Using oil at 15K miles

^^^
THIS

Engines that hold fractional amts. of oil...ie...4.8 qts - 5.5 qts. are going to be overfilled or underfilled. No way a dealer is going to measure out 1/2 a qt. of oil.
Takes time - time is $$$. If you want 5.5 qts. in your engine - do it yourself.

 

The goober as you call it is actually used by lots of service centers. If in tact, it tells them that no one else has removed the filter. Normal stuff, wouldn't worry about it.

 

Having or not having the tow package has NO IMPACT on oil capacity on a 6 cylinder Tacoma.

 

Just going by the manual.

 

My manual (2009) states 5.5 quarts with filter change. NO mention of tow package. Tow package does include a transmission cooler for automatics.

 

Page 524 in my manual:

"4.0L V6 engine 2WD except PreRunner 4.8 qt"
"4WD and PreRunner 5.5 qt"

The tow package has to be the difference.

 

Disagree - a lot of PreRunners and 4WD do not have the tow package. 4.0 V6 that are Not PreRunner or 4WD have a different oil pan (more shallow) which would account for the difference you quoted.

 

My guess is the oil cooler is the difference in volume.

With the oil cooler (The thing with hoses under the filter):


Without oil cooler:

 

I agree. But isn't the oil cooler part of the tow package? Perhaps there was a change sometime.

BTW...you must have lifted that top picture from the "oil change" thread. That's my truck.

 

That looks the be referencing the X-Runner, which is the only V-6 5lug(non-prerunner)

 

Was there a '15 X-Runner?

 

I think I may have! Google pointed me that way.

I'm not sure if it's only for the tow package, but it's a simple glance. By the looks of the crusty pic, he's got a cooler.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2015-x-runner.372860/

 

"We are the only state (Hawaii) I believe that is giving the last productions of this specific model"

Who knew?

 

lol I googled it , fwiw I do not have the tow package and have been doing 5.5qts for the past 110k miles with no issues

 

My understanding is the engine oil cooler is on all 2nd Gen V6 engines. Do not know if the 4 cylinder has it or not. V6 6speed do not have a transmission cooler, only the automatics.

 

I had wondered about that. I'll assume that's what it is. Just doesn't look like something that would randomly happen--looks pretty deliberate.

For anybody who's curious, my Taco is an automatic with tow package.

 

Dealerships want your business! What better way than to give you a couple free oil changes along with your new car, to impress you to come back! That mark at the base of the oil filter, I'm sure is to make sure no one else has messed with their work.

 

Just occurred to me, I'll be going to get my oil and wonder what viscosity you're using. I know the manual says 5w-30, but the mobil1 site says 0w-30 can be used also. In my old Matrix I'm pretty sure I used 0w-20. I would expect 0w to be better for cold starts and maybe better fuel mileage (negligible probably). Downsides?

What's the forum's verdict?

 

I say use what's called for in the manual. The difference is not vast, but for me I prefer what's found in the manual over a website.