PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

The oil was changed back in October when the head gasket was replaced, and as of this post I've put a little over 2,000 miles on the truck since then. I added a minuscule amount of oil since the level was slightly below the first dot, but a new head gasket seems to have solved the remainder of my mysterious "oil usage" issues.

I was talking with my friend Jeff, who drives a lot for work, the other day. Just to give you an idea of how much Jeff drives for work, he bought a certified preowned 2017 Mercedes GLS450 in late 2019, with just 9,000 miles on the clock. As of December 2022, he is now quickly approaching 130K on that Mercedes!

He uses 0W20 full synthetic high-mileage in the Benz, and says it's a great oil. The Benz has no oil leaks and runs great; I've driven it a couple times before and you would never guess it had the miles is actually has unless you looked at the odometer.

I had my oil changed at an odd time, purely by default, because of the head gasket blowing; I am very OCD about changing the oil every 5,000 miles, though sometimes I have it done a hundred miles or so early, or a hundred miles or so past...

Pete is replacing the driveshaft U-joints next Friday, and I have to decided to make the switch to 0W-20 just a few hundred miles past 160K; I don't need an oil change, but if I wait until 165K like I originally planned, then I will be almost 2,000 past the recommended interval. I am not doing DoorDash anymore, and car show season doesn't really start until April, so I have no idea how long it will actually be until I hit 165K. So, I'm going to see how she runs on 0W20. If my truck does not burn an excessive amount of oil over the next 4,500 miles or so, I will probably stay with the 0W20 for the time being...

 

Is 0W-20 the recommended grade of oil for your truck?

 

It says "0W-20 or 5W-20" on the filler cap, so yeah, but Toyota recommended 5W-30 prior to 2009. It was only changed in the interest of better gas mileage...

 

Yeah my truck takes 0W-20, elsewhere in the world they actually call for heavier grades, but like you said this thin watery stuff is only here for better MPG.

 

https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants...tching-from-conventional-motor-oil-to-mobil-1

Do some googling. Personally I wouldn’t swap a high mileage vehicle from conventional to synthetic. Maybe superstition.

Edit: Not sure how I feel about that link. Curious what the internet gurus have to say.

 

I've been running full synthetic January 2018, literally just before I hit 80K miles...

 

Oh. I thought you were saying you have been using 5W-20 for the life of the truck.

 

Have any of you experienced the weeping rear diff?

 

I know it’s common on the 3rd Gen trucks.
Mine might have a spot or 2 that looks “moist”.
But it isn’t dripping, so I haven’t inspected it too close.

I just seen the spots the other day while I was “jiggling” the diff breather.
For all I know, it might just be road grime. I don’t get too concerned until I see drips.

 

Yeah I haven’t seen any drips either, so I’m not overly concerned. But still under the bumper to bumper, so idk.

 

I haven’t had to pull the 3 member on a 2nd or 3rd Gen truck.
I may be wrong, but I think the OEM seal is a paper style gasket.
There isn’t any RTV from the factory.

If I ever do mine, I’m going paper + RTV.
Thin coat or RTV on both sides.

Maybe a tech like @Bishop84 will know the reason it happens more on the 3rd gens?

 

Some say under torqued, there was a short campaign that had us torque them.

agree with the rtv lightly on the paper gasket.

Most people including me tear the paper, you’re supposed to wet it prior to install.

 

Yeah, IIRC there was some confusion on the 3rd gen trucks.
I believe the TQ spec between the different size units is pretty big.

I seen a few post where some guys checked theirs and broke the studs off.
I’d have to see if I can find the info again. If anyone wants to check theirs, just be sure you know what size your rear diff is.

 

@Just_A_Guy what year is your truck?

 

2021. 17k miles or so

 

Oh, ok. There was a TSB for new nuts on the 2016-2017 trucks.
Yours doesn’t apply.

I’m no metallurgist, but the TQ spec went from 18 ft/lbs to 28 ft/lbs with the only change being new nuts? If you don’t have the new style nuts, it’s 18 ft/lbs.

Boy, Toyota sure made fastening some nuts confusing.

 

You think it’s worth taking in to a dealer?

Yeah I was reading through threads about it. Paper gasket, some report Toyota changing the gasket/bolts, re-torquing bolts, others dealers say it’s normal. Results seem to vary. Some people just use brake cleaner on the weep and it never comes back.

@PennSilverTaco sorry for jacking your thread. Pay attention though, might come in handy when you get a third gen

 

No, would be a waste of time. Wouldn't hurt to have them document it next visit, but they'll tell you its a sweat, which it is.