0/20 or 5/30 oil

As far as I know ( 2012 2.7L 4 Cyl ) Toyota still says 5K oil changes using 0W20 Synthetic Motor Oil. My local dealer uses Pennzoil Platinum 0W20 Full Synthetic.

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/244798-300-000-miles-today.html

He's on this forum. Quite an impressive run he has had. I personally think this kind of "luck" has more to do with lots of miles in a short period of time. Preventative maintenance is a must, to be sure, but I have seen several courier trucks with 200-400K on regular cheap oil also. They get warmed up one time, and are rarely shut off all day long. That's what they like.

I've also seen a Lincoln Town Car with 450K on the original engine. Regular dino oil. Just a lot of runs to the airport and back in a short period of time (limo service, but not a stretch, just a normal car).

Not hating on the synthetic, just saying most uber-high mileage stories happen in less than ten years.

 

I've been using M1 0W-30 for the last 2 years. I've noticed nothing different. I made the switch after reading up on the 0W oils and their ability to get oil flowing quicker on startup. Also note that currently the only oils capable of gaining the 0W-* weight rating are Group IV synthetics (true synthetic oils, not the hydrocracked dino "synthetics").

 

I know 3k is excessive but it doesn't cost a fortune so why not? I usually don't get around to it till 4k anyway.

 

well if moneys no object than perhaps consider the environment, if everyone with new cars would abandon the obsolete 3k rule and start changing at 5k (like the manual states) we could probably take a good dent out of pollution. synthetic is equal to peteoleum as far as pollution goes.

 

Well this is good too know, and the cold flow is another reason that i switched over too.

 

I can see the idea of cold startup lubrication w/ the lighter weight oils. But, have you gotten any of the 0-20 on your fingers while draining it? To me it feels like dark dirty water w/ no feeling of slipperyness to it at all. Can't imagine any of it staying on a bearing surface over night. Next winter I may consider 0-30 but will not run 0-20 at all.

 

No disrespect intended, but I couldn't care less what it feels like. The proper weight oil is "basically" the thinest oil you can get away with while maintaining oil pressure at idle through redline. Given this, if I had an oil pressure gauge I would have no problem trying 0-20 on my 4.0. Late model engines are made to finer tolerances and don't require as heavy of an oil to maintain pressure and film to the bearings. Note also that pressure is important for the VVTi system(s) to work correctly.

What the actual line is in reality vs EPA is a good question though.

 

I have followed this thread with interest. My truck is a 2.7l. As I recall the recommended oil weight is 0W-20. There is a note in the owner's manual mentioning 5w-30 for heavy duty use, however. That makes me wonder if the engine would hold up as long with the lighter weight oil as I use my truck. I doubt that engine building technology has improved so much over that last few years that the tolerances are any better than when 5w-30 was the standard recommendation. My guess is that the lighter weight oil is specified only for perceived gas mileage improvement, with possibly some sacrifice in long term reliability.

 

I would be very suprised if Toyota recommended 0-20 to gain one or two mpg if it put their engines stellar reputation at risk. That would be VERY short term thinking. I just cant see it.

 

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

Interesting and informative. As for oil change intervals, I stick with Toyota's recommended 5K. I have changed from 5-30 to 0-30, though. Startups are arguably the most damaging of all things the engine undergoes, and 0-30 may offer better protection at startup vs 5-30.