First oil change smells like gas

I'm talking OCI and viscosity. If 0W 20 is bad, why do samples show up so good?
More viscous is not always more better.

 

Well I certainly trust the engineers that have been designing frames that rust out in a few years when other manufacturers and engineers design frames that last decades without noticable damage.

I get your point and I do agree with it. I just find is so disappointing that Tacos have such an obvious flaw and nothing has been done about it.

 

By the way, look at the owners manual, 545 and 546. Bingo ladies and gentleman…

Although the chart has been removed, the wording is still there referencing higher viscosity being more appropriate. Again, “engineers” saying 0w-20 is the end all is total BS. Oil becomes more thin as temperatures rise. If you live in a hot climate and especially if you tow, highly recommend going with at least a 30 or 40 weight. Mobile 1’s European Forumula is a great choice as its packed with anti wear additives.

 

I don’t want to be argumentative. After all, it’s just more discussion about oil in an oil thread. But I have to ask, why would the Toyota engineers list 15W-40 in their own factory service manual if it doesn’t have a use case scenario? I have a feeling 0W-20 is along the lines of fine for most but may not be the best. And it probably doesn’t matter often, but the fact that 15W-40 is literally in the service manual from Toyota begs the question.

I’d say the same logic about samples could apply to the more viscous oils. They all have very good samples as well. 0W-20 is a fuel economy choice, which is fine for most. But does that automatically make it the best, just because it’s single-spec’d in the USA owner’s manual? Probably not.

At the end of the day none of it really matters, but there is no harm done by choosing a thicker oil either and it may give some folks warm fuzzies if they run their engine harder than most. The vast majority of Tacoma owners I see drive like great-grandpa.

 

Excellent response and information. I will say thicker oil, especially ones with high anti-wear additives are more resistant to fuel dilution and resist shearing. Browsing BTOG forums for quite a while and some of the best oils reviewed are 0w-40 & 5w-40 mixes. There is a reason why Porsche fills their cars from the factory with M1 EF 0w-40.

 

I forgot to add the most trustworthy engineer of them all. The metallurgical rust proofing genius engineer that was assigned to the frames since 1990

 

I trust the engineers when I talk with them and they provide a technical explanation behind their claim. The last person I want to trust is someone who says trust me and provides no rational support for their claim. If Toyota had engineers in the showroom selling their vehicles then I would be more trusting.

Unless you talked to an engineer who works in the Toyota engine division, or read a few SAE papers written by Toyota engineers, then you have to accept that just about 100% of what you know about a Tacoma from Toyota is from their marketing division and not their engineering division.

 

Something better than talking to an engineer is looking at results of their design.
They tell you the weight, the type and the interval.
There are thousands of analysis reports here from Blackstone and they all are good. The ones with 5w 30 changed at 5K are the same as the ones with 0w 20 changed at 10K. What does this even mean.

 

Last I knew the weather year round in Mexico is very different from that here in new england....it's probably more about the mezcal, than these engineers.

 

I said I'd post pics when I changed my oil. My truck has 220,000 miles.

New, "fresh" Walmart Syntech 5W-30 oil:


Old Walmart Syntech 5W-30 run for 5,000 miles.

 

Oil gets cooked nothing new here

 

Definitely darker than my last 9.5k mile oil change. Looks closer to my brothers 5k oil change on his 00 astro van.

 

Wanted to update this. I changed the oil again tonight at 22k miles and zero gas smell. I'd say the tune up and the Lucas oil fuel treatment did the trick.

 

I'll agree toyota seems to cheap out with dana that builds these frames. Without some sort of rust inhibitor help, many will see their engine long outlast these frames.

 

I can tell you that any new engine or a rebuilt started solely on a synthetic.....excess fuel will get past the rings far more until they become seated. It's been proven on a buddies engine dyno. A good way to ruin a new engine too. They sell specific break in dino oils that are loaded with zinc. Big difference in hp with rings that seat well. An engine builder friend of mine actually believes breaking in these engines with a pure synthetic is the worst thing you can do....says it's even bad enough with these semi synthetics taking their sweet time seating rings.

 

Your guess is as good as mine....

 

Do any of you know why oil turns dark? Do you?

 

Heat cycles, contamination by particulate that the oil cleans from the engine and in some cases the additives added to the oils

 

Another words oil gets dirty.

 

Process of oxidation..