2021 test2 productsEngine Oil & Fluids
Which Motor Oil Brand Wins?
We compared 2 motor oil options head to head. Pennzoil came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Winner
Pennzoil
Check price on Amazon
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Runner-up
Miller's
Check price on Amazon
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Evaporative loss (200g oil, 420 F for 2 hours) | Lubricity / film strength (wear scar test) | Fuel efficiency (generator load test) | Cold oil flow test (freezer at negative 40 F) | Lab analysis, anti-wear additives | Lab analysis, detergents/dispersants | Lab analysis, viscosity | Lab analysis, flash point | Lab analysis, TBN (total base number) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, full synthetic SAE 5W-30 | started at 404.73 g, ended at 401.08 g, a loss of 3.65 g; won this test | produced a larger wear scar than the Miller's oil; host was surprised the Miller's oil beat it here by 8 percent | ran for 21 minutes 16 seconds before running out of fuel | the new Pennzoil finished first of the four lanes tested, ahead of the cooked Pennzoil by a fraction of an inch, ahead of the new Miller's by 7 inches, and ahead of the cooked Miller's by about 8.5 inches; host calls it a huge win for Pennzoil | molybdenum 53 parts per million, described as very close to normal; phosphorus 742 parts per million; zinc 807 parts per million (Miller's higher on all three) | boron 127, calcium 2,540, magnesium 21 (a slight advantage over Miller's on all three) | slightly lower viscosity than the Miller's oil | 440 F, slightly higher than the Miller's 430 F | 8.6, slightly better than the Miller's 7.3 |
| 2Miller's Nanodrive, low friction technology, 5W-30 fully synthetic | started at 411 g, ended at right at 406 g, a loss of 5 g | showed an 8 percent smaller wear scar than the Pennzoil; host says he was really surprised to see Miller's come out on top here and calls it evidence of a very robust additive package | finished almost the exact same time as the Pennzoil, described as maybe another couple of seconds longer than the Pennzoil's 21 minute 16 second result; no exact time given for Miller's | both the new and cooked Miller's samples finished behind all Pennzoil samples: new Miller's finished 7 inches behind the new Pennzoil, and cooked Miller's finished about 8.5 inches behind the new Pennzoil | molybdenum 769 parts per million, described as the most the host has ever seen in a motor oil; phosphorus 1,459 parts per million; zinc 972 parts per million (all higher than Pennzoil, described as a much more robust anti-wear additive package) | boron 76, calcium 2,455, magnesium 9 (all slightly lower than Pennzoil) | slightly higher viscosity than the Pennzoil | 430 F, slightly lower than the Pennzoil's 440 F | 7.3, slightly lower than the Pennzoil's 8.6 |
How it was tested
- evaporative loss / thermal breakdown test: 200 g of oil heated to approximately 420 F for 2 hours
- lubricity / film strength test: 40 mL of the heat-exposed oil per brand, 10 minute wear scar test comparing bearing wear scar size
- fuel efficiency test: each oil run in an electronic fuel injected generator under a 5-halogen-light load until the engine ran out of fuel
- cold oil flow test: new and heat-cooked samples of both oils raced side by side after being frozen at negative 40 F
- independent oil lab analysis: anti-wear additive content (molybdenum, phosphorus, zinc), detergent/dispersant content (boron, calcium, magnesium), viscosity, flash point, and total base number (TBN)
“In the end, in my opinion Pennzoil is a better oil.”