Synthetic oil

Using the synthetic may be cheaper in the long run if you keep the truck a long time. No sludge buildup at 100,000 miles.Heat causes dino oil to sludge.If I were to use dino oil I would change it at 3,000 miles.Toyota requires synthetic oil change at 5,000 miles for a unsaid reason and I think it is because of sludge.

 

True enough that... just take the freebie oil changes. But after the first 25k what then? Nothing anyone has related should make anyone believe you HAVE to use synthetic or, if you do choose to, that you HAVE to change it at 5k intervals.

A minor quibble on my part: I don't think it's correct to say it's the warranty that covers the oil changes. Oil change costs aren't part of a risk pool, as would be a warranty risk pool. You completely paid for every one of those oil changes as part of the purchase price. It's buried in there but you paid for it.

 

I've talked to 2 dealers in the Denver metro, and neither will change my oil at 5k because it's synthetic ('11 RC 4cyl). They straight up will not do it.

 

That's a myth!

 

Strange. I have taken my '11 4 banger in for the 5 and 10K services, and they installed 0-20 synthetic. On my lasit , the service writer even commented on the requirement that they use 0-20 synthetic.

He said it is specified because it improves fuel economy, and lowers emissions.

 

Did you get the Toyota Care booklet with your purchase? You were supposed to as per Toyota. If you didn't, contact Toyota. If you did, show the dealer the note about it being covered in the 5K service intervals.

 

Yessir; I took the booklet in with the owners manual and all theyd do is rotate tires and check fluids. I'll have to start calling up the Toyota chain; I paid for the service at purchase and I'm not comfortable with 10k oil change intervals.

 

^^^Says you.

 

whats different about the '11 motors over the pre '11 2tr-fe?

 

There aren't any. Toyota's trying meet new fuel efficiency standards.

Remember that these standards are applied to their overall fleet, not a per-model basis.

Requiring super light weight synthetic oil for the 2.7L probably helped contribute to a 0.003% improvement in overall fleet fuel efficiency. Seems small, but the number crunchers at Toyota thought that it was significant enough.

Doesn't mean that you have to do what they recommend, it just means that they can claim a higher MPG rating for their fleet when they report to the Fed's.

 

Exactly my take also. Unless there was a major engine design change (which there wasn't), it is for Goment compliance only. Isn't it great that "they" are looking out for us?

 

The Tacoma I4 does use 0w20.The book says 5w20 can be used if 0w20 is not available but must be switched back to 0w20 the next oil change.