Accidentally used wrong oil and didn't catch it

So In cleaning my garage I just caught that I used the container of 5w-20 intended for my wife's car instead of the 0w-20 intended for my 3rd gen Tacoma last time I changed the oil. I've driven 450 or so miles since the change and am immediately changing it now to the correct 0w-20. How bad did I likely just hurt my engine?

 

It's totally fine. Hotter climates like Mexico use 5w-20 from the factory. You did zero damage.

 

Haha, thanks. That's the response I was looking for. I found some older discussion threads where some people were talking about preferentially running 5w-20 in their Tacoma's during some seasons, so that makes me feel a lot better that it's really not a big deal.

 

You can use up to 15w-40 as long as ambient temp is not lower than 10F. You are perfectly fine. 0W-20 is a fuel economy choice.

 

Haha. It’s ok you should look up what those numbers mean.

 

it's totaled.

 

I don't see any issue using 5w-30 even.

 

I wouldn’t even bother draining it. Just run it to your next change interval.

 

the only issue is your warranty coverage if toyota finds out.

*this just happened on toyota 86 forums. guy was tracking a brand new 2022 86, replacing 0-20 oil with 5-30 as all the arm-chair experts say is required for track use. blew motor, warranty coverage denied, citing wrong oil weight, and aftermarket oil filter installed.

juries still arguing if whether any of that really had any part in the engine failure, but toyota found a reason not to cover it...

 

The “0” in 0W-20 is the flow rate in Winter. The “W” stands for winter, not weight as is commonly thought. 5W-20 and 0W-20 act exactly the same way when warm. 0W-20 will flow better using less hp in cold climates which equals less fuel consumption over the lifespan of the vehicle.

 

Ehhh… 5-20 won’t blow a pickup engine.

 

How would they know ? No tech is going to go and send oil to a lab to determine weight when/is the engine blows up

 

Part it out

 

it's the same weight oil once it's warmed up. 0w20 will just be better for cold starts. you're fine. just put in 0w20 next time.

 

Here is a trick I used when I had different weight oil in my garage. I would spray paint the outside of the box holding the bottles of oil the color of the respective vehicle. Won’t work if you and your wife drive the same color vehicles.

 

I’m really surprised no one has told you to get the truck towed home, get a sample and send it to Black Stone for a full analysis…. Because Tacoma World

 

I suppose that’s easier than reading the god damn label

 

Very true about reading the label. For me back then it was like “belt and suspenders”. I never put the wrong weight oil in but I have grabbed the wrong bottle out of the wrong box at times (before my paint idea).

Now every vehicle in my family is a Toyota product and all use 0w-20.

 

Outside the us they put 5-20 in the same engines.