Oil Change Interval

I always went by the 3,500 mile rule, but I drove a 12 year old vehicle before my Tacoma that I just recently got. I was looking through the manual on the Tacoma, and it has the intervals set at 5,000 miles. Is there a reason for this? Newer engines can take 5,000 miles in between? Or if I take it to Toyota (as assumed by the manual) to do my oil change, they put in synthetic or something like that? Just curious as to why it has that large of intervals.

EDIT: It's the V6, by the way.

 

i do 4k miles or when oil starts turning black wichever comes first....i would never trust something like Amsoil they say 25K miles.

 

In a general sense? Not just synthetic?

25K between oil changes?? Holy smokes I've never heard that. I wouldn't trust it either.

 

I do between 5-7k oil changes.

 

I do 3k because whats an extra 30$?

 

I change my non synthetic oil at 3,000 mile intervals and synthetic oil at 5,000 mile intervals.

I also agree that oil today is better engineered and can maintain its lubricating properties for longer intervals than 10-15 years ago.

I think if you have the dealership perform your oil changes, you're going to have to specify synthetic or non-synthetic oil.

 

I follow the owner's manual. 5000 miles or six months, whichever comes first. I know the oil can go farther than that, but I don't want Toyota to have an excuse to void my warranty if something happens to the engine.

 

Yeah same here.....Twice a year plain Dino. One at the dealership (to maintain records ) and one between I would rather change with less expensive oil more often. Do the same with the bike. It's cheap insurance and doesn't hurt a thing. $12 for oil.... and a filter every other change.

 

I go 7k on Pennzoil Synthetic.

 

Don't think I would do the filter every other oil change though.

 

Very good info. Thanks guys!

 

once a year for me

 

Wouldn't it be the opposite with a filter every time and oil every other?

 

I do 5000 miles

Oil, filter, and tire rotation

on the 5000s - 5k,10k,15k,etc

keeps it simple

 

when the light comes on duhhh.

 

The interval is nearly half of what the manufacturer requires. I have Toyota do the full oil and filter at 5000 miles. 2500-3000 miles later I just put fresh oil in. The filter should last 5000 miles as the manufacturer recommends.

 

I go in at every 5000 since new...never had an engine problem n still runs like a champ just yesterday she turned 70,000 n had the oil changed

 

bulll

 

I go anywhere from 7-10K with my royal purple

 

If anyone is running synthetic and changes it sooner than 5,7 or even 10K miles is foolish to do so. Even older Dino oil at today's standards lasts a very long time. How do you think diesel motors go tens to hundreds of thousands of miles without needing to change it. The FILTRATION system. The oil shear and wear resistance lasts a very very long time. Its the contaminents that you should be concerned about.

Running Amsoil, I have just changed out the filter at 5K and top off what any oil I lost and continue to run the same oil. My last 2 BMW M3's (2006 and 2009), ordinary driving oil changes are 25K miles, no time limit. I thought that was strange for a very high output and rotating motor. But it's simple, the filtration and closed system is good and clean and runs strong. The filter on the M3 is huge. I still changed the filter out at 5-7K but left the same oil.

Bike's are different especially if you have a wet clutch system. I change my R6 out every 4k or sooner depending on riding habits, cycles and if i have been to the track. Same goes with trucks as well, if it's subject to alot of dust, or contaminents, i would check it and change it if it does.

Using synthetic like Amsoil, Royal Purple or Redline, there's a reason why the synthetics are almost 4x more expensive which is slightly counter intuitive as 4x the cost, you could break even on 4 oil changes. However its the wear characteristics and lubrication it provides which I enjoy. Less cold start wear which is the most wear occurred, better gas mileage etc.