Oil Type and Brands?

For 5k OCIs (oil change intervals), I actually wish I could just use conventional 5w30 since it's cheaper and there's tons of evidence to show that dino oil can take a 5k interval with no major hit in performance. But conventional oils tend to cause unsightly varnish in upper engine components so I avoid it for that reason.

Lucky for us, synthetics have gotten very cheap over the years and if you get a 5qt jug with a rebate, it costs the same (or even less!) than dino oil.

 

This,
& Castrol syn,& Napa Gold.

 

i am also on the Supertech Full synthetic 5w30 and Toyota filter bandwagon. $30 oil change.

 

^ Applause (clap clap) and with synthetic oil from the 21st century you can typically go much more than 5k per OCI. (Don't take my word for it, do some reading on bobistheoilguy.com)

 

NAPA synthetic is Valvoline Advanced Synthetic rebranded. Excellent choice.

 

All the Warren oil clones are excellent....SuperTech, Kirkland/Costco, Amazon Basics, Harvest King, Meijer and others.

If filters are your thing, M1 A series, Fram Ultra/XG, Wix, Purolator Boss are all highly rated filters

 

I've switched to Costco synthetic. 10 quarts for $25, so $12.50 for 5 quarts of full synthetic 5W30.

 

I use synthetic oil and an OEM filter every 5k miles. I've used Mobil 1, Castrol and Valvoline. I never noticed a difference between the oil and I doubt my truck can either

 

OP.....you can cut thru the BS by opening your Owner's Manual. It will state the viscosity and the API grade for your truck. Any brand oil in dinosaur or synthetic that meets the viscosity and API grade will be acceptable. Get a good oil filter. IMHO, the best filters are Toyota, WIX, NAPA Gold, Bosch and ACDelco. Then just follow the change interval. Its not as complex as the Internet leads to believe.

Example: My '06 with 115,xxx mile the V-6 (4.0L, 1GR-FE) has 5w30 synthetic with a NAPA Gold filter.......Sorry, I don't recall the brand of oil.

BTW, be wary of the "knowledge" at the auto stores. They insisted my truck needed iridium plugs.....I didn't believe. Went to Toyota, bought the correct plugs, they turned out to be just basic copper based plugs. Ended up saving $$

 

Right before the chip shortage hit hard, paid 33k (after tax, registration, etc.)with it having like 54,000 miles.

 

I buy Costco full synthetic, roughly $25 for two 5 quart jugs. Buy Fram filters from Walmart. I've been changing the oil every 10,000 miles since new. 15 years and 220,000 miles ago. It still doesn't use any oil in the 10,000 miles. Been doing the same on every vehicle I own for years. I used to do 5000-mile oil changes but figured I was wasting my time and money.

I've driven several million miles in the last 49 years. Never felt the need to pre-fill an oil filter. Never had an engine failure.

 

I've been running Walmart SuperTech 5w30 full synthetic and a Motorcraft FL400S filter for a long time. The thing has never used oil.

Why? Because I can source them locally the day I need them. The oil is dirt cheap for a full synthetic, as is the filter. No coupons or mail-in rebates required. I've changed the oil & filter every 5,000 miles since I bought the truck back in 2007. North of 160k miles on it to date with no engine issues to speak of. Can't say the same for the frame, but Toyota took care of that one on their dime.

The only other regular engine maintenance I do is change the spark plugs every 30k miles. Someone earlier in this thread mentioned cleaning the MAF sensor every oil change, but I've never touched mine. I've also never run an oiled air filter, so maybe that's why it hasn't seemed to matter. Maybe I'll give it a look the next time I'm so inclined.

I wasted years searching for the holy grail of oil + filter, but in the end, it doesn't really seem to matter. At least not on this truck. As long as it has the API certification, I just roll with it.

 

1 2/3 oil changes… it’s your funeral bud.


Second thought: 5000 interval works with synthetic oils. Supposedly.

 

I have run full synthetic to 7,500 on my Tacoma 4.0, and 10,000 on my Tundra 4.7 v8, Sequoia v8, and 9,000 on my RX330 v6. They all have oil that is far from black at those miles. People who do oil analysis on their used oil know that dumping synthetic at anything less than 5,000 is wasting money and resources.

There are other car makers I might not do that with, but Toyota engines don't beat up the oil.

Also, if you use your vehicle in severe duty situations like racing, dust, extreme ambient temps, then not extending interval is smart.

 

I've been known to over maintain on some equipment but a 3K oil change......that'll hit you in the wallet if done over time.

 

M1 5w30 synthetic, Toyota filter, 10k oci, 180k on truck, great recent Blackstone analysis.

 

After pulling valve covers and oil pans on a 3 different engines that had run Mobil 1 exclusively and seeing the sludge build up, I switched to Castrol blend. Also went to 10W-40 to quite the noisy lifters (no more tap tap tap). Not sure Castrol is the best choice but is readily available.
Can't stand how dirty oil is at 5K, so changing at 3K.
Toyota oil filters on Amazon, buy a whole case for what two filters cost at O'Rielly's
My dad retired as a Mechanic from the
state, and agreed with my observations and the changes I made, based on his experiences.
Fumoto oil drain valve makes oil changes a no mess exercise.

 

I fill it about 2/3 full then it dissappear inside there, I screw it on w/out losing any. But then just fire it up afterwards.
Castrol Synthetic 5W-30 in wife's 2nd gen and M1 0W-20 in mine. Run Toyota filters in both.
Not sure when the factory went to Synthetic but know my wife's 2013 used conventional from the start. I switched to Synthetic in hers because of the better cold weather flow properties, she has a tendency to light it off and pedal to the metal even in sub zero temperature.

 

I use Pennzoil FS High Milage 5w30. OEM filters by the 10-pack. Truck is quiet, a few gear heads and mechanics have commented on it - tick aside.
Since changing the PCV, I'd had no issues with oil loss. 5k interval unless I'm working the olde gurl hard, then ~3k.
Figuring to buy a Fumoto valve in the future.
Were I a richer man, I would put Amsoil in.

 

Very analytical.

You do a taste and sniff test too, correct?