Oil change interval

Ok rookie question. Been having an oil change at 5k, 10k, 15k and 20k miles. Service manager said been getting the least expensive oil. But for my 25k oil change ive switched to a different dealer due to bad service. Now service manager says i dont get oil change because i have synthetic oil which is good for 10k miles. Im a little concerned here.

 

Concerned about what?

For a normally used modern vehicle, 10k on syn is quite acceptable and even has a pretty good margin of error.

If you really want to know, exactly for your truck, have a lab test done by Blackstone labs the first change you do at 10k. They'll tell you how much life is left in the oil. (Which I'll go on record as guessing to be between 2,500-5,000 additional miles)

Every other method, including service managers, owners manuals, magazine ads and interwebs pundits is just guesswork.

One caveat. If your driveline is still in warranty, follow the owners manual for type, wt. and OCI to make sure your warranty is fully protected. The changes do not have to be done at a dealer, but they do need documentation.

You might find that your manual calls for syn 0-20 every 10k, if you have the marvelous 2.7.

 

Good info, but he has a 4.0 that has 5W30 6 months or 5000 mile oil changes.

 

Well, sounds like he has another loser dealer rep?

In warranty, when all else fails, read the oil type/wt requirement on the fill cap, use the OCI in the owners manual.

Your service advisor does not have the right to overrule that if that's what you want to stick with.

Always remember, he's the same guy with the goal to upsell your services and deny your warranty claim.

 

During the warranty period, follow the owner's manual. After the warranty expires, do whatever you want, it's all on you. If your owner's manual calls for synthetic, definitely use synthetic. If your owner's manual calls for conventional, you can use either. Synthetic oil is so cheap nowadays it's kind of a no-brainer in my opinion. (E.g. $13 for 5 quarts of Mobil 1, after rebate. Also Pennzoil recently had a rebate offer.)

Regarding the interval after warranty, consider the type of driving that you do most of the time. Modern fuel injected engines are pretty clean, generally speaking, and the engines Toyota puts in these trucks are not very hard on oil. (Due to various designs, some engines degrade oil faster than others.) So if your driving falls under normal service -- which is true for most drivers -- you can safely go beyond the 5,000 mile oil change interval IF you use synthetic oil and a good oil filter. BUT DON'T go all the way to 10,000 miles right away! Like Bill suggests, take a sample somewhere around 7,000 and send it in for analysis... they will tell you if you can go farther between changes, and if so, how much farther. The oil filter makes a difference in extending oil change intervals, so do some research and use a good one. Remember this is all for "normal service" and still allows for a good margin of safety (engine protection).

If your driving qualifies as severe service (frequent hauling, towing, off-roading/wheeling, dusty conditions, very hot/cold climates, lots of idling, etc), you should stick with the 5,000-mile service interval, even if you're running synthetic oil.



Finally, if motor oil looks dark, that doesn't always mean it needs to be changed. That only means the oil is doing its job cleaning the engine and suspending dirt. When I change the oil at 7,500 miles, it's dark but I can still see through it easily on the dipstick, even when cold.

I have the 4-cylinder which calls for conventional oil and 5,000-mile service intervals. I am well out of warranty, now running 7,500-mile intervals with synthetic oil... that's about how much I drive in a year so the 1-year mark is a convenient marker for service. I could go farther on mileage but 1 year is my time limit. Truck runs perfect, just like new.

 

Great post!

 

this is what i thought too. I called the other service dealer and the service manager said that i have been using synthetic oil 0w-30 which they did change at 10k and 20k only. According to the service manager, all 2010 and up toyota models use synthetic. So here i am thinking that i paid for five 5kmile oil change service and im actually just getting two 10kmile oil changes.

Only issue i have now is the incompetent techs leaving scuffs on every surface of the vehicle.

 

You can run 0w30 synthetic for 10,000 or 1 year, whichever comes first. However, that engine was Toyota's last engine to come factory filled with conventional 5w30. The Factory oil change interval was 5,000 miles or 6 months. If a Toyota dealer agreed to the 10,000 mile oil change, then they better cover the engine if there is ever a mechanical issue. I know my 2014 came with conventional oil. I've been running 5w30 synthetic since the first oil change, but I'm following the manufacture OCI until it's out of warranty. At that point I'll probably change it once a year.

 

The industry is experiencing a shortage in qualified technicians. A competent tech knows how to diagnose, repair, perform service, etc. as well as treat the customer's property with respect:

http://www.tomorrowstechnician.com/shortage-of-auto-technicians-has-shops-scrambling-for-help/
http://repairpal.com/blog/why-there-is-a-shortage-of-skilled-automotive-technicians-1
http://repairpal.com/blog/why-there-is-a-shortage-of-skilled-automotive-technicians-2

 

I do 10k on my previous rigs all got 200k no issue motor wise using synthetic. Still waiting my first change on this truck.

 

Looks like service managers are incompetent too. Just went thru all my service records for 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k. And long behold, ive had 5w30 conventional oil changes every 5k miles. Good thing i keep my records. So i called toyota that said ive only had two 10k synthetic oil changes and spoke to a service manager. So this guy says its 16 and up models that use synthetic without any acknowledgement of their mistake and no concern of the well being of tacoma. No to mention this guy has the nerve to say im over 25k and toyota might not cover any damage. Get the fk outta here.
I have yet to hear from the service manager of toyota i had my service done this morning that said no oil change today because i use synthetic. i left a voicemail.

 

I do 5k but not super anal if I go over that.

 

Every 10k for me, Mobile 1 synthetic.

 

every 3000 with full synthetic here.

 

Damn, Can you send your used oil to me so I can run it for 7,000 more miles?

 

yah, I'm really overly anal about my oil changes, I know it but hey, The Beast is worth it... to me...

 

Ever consider doing oil changes yourself? Super easy, super fast and super cheap...all with peace of mind that it was done correctly.

 

Pfft, according to Mobil and the 3" Ken Harvick you only need to change it once a year.

https://youtu.be/GSsj2LeIXfI

 

*Or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first.

 

Do as much as you can on your own... with forums and youtube it is easy to work on your truck, especially tacomas. Keeps idiots (dealerships or crappy wrenchers) from over charging you and screwing things up.