4.0L 1GR 2nd Gen Oil Change Guide

Most people run Synthetic oil for up to 10,000 miles, sometimes more if we forget . Your oil of choice may recommend a different mileage.

 

I go 15,000 miles on mine. I had it tested at my last changed and they suggested going 17,000 miles.

Mobile 1 15k synthetic and their long life filter

 

According to the 2019 Tacoma Warranty and Maintenance Guide, oil and filter should be changed every 10K miles for normal conditions OR every 5K miles for "Special Operating Conditions" (i.e., Driving on dirt roads or dusty roads, Driving while towing, using a car-top carrier, or heavy vehicle loading, Repeated trips of less than five miles in temperatures below 32°F / 0°C, or Extensive idling and/or low speed driving for a long distance).

+1. 2019 documentation is available here.

A couple of points not to be missed here are oil analysis is a good idea when running extended drain intervals and doing so requires both oil AND filter to be designed for such use.

 

Similar I typically go 12,500 on whatever synth is on sale and Blackstone suggested 14k last analysis. I want to try Walmart supertech synth next.

 

I think I am going to opt for the TBN and TAN test next time, just to see how the additives are holding up.

 

Worth noting that all engines are different and all driving conditions are different. While he's able to go 15k between changes, my changes were on the rough side after just 4000/6months. If you're concerned, definitely send in a sample for analysis.

 

Posting this in the 3rd gen forum would be best. But yes, 10k mile OCIs with 0w-20 synthetic is the recommendation

 

Check this guy out, he did an entire bracket on Oil. Here is a link to the championship. I really like him because he appears to be unbiased.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWuKvnCq1js

 

Meh waste of money to pay up for oil brands.

 

I run Mobile one 15k oil and wait until its on sale at Meijer. There is no chance you are more of a tight azz than me. hahaha

 

Ha I think I am, I change my oil every 12,500 miles with the cheapest synth I can find!

 

Not sure if this has been posted, but I've found the best way to avoid any leakage from the oil filter is to leave the vehicle overnight and then perform the job the next day. When I remove the filter, absolutely nothing drips out! A huge plus too, nothing is hot.

 

The filter isn't supposed to drain back, which would make every startup a dry start. Once ok, but every day wouldn't be good. Something's not right of yours drains back.

 

I could be wrong (wouldn't be the first time...), but due to the filter's location, and the fact it's inverted, it will drain due to gravity when the vehicle sits with the engine off for any length of time. Further, because the oil pump is in the pan and the vitals of the engine are fed upon start-up by the oil distributed through the oil galleys, the filter will also receive oil as soon as pressure is created. Additionally, unless the filter is filled with oil after every filter change, the same thing is happening...

Again, I could be missing something, but I don't believe anything vital is dry.

 

We could both be full of it, but in answer to your logics, all oil is pressure fed through the filter before distribution to the engine, and the oil should not drain back due to a vacuum created at the top, which itself should be able to be overcome with an icepick from above. As for your final logic about filling the filter with oil before installing... How did that go for you?

While we're discussing logic, is it logical to mount a filter upside down? Or any one of a hundred different ways all automakers have found to make a mess on our driveways? Even the drain plugs on oil pans are usually pointed sideways to make us guess where to place the drain pan... Only to have to move it again when the draining oil slows to a drip... Not to mention what a little gust of wind can do for ya...

 

True story!

I don’t fill the filter - I was simply highlighting the dry filter start after an oil change.

Thanks for the fun exchange.

Cheers!

 

Following up on folks getting high readings on the engine oil dipstick ... I had my oil and filter changed on my 2011 V6 manual with the tow package, 38,000 miles. I checked the oil level first thing the next morning and it was about twice as high as the high mark on the dipstick. I took the truck back to the same shop and a different mechanic drained and measured all the oil. He removed 5.5 quarts, so it contained the correct amount. He inserted the plug and added oil again, stopping at 4.8 quarts. The dipstick showed oil over the high mark by an inch or two, but we didn't want to go close to a quart less than the owner's manual calls for, so we left it with that too-high reading.

I read the posts about the dipstick tube possibly holding oil and increasing the reading, so with the truck sitting all day I pulled and cleaned the dipstick at noon - left it out - and then at 5:00 p.m. I inserted it and pulled it out to get a measurement. It still shows about two inches of oil over the high mark while having 4.8 quarts, or (what I think is) 0.7 quarts low. There was no difference between an immediate reading and one taken after sitting with the dipstick out for hours. I put the dipstick against a paper towel to double check the reading because the oil is pretty transparent.

The Toyota dealer said they had never heard of people seeing a reading that was higher than the actual oil level. That's not helpful because there are several on this thread.

I don't want to run an amount of oil that's to low or too high, and I would like to rely on the dipstick for an accurate reading of my oil level. Is there anything else going on that would cause the dipstick to read too high? Which should I trust - knowing I added the correct amount of oil and ignoring the dipstick, or following the reading on the dipstick and using only enough oil to make it read "Full"? Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.

 

I have noticed this from time to time. I am not sure what causes it. I just make sure I put the 5.5 quarts. I do feel like i get a more accurate reading when the engine is warmed up.

 

Thanks Rick_Taco. That makes sense. So, is this intermittent with yours?

 

yea depends on the day and the weather. and if the truck sat all night or it has been running.

Like you said, I will occasionally get a false high reading.