Is it really okay to go 10,000 miles between oil changes?

Manual recommends 5K mile OCIs for severe duty. Frequent short trips, freezing temps, frequent towing and heavy hauling will wear out your oil faster and will require a shorter oil change period.

 

Also, some full synthetics are not designed for long oil change periods despite being synthetic.

 

Mobil 1 sells a 15K synthetic oil.
3K oil changes are old time technology ideas.
In 30 years I have never had an engine related oil problem. It's always something else such as tranny, old aging parts, etc that does it in.

 

Do your own oil change 2 times a year,makes for a very happy engine.

 

It does seem like a long time, but I am not qualified to tell the manufacturer that they're wrong on this.

 

I guess that means I definitely need the 5k oil changes because Boston weather is all over the place.

 

Again the science is in oil analysis. It is science based off your exact engine, driving habits and oil brand.

 

Love these threads, so much foot in ass and mouth stuff on these. Tons of myths and anecdotal “evidence” without understanding the engineering of the parts or the electronic control systems.

the only truth is, OP, it is YOUR truck, what do YOU think the proper oil change interval should be?

If you think that 3k is the right interval for you then that is where it stands.

YOUR rig
YOUR choice
Everything else is bull

 

I do every 4-5k on my oil changes. I’ll “waste” money to do the best I can in protecting my Engine and my purchase. Haters will tell you different but clean oil will lubricant and protect better than any mileage used oil any day, that’s obvious. Plus if you do your oil change is yourself , you can buy mobile 1 from Costco on sale for $28 for 6qts! That’s like half of the price at any shop. So basically I’ll be spending just as much as the “10k guys” and protecting my engine that much better....

 

Anyone know what the minimum mileage a dealer will do the 10k service at? I just had mine done at 9300.

 

I used olive oil on the first change. I changed the oil and filter at 261 miles. I will change it every 5K from here on out, but will switch to baby oil.

 

Any mileage! It’s up to you. I did my first one at 800mi

 

Part of the "sale" is two free years of maintenance, but there is basically no maintenance needed in the first two years except a couple tire rotations and oil changes. They are trying to lure folks that are old car, repair-cost-weary into the "nothing out of pocket for the first two years" hook. Sounds good, but in reality there is not much to it.

Since it is two years or 24K and the oil change intervals are 10K they really do not match up. He is asking what is the earliest anyone has talked the dealer into doing the first free oil change.

I had the dealer change the oil in my 86 at less than 500 miles, but I paid for it.

 

As others have mentioned here, unless you are towing a lot or stressing the engine more frequently than the average owner, there's no reason to change your oil sooner than the 10k mark. Trust me I've owned numerous different cars (even fast turbski bois) and have RELIGIOUSLY changed the oil on them at every 5k mark with full synthetic oil, I didn't care if the manual said 7k miles for oil changes.
However when it comes to a truck like ours that isn't being stressed and is just an N/A engine, there's really no need to change the oil before 10k; these Toyota engineers know what they are doing more than any of us do when it comes to this type of stuff and there's no reason why they'd recommend the 10k mark unless they knew it's what the engine can handle between oil changes.
These trucks are built like tanks, following the maintenance manual like it's written will support it.

 

My cousin went even longer than 10k between oil changes and has over 300k on his 2010 with original engine so decide now how much money you want to spend

 

It should be just the reverse: Change the filter at half the oil life.

For a 25k mile synthetic oil, change the filter at 12,5k and the oil at 25k. The when you top up the oil level (to replace what came out with/in the filter) you will be re-vitalizing the additive package and that only helps in allowing the oil to go another 12,5k. Documented engineering, documented history, proven results - are all out there for you to examine. There is no doubt the science proves it.
!! but Don't ever run petroleum oil that long, synthetic is the only kind that can handle it !!

The N in the API service rating just means that the oil in that bottle has passed the latest requirements.
"SA" was the first to be tested and pass the API certification for Spark ignited engines, back at that time in history.
"CA" was the first to be tested and pass the API certification for Compression ignited engines (diesel), at that time in history.
Then they progressed to SB, CB; SC, CC; SD, CD; SE, and so on as the requirements changed. The oil had to qualify to be given an API service rating, but the oil company had to pay the American Petroleum Institute to get that rating. Some oils exceed the API criteria but don't pay API so their label won't have the service designation. That sure doesn't mean it isn't good oil. (But if the label says "Bob's Garage" brand oil - I wouldn't trust it! Only go w/ a known proven brand. Duh.) So, if you own a 1986 engine, you don't NEED an oil rated at SN (but then why wouldn't you want it? It has met the latest & greatest in requirements, so it has to be good, right?).

Anyway, the oil can still do the job asked of it at half the life the manufacturer authorizes (no matter if it is specified to be 10k, 15k, 25k, or 36k); but giving it a new filter to clean itself half way through that life really helps keep the oil integrity intact. Remember, if you go too long on a filter and it clogs, then it will go into by-pass and allow unfiltered oil to circulate through out the engine. If there is enough debris to clog a filter, then you sure don't want that same kind/quantity of debris to circulate between your bearing clearances, your rockers, rollers, or rings. Filters are cheap enough.
If Toyota wants you to use SN or better rated oil, then do so. Saves you some headache.

 

I’m gonna do my first one at 5k and stay on that schedule. Probably overkill but it’s cheap. OTOH say you keep the truck for 200k miles you’re spending an extra $35 x 20 additional changes over the book = $700.

But I rotate tires every 5k so it’s in the shop anyway.

 

5k for the first oil change and 10k intervals afterwards.

Dealer was cool with changing it at the first 5k after I asked them to

 

Many many years ago in a galaxy far far away. The company put me in a 1979 Toyota Corona Station Wagon. It had 13,000 miles on it when I got it. Henceforth, until the day i left said company, they would neither authorize nor pay for an oil change. I was always told the same thing "Boss said drive it til it quits". When I handed over the keys it had 96,000 miles on the clock and I know for a fact that the oil had not been changed the whole time I was in it. I occasionally had to top of the oil but never to excess.

Because of this little green Toyota Station Wagon I have never owned a vehicle other than a Toyota to this day. A couple of months after I left I tried to buy it but they wouldn't sell.

 

I agree. There’s so much other shit that’s going to put these trucks in their grave before a problem from slightly reduced oil viscosity rears its head.

But I’m no engineer and I’m on the once a year oil change schedule anyway.