When should I get an oil change 3000 or 5000 miles?

My 1st official post --woo-hoo!

When should I get my 1st oil change --the sticker on my car says 5000 miles but all that I talk to say 3000 miles. I drove my truck out of the lot with 19 miles on it and now have 2,600+ miles (thanks to my trip twice to Scottsdale AZ to see mumsy)

Also, is there any 'special' I should have with the oil change?

 

I would do 3000. I actually do the first oil change at 1500 on new vehicles only because if there happens to be any metal wear, shavings, whatever, it will show up in that initial fill. Having said that, I doubt 5000 would be a problem.

 

I do the same. I switched to fully synthetic at 2k miles, which was also my first oil change. Sure some people will argue it is pointless, but it sure as hell doesn't hurt anything.

All motors have a tendency to produce significantly more wear throughout the break in process. bearing races and all of your other friction points wear them self in to their 'sweet spot' and create metal shavings that can contaminate the oil.

 

I do my first change at 1000 miles on a brand new vehicle (or a new rebuild), second change at 3000 miles, and then whatever the normal change interval is after that.

 

ok sorry this might seem ignorant coming from a chick but what is the diff in synthetic and ...........(??)

might seem pathetic but i really want to edu-macate meself!

 

You only learn by asking!

Heres a pretty basic description of the differences between fully synthetic and conventional (sometimes refered to as dino oil) motor oils.




The main difference between synthetic motor oil and conventional motor oil is found in their molecular structure. In a mineral oil, the molecules come from organic, natural materials, and as we know, nature isn't always consistent. There can sometimes be a few oddball molecules in mineral oils. Synthetic oils, on the other hand, were created by scientists in a lab. The molecules are uniform, and they line up like good soldiers inside of your engine.
There are three basic parts to synthetic motor oil:

• The base oil
• Performance additives, which come in powder form
• The carrier oil that disperses those powdered performance additives throughout the base oil

There are a few terms that come up with synthetic oils that you should know:

1. Viscosity Index: This measures the effect of temperature on oil viscosity, or the oil's thickness and ability to protect the engine. When oil is heated, it becomes thinner; when it's cooled, it becomes thicker. If the oil is too thin or too thick, the oil can't do its job properly. A high viscosity index means the oil doesn't change too much, no matter what the temperature inside the engine may be. In a perfect world, the viscosity of the oil wouldn't change at all and would provide optimum protection under any conditions.
   
2. Total Base Number: The "base" in this context is the opposite of "acid." The total base number measures the oil's ability to withstand acid buildup in the engine.
3. NOACK Volatility Number: Volatile compounds are unstable and tend to vaporize when exposed to heat, and this test measures that tendency. As temperatures rise, smaller molecules vaporize, leaving behind larger molecules that can make oil more sluggish and less viscous. The lower the NOACK volatility number, the better; it means there are fewer molecules being lost, which means fewer top-offs at the local lube shop.

In all of these tests, synthetic oils perform better than their mineral oil counterparts, thanks to those uniform molecules. Sure, lab testing's great, but how do these oils perform in the real world? Let's explore the advantages of synthetic oil on the next page.



CITED

 

A little more about the differences between Conventional and Synthetic oils.


The Science of Synthetic Oils

The motor oil market today operates on three levels. Mineral oils are considered good; blending mineral and synthetic oils is better; and purely synthetic oils are deemed as the best. There isn't a standard definition of synthetic oil in the United States: Some synthetic oils actually use synthetic oils as the base, while others use a highly refined mineral oil as the base.
The best synthetic oils are making only small advances these days, while the lower rungs of the motor oil ladder are improving quickly. The biggest differences are in the additives in synthetic oils. As an example, specialty motor oil company Royal Purple has found a way to increase the film strength of synthetic oil, which protects where metal contacts metal inside the engine.


Some of the advantages of synthetics include:

• Better gas mileage
• Longer times between oil changes
• Better cold-weather starts
• Ability to clean out sludgy deposits in the engine

There aren't many disadvantages to using synthetic oils, but they do exist. Synthetic oils cost around 6 to 10 times the price of conventional motor oils. To make matters worse, synthetic oils will clean out the deposits that may be holding a weak seal together. This could lead to an engine oil leak that may cause myriad safety problems and cost you a lot of money to fix as well.


While we're at it, we should bust a few synthetic oil myths:

• You can't switch back to mineral oil after using a synthetic oil: You can switch as often as you like, with no harm done.
• Synthetics are too expensive: They also protect an engine better and need to be changed less often, which may make the expense of the oil worth those few extra dollars.
• Only high-performance and ultra-luxury cars need synthetics: Any car can use and benefit from synthetic oil's additives and longer time between oil changes.
• Synthetics damage seals: "A synthetic oil won't create a leak," said David Canitz, technical services manager at Royal Purple, "but it will find any marginal seals due to lack of maintenance."

CITED

 

The only thing ignorant that comes from a chick is:

"I just want to be friends"

and

"I want to talk about our feelings"

and

"I'm sorry but I think I gave you syphillis"

 

1. Ah so true! So very true.
2.What are these feelings you talk about!
3.

Oh and thanks for the info, SC4333. I learned something new today.

 

Wow thanks soo much for ur time in spelling it all out for me ----there is much to learn --thank god I'm not taking a test for this!!

 

That's cute!!! === --good to know I dont fall into that category!!!!

 

You can do an oil change anytime you want... the toyota manual recommends 5,000miles.

I did my first oil change at like 2500miles I think....(can't remember exactly)

 

I'm going against the grain a bit and say that the advantages from conventional to synthetic are in reality negligible. So far me and my family have had 5 Toyotas, all with well over 200,000 miles, using conventional oil, and with intervals ranging from 3-5,000 miles. So far 3 of these are still going strong, the others were traded in in fine condition.

I have a pretty decent compression gauge. I did a compression test on all four cylinders and they are all still close to factory spec... 14 years and 221,000 miles later using what tends to be the cheapest wal-mart oil. As long as it says that it meets or exceeds manufacture's requirements, you're good to go. The only regular oil I'm not nuts about is Quaker State, which seems to foam up too much.

BUT... as someone who races on the side, running engines at much higher RPMs, synthetics are the way to go because they do not break down as easily under severe heat. But for everyday driving... its kind of your call.

 

I use 3500 miles. That's 70% of what Toyota recommends and it is quick enough that the oil does not start to break down before being changed.

 

A full 5k on synthetic is not a big deal and might even be a waste.

My previous vehicle was a Saab 9-3 with a very high output turbo running Mobil1. The on-board computer normally closed an oil change in the 12k miles range, and that engine was going to be considerably harder on its oil than a new 'Yota.

 

I run Mobil 1 and follow the owners manual. 5000 miles or 6 months. Once the truck is out of warranty I'll go every 5000 miles, because I'm only putting about 3500 on it in six months. I don't want Toyota giving me any warranty crap if I don't follow their guidelines. Just remember to keep your receipts if you take it to a lube shop or do it yourself. Keeping records is good for warranty coverage and when you go to sell the truck, because you can prove the truck was maintained.

 

I find that it makes a lot of people feel better doing their first oil change on a new car or truck at about the 1000-1500 mile range. This has been debated here a few times. Bottom line is, your engine has already been broken in from the factory and you can change your oil at 1,000, 1,500, 3,000, or 5,000 and it wouldn't really make much of a difference as long as you change your oil regularly and preferrably no more than 5K miles each time. There are also variables like how hard you drive your truck, constant stop and go, and also dusty condition in which case you should change your oil more often the 5K mile mark. Blah blah blah... geek... geek... geek...

I say change it now just so you feel better and possibly clean out any metal particles and then just do the 5K each time.

Welcome to TW. I've learned a lot here in the four months I've been here.

 

just went in for an oil change yesterday at 3300 miles. oil looked pretty spent, dark color

 

kinda useless....need to get an oil analysis done to know for sure. It might be just fine.





Also keep in mind that the 4 banger uses 6 quarts of oil (not sure about the V6). That is a LOT of oil for a small motor. What that means is better life out of the oil as it is cycled less often compared to a motor with 4 qts like most 4 bangers have. I think that is a major contributor to the life of the motor. .02

 

The only thing you need to know, especially if you do the oil change yourself is DON'T DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION. (Believe me, it happens)

Just follow the instructions in Chris4X4's write up and the rest is cake.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/11201-ultimate-oil-change-thread.html#post124480