conduct extensive testing both in-house and through independent laboratories. AMSOIL has also been a pioneer in developing application-specific oils, creating specialized formulations for everything from racing engines to small equipment, often before other manufacturers entered these markets. AMSOIL maintains professional relationships via many racing series, like the AMSOIL Championship Off-Road Tour, Amateur National Motocross Championship, Grand National Cross-Country (GNCC), and Swapmoto Race Series. They're also the official lubricants of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering and recently acquired Aerospace Lubricants.

AMSOIL vs. Pennzoil - Comparing Engine Oils

For the specific engine oil technical comparisons, we've selected Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, Platinum High Mileage Full Synthetic, Platinum Euro Full Synthetic, and ATV/UTV Premium Plus to go head to head with AMSOIL Signature Series, 100% Synthetic High-Mileage, 100% Synthetic European Motor Oil, and 100% Synthetic ATV/UTV Motor Oil.

AMSOIL Signature Series vs Pennzoil Ultra Platinum

In this matchup, we'll compare Pennzoil Ultra Platinum SAE 5W-20 Full Synthetic with AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-20 100% Synthetic.

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From the manufacturer-provided specs, AMSOIL Signature Series and Pennzoil Ultra Platinum are fairly similar in terms of high-temperature protection, and they appear to be fairly equal for cold weather performance. A higher flash point (220°C vs 207°C) suggests slightly better stability and less oil consumption at high temperatures.

Both motor oils have nearly identical pour points, with AMSOIL slightly better (-50°C vs -48°C). Pennzoil has better cold cranking viscosity (4,050 vs 4,385), suggesting easier cold starts, and Pennzoil's higher viscosity index (164 vs 153) indicates it maintains its viscosity better across temperature changes.

For long-term protection, AMSOIL lists a Total Base Number (TBN) of 12.5, which is quite high and indicates strong acid-neutralizing capabilities. However, Pennzoil doesn't disclose their TBN, which is notable since it's an important specification for understanding an oil's long-term protection capabilities.

Overall, AMSOIL Signature Series appears to have an edge in terms of long-term durability. This aligns with AMSOIL's positioning as a premium synthetic oil with extended drain intervals (up to 25,000 miles). Pennzoil doesn't list a recommended oil change interval on their products, but their website does say that they recommend always following your vehicle manufacturer's recommended change interval.

Pennzoil also has a 20-year, 750,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first) for those who exclusively use Ultra Platinum on an engine that has fewer than 125,000 miles and is less than 6 years old. But they explicitly say you have to change the oil and filter at least as often as recommended by the manufacturer.

Pricing

Out of the gate, Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic is much cheaper than AMSOIL Signature Series. Despite that, and because Pennzoil recommends you stick to your vehicle manufacturer's recommendations, AMSOIL Signature Series comes out to be much cheaper in the long run. Assuming a 5,000 mile oil change interval from the manufacturer, and that your vehicle will see 15,000 miles in one year (which is about average in the US), AMSOIL Signature Series will cost you less than half vs. running Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, since you'll need 3 oil changes with Pennzoil and only 1 with AMSOIL.

Although the technical specifications aren't too different between AMSOIL Signature Series and Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, AMSOIL is the better choice if you want to save money and maximize protection and performance.

Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage Full Synthetic vs. AMSOIL 100% Synthetic High-Mileage

Next up, we'll compare Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W-30 with AMSOIL 100% Synthetic High-Mileage 5W-30.

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Both of these high-mileage oils show strong performance characteristics for high-mileage engines, with Pennzoil showing slightly better cold-weather performance and AMSOIL demonstrating slightly better high-temperature stability. Nearly identical kinematic viscosities and viscosity index ratings suggest both oils experience very negligible viscosity loss across operating temperature ranges.

Pricing & Warranties

At retail prices, both AMSOIL High-Mileage and Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage engine oils are fairly similar. The oil change intervals are also not so clear with these products.

AMSOIL fairly clearly states that the normal service life (not severe-service) for their High-Milage Motor Oils is 12,000 miles or 1 year. However, Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage is marketed with a Lubrication Limited Warranty, stating "15,000 miles of guaranteed engine protection." Yet, when you read the fine print, it states "Use an oil filter designed for longer oil change intervals and follow OEM Manual and vehicle's oil life sensor to maintain OEM warranty." Almost all of their products are also backed by their 15-year, 500,000-mile warranty as well. To maintain that warranty, the fine print states "...change your vehicle's oil and oil filter at least as often as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer."

This is not very clear. They are somewhat hinting at the idea that you might be able to go 15,000 miles between oil changes, but they sure aren't clearly indicating a service life for this oil that extends beyond OEM recommendations. And their 15-year warranty is voided if you don't follow your vehicle's OEM oil change interval recommendations. Therefore, for this pricing comparison, we'll stick to a normal oil change interval of 5,000 miles and assume a normal year of driving at 15,000 miles.

At retail, you'll save a small amount of money going with AMSOIL High-Mileage over Pennzoil Platinum, but with Preferred Customer pricing, you'll save almost enough money to afford another oil change.

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic European vs. Pennzoil Platinum Euro Full Synthetic

Now we'll take a look at European-specific motor oil from both companies. We'll compare AMSOIL European 5W-40 MS Oil with Pennzoil Platinum Euro SAE 5W-40 since they both meet or exceed the same OEM specifications & approvals.

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Another example where AMSOIL and Pennzoil both look like equally strong engine oils on paper. From these specs, both European-specific engine oils have nearly identical kinematic viscosities and Viscosity Index ratings suggesting both products experience very similar (and minimal) viscosity drops as temperatures rise. Pennzoil's Platinum Euro has slightly better flash and pour points, while AMSOIL's European 5W-40 MS has a much better CCS Viscosity rating, suggesting better cold weather protection and performance, especially at startup.

Pricing

At retail prices, the AMSOIL European Oil comes out a bit cheaper than Pennzoil, while AMSOIL Preferred Customers can save a lot of money compared to Pennzoil customers. Both oils recommend following the manufacturer-recommend drain intervals, which on newer European makes & models tends to be 7,500 or 10,000 miles. As a Preferred Customer, you could save upwards of $70 per year by using AMSOIL for your Euro-made vehicle over Pennzoil.

AMSOIL ATV/UTV Motor Oil vs. Pennzoil ATV/UTV Premium Plus

Another fairly popular category for each brand is ATV/UTV's. So let's match up AMSOIL ATV/UTV 10W-40 Motor Oil with Pennzoil's ATV/UTV Premium Plus 10W-40.

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It's important to note with these ATV/UTV oils that Pennzoil does not publicly provide as much data as AMSOIL does, specifically metrics like NOACK Volatility, Four-Ball Wear Test (ASTM D4172) results, nor HT/HS Viscosity. But, from what we could gather, the AMSOIL ATV/UTV oil indicates slightly better pour point and flash point ratings, while showing nearly identical kinematic viscosities and viscosity index. We can infer from these specs that AMSOIL likely performs a little better in colder temperatures and probably sees less oil burn off at higher temperatures.

Independent Lab Testing

You can't find any recent independent lab testing results that are shared by either company comparing their products with one another. Although, several years ago, the Project Farm YouTube channel recorded an NCAA tournament-style synthetic oil championship, where he compared 16 oils, head-to-head. AMSOIL Signature Series and Pennzoil Ultra Platinum made it to the championship round. In his testing, Project Farm tried his best to replicate the NOACK Volatility test (ASTM D5800) which measures oil burn-off at high operating temps, the Four-Ball Wear Test (D4172B) which measures wear-preventative characteristics, and the cold-flow test (ASTM D97) to determine cold-flow properties.

For his rudimentary NOACK Volatility simulation, Pennzoil Ultra Platinum barely edged out AMSOIL Signature Series by losing about half a gram less oil due to burn off. In his wear testing simulation, AMSOIL demonstrated superior lubricity by producing a much smaller wear scar than Pennzoil.

In his simulated cold flow or pour point testing, he compared brand new oil from each product, as well as the cooked oil from his boil-off test. In that test, both AMSOIL and Pennzoil demonstrated great cold-flow characteristics, with AMSOIL just barely beating Pennzoil.

In the end, AMSOIL won the championship, exemplifying superior performance testing and oil analysis results over Pennzoil and the remaining brands that Project Farm tested (Royal Purple, Motul, Liqui Moly, Mobil 1, and many more).

AMSOIL or Pennzoil?

From the numerous oil comparison articles we've written and the dozens of products we've compared, Pennzoil has competed with AMSOIL more closely than most other oil brands. The technical specifications across all product lines indicate both companies produce high-quality synthetic lubricants.

In my opinion, AMSOIL edges out Pennzoil in several key areas:

1. Extended drain intervals: AMSOIL's Signature Series offers guaranteed 25,000-mile drain intervals while maintaining protection, compared to Pennzoil requiring adherence to manufacturer intervals (typically 5,000-7,500 miles).
2. Cost effectiveness: While AMSOIL products may have a higher upfront cost in some cases, the extended drain intervals and Preferred Customer program make AMSOIL more economical in the long run.
3. Transparency: AMSOIL consistently provides more detailed technical specifications and testing data across their product lines, including important measures like TBN ratings and NOACK volatility that Pennzoil often doesn't disclose.
4. Application-specific expertise: AMSOIL has pioneered specialized formulations for specific applications, from high-performance racing to powersports equipment, often developing solutions before other manufacturers enter these markets.

Both companies offer quality products with excellent warranties and proven performance. However, if you're looking for maximum engine protection, longer drain intervals, and better long-term value, AMSOIL is the superior choice. The initial investment in AMSOIL products, especially with Preferred Customer pricing, pays off through reduced maintenance costs and enhanced engine protection. For the protection you demand & the performance you deserve, choose AMSOIL.

Is all Pennzoil made from natural gas?

No, only Pennzoil's Platinum line of engine oils is made from natural gas using their patented PurePlus technology which was launched in 2014.

Sources

Pennzoil Technical Data Sheets

• Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-20 Full Synthetic Data Sheet
• Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 5W-30 Full Synthetic Data Sheet
• Pennzoil Platinum Euro SAE 5W-40 Full Synthetic Data Sheet
• Pennzoil ATV/UTV Premium Plus 10W-40 Full Synthetic Data Sheet

AMSOIL Technical Data Sheets

• AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-20 100% Synthetic Data Sheet
• AMSOIL High-Mileage 5W-30 100% Synthetic Data Sheet
• AMSOIL Euro 5W-40 MS 100% Synthetic Data Sheet
• AMSOIL ATV/UTV 10W-40 100% Synthetic Data Sheet

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