4th gen Oil Change

Probably some folks, who mistakenly think they’re smarter than Toyota’s engineers.

 

lol would that not be applied ethics, as it considers the impact on engine performance

 

Engineers and end users often have different goals. Not everything Toyota does is optimal for the end user, as corporate compromises matter more to Toyota than to the end user. Toyota might value mpg ratings more heavily than longevity past 200k, while the end user might not.

For instance, Mexico market trucks have different oil weight suggestions than US market trucks, which wouldn’t be true if it was just engineers optimizing longevity with a specific weight of oil.

 

All this is true. There is always the fudge factor as well. However, during stress testing it is reasonable to assume (I wasn't there) they used the oil that they recommend. YMMV when you deviate. It might be better, it might be worse. We don't know and they probably don't either. Most likely it doesn't matter.

 

the stress testing isn’t just “what’s the best oil,” though. It’s “does this package meet X standard?”

whether it meets or exceeds that standard and if there’s something better for longevity is left as an exercise for the reader, but I don’t think the answer is that the engineers found the best thing to take you to a billion miles, because they aren’t looking for that.

but you’re right with the last line, it probably doesn’t matter

 

Yeah, they are recommending the oil they tested with regardless of the reason. When you deviate from their recommendation is is unknown. You are the tester.

They don't disclose their MTBF for their vehicles. They were extremely interested in that million mile Tundra a few years ago. So you can infer it is a little short of a million miles

 

I've ran 5w30 on my 3rd gen and currently have 5w30 in my 4G, still getting 20+mpg with mostly city driving.

 

I do some city driving including some short trips like school drop offs which don’t usually have time to fully warm up the oil so I don’t run 5W-30. It would have much less optimal protection for the engine and turbo in my situation.

 

Yeah with synthetics that probably irrelevant unless you are starting and driving around in -20* weather. If i was in Colorado or up in like Minnesota then yeah I'd probably use 0-20 or 30, but where I am it might get 30* for 2 days a year.

 

The cold viscosity being higher won’t help anything even in Florida or the southwest.

 

Did i say it would?

 

No, but 0w will help cold starts even for us

 

The testing i've seen done on BITOG and youtube generally says different

 

Is anyone running the amsoil signature series 0w-20? I changed my oil the other day at 3k miles and used amsoil and a factory Toyota filter. Peace of mind using boutique oil for a turbocharged engine. I on things for sure the oil change is a dream compared to my 3rd gen . I can crawl right under my truck without ramps or a lift.

 

It has to do with EPA/Fuel economy. If you look in owners manuals of an older model year with the same engine or in other parts of the world they usually have options of different oil weights to use depending on different ranges of temperatures.

I'd personally rather use the slightly heavier oil weight like 5w30 which would likely give better longevity vs a fraction of an mpg improvement.

 

T24A in Australia says 5w30 in the manual. I’d bet the Israeli market version does, too, but I can’t read much hebrew

 

Here is a good read -

https://www.reddit.com/r/ToyotaTacoma/comments/1hjlczt/2024_tacoma_24_engine_oil_type/


I currently have a 2006 honda pilot. In the owners manual it calls for 5w-20 and doesn't list any other oil weights.

In the Acura mdx which has the same 3.5 engine and in other countries it lists other oil weights.

Now the new honda vehicles with the same 3.5 j35 engine calls for 0w-20.

 

That looks interesting. A pity its discontinued.

edit:
I bet this is it.

 

Man changing oil sucks so much! I did it today (3,000 miles) first time I've changed oil myself in like 7 years. It took like an hour and made a big mess on me my clothes and my driveway.

It came out all dark and opaque, so I'm glad I did it I guess... I'm also sending in an analysis. Just not sending it today, apparently no post offices are open because its Jimmy Carter day of mourning, according to the sign on their door.

It's great that no jack is needed, and I can fit under there, but it sucks laying on the cold driveway because I'm not in my 20s anymore. I'm not old but I still feel like I'm "too old for this shit!"
Fucking skid plate removal, yeah even with the two special sliding bolts it still fell on my face.
There's always one bolt that feels like its cross threaded or something.
It's impossible to take the drain plug out without some oil squirting.
After lining up the drip pan, getting it draining right into the middle, I crawled out to get a towel for my hands and in that brief time the oil stream reduced until it was pissing oil just shy of the oil pan all over the driveway.
After all the dripping stopped, I move the oil drain pan over to do the filter, and as soon as the filter is off it starts pouring out another 1/2 quart from the oil drain plug hole... right onto the driveway. WTF is that from anyway? I wouldn't want to put the plug back first because all that dirty oil would have stayed in the sump, so I need two oil trays I guess.
Also had to use channel locks to get that filter off, factory filter was super tight like everyone has said.
Hey it's nice that Toyota pre-lubes their oil filter ring gasket!
I used the 12 quart box of oil, that's a little cheaper and reduces packaging.... but how the hell are you supposed to measure? I had to eyeball it, check the dipstick and then add more, then run the engine and add some more to get between the dots about in the middle. No idea how much oil I added...?

/RANT