5k or 10k synthetic oil change

Ok, just had my 25,000 mile oil change. Service tech says, we will see you in 10,000 miles. I keep seeing 5k and 10k. I don't want my engine to build up sludge. Any sugestions

 

If u dont want sludge do it every 5k, but ot can last way more, but i believe youre not gonna get sludge with sythetic

 

Toyotacare still calls for 5k on the Tacoma and a few other engines.
10k covers most models, which is the source of the tech's confusion.

 

To my thinking, I change mine at 5K.
Toyota recommends 10k on some models and would on the 2.7 Tacoma too if they thought it was prudent, but the deal is, these things are designed to run hot and they have VVT-I.
I even use a Frantz bypass filter and still do 5k oci.

Uncle Wally sells 0-20 M-1 for 24.xx for 5 qts (mine takes 7 w/ by pass filter)
I also add moly and get 30mpg on the pig.
I relocated my oil filter for easy access, so an oil change is a breeze.

 

I've been considering that. What relocation kit did you go with? Seems that a lot of them have issues with the hoses.

 

I do 7500 mile oil changes because I still don't quite feel comfortable with 10k. That is with full synthetic.

I think a lot of it will be whether you are doing short trips or highway, but ultimately you are still under warranty and if there is a problem they have wiggle room on whether to honor the warranty if you do 10k.

 

I'm with you on this. I ask for synthetic also, but my worry is the filter. After that long it has to have some crud in it or at least isn't working as well.

I really just need to get back to doing my own changes every 3000 like I used to do.

 

If you're concerned, spend the extra $25 after one oil change to have Blackstone run an analysis. If your filtration isn't up to snuff, it will show in the insolubles level.
I ran as long as 6k on my motorcycle and 12k on my Duramax and levels were never a problem. The Toyota OEM filter is going to run 7-10k without a problem.

3000 is recreational oil changing. No auto manufacturer has ever recommended 3000 under any service conditions. It's always been 5,000 to 7,500. 3000 was dreamed up by Jiffy Lube/Econo-Lube and the oil manufacturers.

 

Been doing 10K OIC's since 25K with Mobil 1 and no problems at all.

 

I do Mobile 1 and 5k oil changes. Do the same in my wife's Honda and my Harley...

 

I have been doing 10k oil changes on my three toyotas with mobil 1 extended service for many years without problems.

 

My question is on the benefits of synthetic if you are still under a warranty. I purchased my truck last month and have a warranty for 7 years 100K miles since it was certified. So if I am required by the service manual to change the oil every 5k what is my benefit to going synthetic?

 

Sorry this is a question on the V6

 

i believe the mnt req light comes on at like 4500 miles... i usually change mine the following wkend so somewhere between 4500 and 4800

 

Wow, 10k seems extreme. I've always done my own at 3,000 miles -- I also don't drive as much (frequently) so if I waited 10k miles it would be a once a year occasion.

If you are concerned, I would say check the color and consistency of your oil over the miles you've driven. When your oil looks dark or starts to get thick, just change it and don't worry about what the odometer says.

 

I know on my 12 that the use of synthetic oil is required. The

$54 0w20 oil Toyota/ exxon mobil Case of 6 Quarts Full Synthetic TGMO SN 0W-20 Oil

0w20 oil is only made in synthetic and that Toyota requires a 5 k oil change for the Tacoma. If your Taco uses 5w30 oil, you could use either plain or synthetic oil in it, but you need to change it at 5 k as the manual requires to keep your warranty. The oil you choose to use is up to you, and if you get your oil tested, as I do with mine, the recommendation may advise you to go longer between oil changes. Only by testing your oil in your environment will you know what is good for your truck and your needs. As long as you have receipts for oil changes or for the purchase of oil, your warranty should not be violated. Good Luck.

 

I do synthetic very 5 now. I used to do 8, but with all the weight I've added, the engine works a lot harder now.

 

The PRIMARY benefit of synthetic is not and never has been extended drain intervals. That has been pushed as the primary benefit by companies who are attempting to justify how synthetic doesn't have to cost more because you change it half as often.

Primary benefits of synthetic?

High temperature tolerance - resistance to coking. Coking is carbonization and is a precursor to sludge. I would NEVER run a conventional oil in a turbocharged engine due to the high temperatures in the bearings on the stagnant oil after shutdown.

Cold pour point - A synthetic 5w20 "gels" at a lower temperature than a conventional 5w20. Maybe not a big deal in California. Big deal in Canada and northern states.

Film retention - This is a big deal for anyone who does not leave their engine running 24/7. How much oil is remaining on the bearings when you start up in the morning? That is when the majority of wear happens.

Better shear stability. Multigrade oils are able to act like both a 5 and 30wt through the use of viscosity improvers. Think of these like coiled spaghetti strands. As the oil temperature changes, they coil and uncoil, which helps maintain the oil's viscosity as it heats up.
Synthetic oils are inherently more temperature stable (their viscosity does not change as much with temperature variations), so they use fewer viscosity improvers in the blend.
Why does this matter? Like spaghetti, viscosity improvers break. Some engines are harder on them than others. Gear drives (DOHC with a single pulley/sprocket) are fairly hard on oils.

For comparison, a typical oil used in a Diesel engine would be 5w40 for synthetic, 15w40 for conventional.

It begins flashing on initial engine start at 4500, and comes on solid at 5000.

No auto manufacturer has recommended less than 5000 in the last 30 years. 3000 was dreamed up by oil manufacturers and quick-lube places. It is a waste of money and a waste of natural resources.

Toyota used to recommend 7500 for normal service and 5000 for severe service. They dropped the 7500 mile interval when they began installing the "Maintenance Required" light, since they did not use an intelligent OLM like General Motors. More than once the OLM in my '06 Silverado didn't trip until after 10k (longest was 12k). It also tripped as low as 8k... and it was programmed for non-synthetic.

10,000 is fine for synthetic, and beyond 10,000 is generally going to be okay as well with a filter change at 10k, but I would not go beyond 10k without getting a used oil analysis... and at $25 for the test, it's not saving any money on an engine that only takes 6 quarts. It starts to get to be worth it on a Diesel that takes 2-3 gallons.

The appearance of the oil is not a good indicator. You can't tell when it needs to be changed by looking or feeling.
You can look at it and tell that it DOESN'T need to be changed, but once it darkens, you can't tell.

 

Rich, This is all good info. I raised my OCI from 3 to 5k when I went from conventional to syn. It still looks good at 5K. I let it go to 7K once and it looked dark and dirty. I did not spend the $$ for oil analysis. I'm sure you are correct since every thing you write seems to be well thought out but I'd rather err on the safe side as I intend on this being my last truck barring an accident.

 

WOW 7500 and 10K oil changes! Man i run fully syn in my 01 preRunner DC and I change mine every 3500 and change the filter every time as well. I didnt know you could go that long between changes with syn oil. I like my oil to come out pretty clean when it gets changed if that makes sense.