Synthetic Oil Change Intervals.

I wish i only put 5k on my truck a year. Thats awesome!!!!

 

I use M1 with Fram oil filter, i change my oil on the dot normally at 5k. Then Grease my little zerks .

 

Voted 5000-7500. Use M1 or Penzoil platinum 5-30w most of the time with toyota filter. Usually go for 5000ish intervals but if it goes over a bit it's OK. I never go 7500 tho. Usually rotate tires when doing oil change and clean the aFe dry flow every other time.

 

I don't want to completely derail the topic here, but I do have a related question about synthetic and oil changes.

I just bought a 2003 with 95k miles, same motor as the OP. I've always been under the belief it's a bad idea to convert to synthetic past 50k miles give or take, but in the back of my mind I'm wondering about it....... What do you guys think ?

 

Agreed.


...Plus it's a good opportunity to show off to the girls that live next door to me. Lol.

Also, I use the Toyota filter. I noticed that anything shorter than it makes more of a mess for some reason when I change the filter.

 

I use dino and whatever filter I find on my shelf at the time. Change it every 5K on the 5 & 10 to make it easy. Been doing it on the bike, cars, trucks for at least 5 yrs. With today's oils and additives we're all probably changing way to often and wasting resources - IMO.

 

some toyotas are certivied to run 10k on synthetic.
http://www.toyota.com/owners/parts-service/synthetic-oil/detail.html

It's not the 1970's anymore and oils are getting better. I agree we are wasting resources. one of the guys at work drive a 2003 g35 and buys the m1 ep for $28.00 and changes every 15k. Hes got 135k miles.

 

"A thread like this has never been created on TW.com or any other car forum that I know of."

OP, asking this question is like asking why God created spiders, you're going to get about a million different answers from people who really don't know why.
I hate spiders so much.........lol.

Anyways OP, the truth is that the vast majority of people on this site (including myself) don't know for sure, because none of us own fancy million dollar labs and workshops that can conduct scientific testing of oil and filters and engines. Most of what people are telling you are from word of mouth, or from what they read on some internet site or watched on a T.V. program.

But what we do know from these fancy oil labs is that both Synthetic and Dino oil can last longer than the recommend 3000 miles change, much much much longer. There are people running on the same oil for 6000 miles, 8000 miles, and so on all the way up to 15000-20000 miles on the same oil. Mostly in Europe where people haven't been drilled in their heads to change their oil every 3000 miles or so. And their engines are running just fine, and the oil lab results are fine.
(again, from what I've read)

So what do I do? Well I honestly change my oil and filter every 5000-6000 miles, why? Because I don't drive very much which results in going many months without a change and I'm worried about moisture in my oil.
Even if I did drive many miles weekly and decided to change my oil in long mile intervals. I wouldn't do it because I'm a girly man and would be too worried about it, and I would hate having to wait that long to change my oil because I love changing my trucks oil.
But if I did do long intervals I would make sure to change the oil filter every 4000-5000 miles all the way up to the change of oil.

#1 OP, just make sure you use a d@mn good oil filter. Toyota factory filters, mobil 1 filters, wix filters, k&n filters (same as mobil 1 filters), pureolator filters, etc.

#2, make sure your air filter is changed when it needs to be changed and check it so often between changes.

#3, make sure no matter what oil change interval you do, the oil filter gets changed every 4000-5000 miles.

#4, use good name brand oil and the correct viscosity. Which you're doing so that's good.

#5 and....that's all I can think of, so I hope that helps you out and others. I'm sure there are other members who would say it differently or debate with me, and that's fine. Again, others and I don't know for sure because we don't own fancy labs to do testing.

 

I voted for 5000 to 7500 also. I generally shoot for 5000, but may go over a little when waiting for the weekend, or waiting to get oil.

 

Because I can get the Napa Gold (wix) on the way to work, or in town, while the OEM Toyota requires a special trip to the nearest dealer, 30 miles away.

Howard

 

Thanks for the input. By creating this thread I was just curious to see what others were doing. I did learn A LOT about filters, which I did not intend to do. This also shows that there is still tons of info. out there for me to gather (that's why this forum is awesome). I will definitely pick up some Toyota brand filters next time around. Also, I won't feel so bad next time I go 6,000 miles before I change my oil.

 

I do mine whenever my maint. light comes on. I use Mobil 1

 

I change my Toyota filter every 5K miles, and the Amsoil running through it every 10K miles.

 

I just looked all through my 2004's Manual and I can't find a reference that specifies 7,500 miles for regular service between oil changes. Can anyone help me out here?

 

OK, owner's manual in hand, page 246, it says refer to Scheduled Maintenance Guide or Owner's Manual Supplement...

Scheduled Maintenance Guide in hand...

In the front, it provides general guidance on determining the proper maint. interval. "Depending on your circumstances, obtain maint....every 5,000 or 7,500 miles..."

5000

Primary operation:

• Unpaved or dustry roads
• Towing or using car-top carrier
• Repeated trips under 5 miles in temps below freezing

7500
Primary operation other than listed above.

All maint. items in the manual are provided on both intervals.

Special operating conditions and offroad conditions mentions more rigorous inspections, but this is again for primary operation under severe service and all have to do with diffs, boots, drive shaft, AF etc. These are specified in the 5000-mi scheduled intervals. None of this mentions engine oil.

With regard to oil specifically:

5,000: Replace engine oil and filter
7,500: Replace engine oil and filter

BTW, 5W-30 for -20F to 110F preferred

Register on Toyotaownersonline.com and you can actually downlaod a PDF of the Scheduled Maintenance Guide. I have attached the 2001 copy.

 

5000 with Mobile 1, within 200 miles every time.

 

Thanks for looking that up...I'll pull out my Maintenance guide tomorrow.