Brad Penn Quality

[mike22l]

So I've been running brad Penn for the last 10 years in my dirt circle track motors and it's worked amazing. I recommended it to a drag racer and his builder says he won't touch the stuff. He said it used to be good but not now. I asked why he would say that and mentioned that he's had too many customers come back complaining of low oild pressure. Approx 20 lbs less. Ranging from street, strip and asphalt cars. He's switched over to Lucas. Now I don't want this thread to turn into what brand to go with. I want to know if anyone else has experienced this. when he changed oil in 5 incidences the oil pressure came back up using the same viscosity. And stayed there. Here's the kicker, I put 10W40 semi syn Penn in my customers motor and third night I was down 15 lbs oil pressure. 430 inch 700 hp motor latemodel. I switched the oil before pulling the pan and all good now. Same viscosity. Has Penn Grade changed their formula? I had skids of Brad Penn that I used until I ran out. Then I used Penn Grade and it seems to be crap now. Anyone else experience this? This other builder used to use it religiously as well......

[gnicholson]

Im intetested in hearing about this myself. Brad penn is all ive used for the last 10 years or so and im about to run out.

[MELWAY]

It’s definitely changed ownership and bottle is different

I’m hesitant to use it now as well. I’m sure the new owners would be looking to cut costs somehow

[peejay]

Haven't noticed any difference. We ran out of Brad Penn quite a while back, all we stock is Penngrade now. Looks and smells the same (what IS that smell?) and certainly haven't noticed any change in oil pressure.

[Zmechanic]

That's alarming... We run 20w-50 brad Penn in a sprint engine. It's quite tolerant to methanol. Never had oil pressure issues. Haven't run out of stock yet though of the traditional old bottle stuff.

Recently I was chatting with a well known builder and I said "what about Brad Penn". He said "junk" and showed me the HPL he was running. I have to say, with the abuse that motor was taking, my mind was blown when we pulled one bank of pistons and the rod bearings still had every bit of the factory coating. Not most. Every bit.

[Geoff2]

Here in Australia up to the late 1970s/early 1980s, BP Coarse + was a popular racing/performance oil, it was 20w/50 grade.
A few of us noticed over a few months that our idle oil pressure dropped 10-15 psi. [ One friend scuffed a piston in his 454, which he blamed on whatever was going on with the BP oil ]. We knew the pressure loss had to be oil related, as too many people were having problems.
I contacted BP. Ahhhh, yes, we have friction modified the oil.....FM? The oil has been thinned, the bloke said.
We can buy here that is NOT friction modified.

[blykins]

I have had zero problems out of Brad Penn, even after it has changed to Penngrade. No oil pressure problems.

It's interesting to hear guys call products "junk" just because they don't use it.

[swampbuggy]

X-2 yep better off to say NOTHING, unless you are 100 percent sure !!!!

[mike22l]

As Geoff22 said, they have friction modified their oil. I've used this stuff for years and now I'm having issues with it. I changed over to Lucas 10W40 and my oil pressure is all good now when the driver is off the track. I don't know why on earth the new company would jerk with such a good product. I used their oil religously for years but not now. Gibbs is another one that changed their oil. I used to see a 9 hp gain on a 430 hp 360 inch motor. Now nothing. Brad Penns old stock rocks and their new stuff is crap. I proved it out. Their friction modifiers kill the oil after 2 nights of racing. The guys at Penn Grade should be ashamed. Lucas has my business now.

[mike22l]

Oh, I forgot to mention, who will give an 8 hp gain on a 360 inch motor now? Lucas, my dyno says. Same motor same day. Try it on your dyno and you'll say sh@t he's right. I was going to be a main distributor for Brad Penn in my area 2 years ago but I didn't want the hassle of guys bugging me all the time. Now I'm glad I didn't cause then they'd be bugging me for a different reason.

[cjperformance]

got to love the 'oh my lord its friction modified, it glazed the bores, my oil pressure is gone, engine is sludged up, lifters collapsed' chinese whisper.

[cgarb]

I just switched to PennGrade...hopefully it works out for me. Just straight 30w here though.

[MELWAY]

Oh, I forgot to mention, who will give an 8 hp gain on a 360 inch motor now? Lucas, my dyno says. Same motor same day. Try it on your dyno and you'll say sh@t he's right. I was going to be a main distributor for Brad Penn in my area 2 years ago but I didn't want the hassle of guys bugging me all the time. Now I'm glad I didn't cause then they'd be bugging me for a different reason.

What Lucas product have you seen that power gain with

I have seen similar results with Torco racing oils

[hoffman900]

got to love the 'oh my lord its friction modified, it glazed the bores, my oil pressure is gone, engine is sludged up, lifters collapsed' chinese whisper.

So can anyone back up their observations with actual lab tests?


< Never used the product. Just like good information.

[Alaskaracer]

Say what you will, but I only run Amsoil in my junk. On my pickup, 2008 Sliverado 3500 HD with a duramax, it's the only oil I've ran that I actually recorded a fuel mileage improvement. I've ran Delo, Shell Rotella, and Mobile Delvac. With Amsoil I saw an average increase of fuel economy of about .5-2 mpg depending on how and where I drive. I run Dominator racing oil in my dragster and the bearings look like new. Just had the bottom end apart not to long ago for inspection. Can't even see any wear on the pistons, walls, or bearings.

Honestly though, I think if you use any quality oil you'll be fine. I know of guy running walmart oil in top dragster and top sportsman cars without issue.....