What types of fluids do you use in your truck? Why?

This question includes brands, weights, viscosity, etc.

 

Use whatever is recommended per owner’s manual and within your mean/budget.

Just because 4 people tells you they use mt90 don’t mean royal purple or castro 75w90 is not compatible. Or switch to full synthetic when non synthetic is fine.

This topic is similar to suspension gurus comparing Fox to Kings or ADS. It’s preference.

 

Erl and lots of it.

 

Whatever we have in stock at work

 

Use Toyota for coolant, Type T-IV transmission fluid, and oil filters, but not picky on brand for gear box oils, engine oil, steering fluid, and brake fluids, using designated weights and types per FSM. Often run Supertech gear oil, motor oil, and brake fluid but sometimes find some semi or full synthetic motor oil on sale like from Chevron, Mobile, or Valvoline. Sometimes can get gallons for gear boxes and other times 1 quart bottles depending on specs (e.g. 80-90 vs 75-90). Best price could find for power steering fluid flush was Valvoline Dex/Merc Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) 1 GA. For LSDs Supertech has worked with the included additives.

Seems like this thread pops up and gets debated over and over.

 

I used to use Penzoil full synthetic in my 98 - 3.4 but my oil consumption was 1 qt ~900 miles. I have a 3000 mile oil/filter change interval. I did this for 5 oil changes then switched back to dyno oil, the consumptiom decresed to ~ 1 qt @ 1500 miles. She has 180k and the prior history is unknown.

 

Friday thread…

All the above reply’s are good advice!

 

My preference is:

Motor: Mobil 1 5w-30 full synthetic since the first oil change in 2001. M-209 (oversized) filter. Every 5,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first.
F & R Diffs + T-case: Mobil 1

$28 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75w-90 full synthetic, no regular cadence, just whenever I get around to it.
ATF: Valvoline MaxLife full synthetic ATF. Did the first drain and fill at 130k, followed by two more @ 1,000 miles. Now I do one every other spring.

 

Valvoline fluids 100%.

MO = Restore and Protect 5W-30.
AFC = Zerex Heavy duty nitrite free extended life red.
GO = Valvoline 85W-140.
MTF = Valvoline Synchromesh.
Brake fluid = Valvoline Professional Series
Power steering = Valvoline Maxlife ATF

 

I like to use high zinc content oil for the engine and I am not picky about the brand. Otherwise it's redline everywhere. The best fluids are the ones you recently changed, that usually matters more than what you used.