Toyota says: Change tacoma synthetic oil every 5000 miles. Why?

The reason is that 0w-20 is only manufactured as a synthetic, and Toyota started recommending 0w-20 for the 2TR around 2008 in order to help meet CAFE standards. They used to recommend 5w-30 dino or synthetic at 5000 mile OCI's. OP could use dino 5w-30 and be just fine. I have been using M1 5w-30 for 80,000 miles with no issues.

 

I am in the process of swapping everything over to Amsoil. I'll run 5000 mile intervals at first and after the second change I'll have it analyzed to see where I'm at. I use the signature series in the engine and they say 25,000 but I'll never do that. The farthest I could see myself going is 10,000 with a filter change every 5000. They say 100,000 for normal service in diffs but I'll stick with the 30,000. I went with 10-30 instead of 5-30 because they are almost identical from a specification standpoint. Mainly because last winter I heard some piston slap if only for a millisecond and only once in a while. A little thicker oil is necessary under those conditions and the pour pint between the 5-30 and 10-30 is only about 3 degrees different.

 

I run mobile 1 EP in everything I own and change the oil at 15,000 without any issues. My wife drives an 08 2.4 camary and been running that for all 180000 miles she's has on it and runs fantastic. That's just how I do things because we run way to many miles, I have 22,000 on my 2015 Tacoma and only had it for 8 months.

 

I have thought about doing that too, since mine is out of warranty.
However, it seems (to me) this practice might cause issues with any warranty claims you might have on your 2015... doesn't the manual require oil changes more often than 15k? I'm aware of the M1 EP 15000-mile "guarantee" I just think Toyota might "disagree."

 

I agree with you, however I have just come to trust mobile 1 EP. One time just for fun my friend and I pulled a valve cover off my old 96 bronco which I ran the same way with the EP and we both were amazed with how clean everything was with 210,000 miles on it. I have never had a major motor issue on anything I have owned using EP. I mean I have had to replace other things like a throttle sensor once but never an internal engine part or gasket. Never had to repair a transmission or transfer case either and have always ran mobile one trans fluid and gear fluid, although I do usually run an external cooler and filter. Had to have a 9 inch rear rebuild once but it was from a 79 bronco and I was running 38 inch super swampers. I run mobile one in my tractor, my push mower, and my Harley. Mostly because it's good and locally available. Also I converted a lot of people over. My brother run this way in his Tahoe as well. Most people start out going 7,000 to 10,000 and then after a few changes go the full 15,000 and never look back. Just can't see changing oil ever other month based on my driving. I think there is a reason all the high dollar car companies like BMW and Mercedes along with corvette have been requiring mobile one for years and running it to extended service intervals. Now all the other car companies are starting to catch up.

 

In this thread, it for some Tacos perhaps abroad, same engine and oil, can go up to 10,000mi between changes. I think it has to do with some emissions and efficiency standards of sorts, less about the life of the oil. Have 75K on my Taco now, 5K on current oil, highway driving, the oil is clean and clear amber color, really thinking of going another 5K on it and getting on 10K change intervals....

Others doing the same?

 

It costs me about $35 to do a change on my v6 with Mobil 1 full synthetic and a Toyota filter. As soon as my warranty was up, I installed a Fumoto valve, switched to synthetic and started doing it myself. Takes 15 minutes, including drain time. I do it every 7500 miles just because that seems like a good conservative number.

 

I'm trying to find out where "RTaco" is located, why his/her manual would say change every 10K. Same truck as mine in TX....

 

I ass-u-me the answer to the title of this thread is that the 2TR was designed to run 5w-30, and though it can run 0w-20 to help mileage gains, it cannot handle the "thinning" of 0w-20 as it approaches 10,000 miles. Toyota was being conservative in this recommendation. Again, all assumption, no fact, and no oil tests done to back this hypothesis up.