Oil change

5k is good if you are in the severe use category doing heavy towing, off roading, or just short trips, or where you would change your oil once a year. Everyone else, 10k miles, or one year. This isn't rocket science with the cleaner running engines we now have, and advanced synthetic oils.
I sent 15k mile oil samples out to Blackstone when I had my tundra when it had 100k, and the 200k miles...both samples where well within spec for the life of mobil1 5w30 used, and nearly identical showing zero abnormal engine wear. I was going to send another sample out at 300k miles, but sold the truck just short of it, at over 290k, and it was still running fine. Imo, 10k is very safe. Just don't use regular dino motor oils.Heck, you got folks over in Germany with 20k oil changes recommended by the manufacture.
 
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tacojoel said:
5k is good if you are in the severe use category doing heavy towing, off roading, or just short trips, or where you would change your oil once a year. Everyone else, 10k miles, or one year. This isn't rocket science with the cleaner running engines we now have, and advanced synthetic oils.
I sent 15k mile oil samples out to Blackstone when I had my tundra when it had 100k, and the 200k miles...both samples where well within spec for the life of mobil1 5w30 used, and nearly identical showing zero abnormal engine wear. I was going to send another sample out at 300k miles, but sold the truck just short of it, at over 290k, and it was still running fine. Imo, 10k is very safe. Just don't use regular dino motor oils.Heck, you got folks over in Germany with 20k oil changes recommended by the manufacture.
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Send those sample results to the car nut in Chicago!
 
Toyota god knows better. He's painting all toyota past, and present engines with a broad brush for those that may be thinking of using a less expensive non-synthetic motor oil.
 
Some things to think about regarding the "oil analysis" and associated justification.

After you take the sample from an interval of engine service, send it off, analysis, then receive the "health" report. The engine may already be damaged. This analysis is post mortem type preventative maintenance.

Has anyone considered what to do if the analysis comes back indicating a trashed engine? At that point, the engine is post mortem.

Thanks just the same. I'll stay on the interval recommended in the Owner's Manual using the specific viscosity and API grade. The money that would be spent on an "analysis" can be kept in my pocket or spent on Hops Pop.
 
Knowing what experience I've had with mobil 1, i'm not concerned one bit doing manufactured recommended 10k oil changes. Even other brand synthetics are fine to use. Imo, if the engine becomes damaged, it's not the fault of the oil changes. Imo, too many think they have a high performance vehicle, o r expect one, and run excessive high rpm, which in itself is not good.
 
Oil change is simple. Just follow the recommendations in the Owner's Manual for your vehicle.

For my '06 Tacoma the OM states 5,000 mile intervals using 10w30. I forget the API grade, but the stuff on the shelf is a more recent API grade than what is needed. So the shelf surpasses the requirements.
 
tacojoel said:
Knowing what experience I've had with mobil 1, i'm not concerned one bit doing manufactured recommended 10k oil changes. Even other brand synthetics are fine to use. Imo, if the engine becomes damaged, it's not the fault of the oil changes. Imo, too many think they have a high performance vehicle, o r expect one, and run excessive high rpm, which in itself is not good.
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Car nut will ok that if yer wheelin' 300 miles a day!
 
Rock62 said:
Oil change is simple. Just follow the recommendations in the Owner's Manual for your vehicle.

For my '06 Tacoma the OM states 5,000 mile intervals using 10w30. I forget the API grade, but the stuff on the shelf is a more recent API grade than what is needed. So the shelf surpasses the requirements.
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Another words you're still using dino motor oil which is fine for 5k mile oil changes? These gen3 complicated 3.5's run on 0w20 synthetic.
 
tacojoel said:
Another words you're still using dino motor oil which is fine for 5k mile oil changes? These gen3 complicated 3.5's run on 0w20 synthetic.
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Haven't used Dino for decades.
Full syn in all our engines. Even my 42 yo motorcycle.

Yes, I follow the interval in the OM. I figure the engineers who designed and tested these engines know a whole lot more than the folks who write the marketing banter.
 
Rock62 said:
Haven't used Dino for decades.
Full syn in all our engines. Even my 42 yo motorcycle.

Yes, I follow the interval in the OM. I figure the engineers who designed and tested these engines know a whole lot more than the folks who write the marketing banter.
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You are aware that the synthetic oils today don't break down as soon like dino oils from the heat an engine produces. Even when my tundra was built in 2001, toyota recommended 7.5k mile oil changes with dino oil. I switched to synthetic going twice as long between oil change intervals. Less headaches changing oil twice a year, less chance to screw something up doing so.
On another note, very few oils are a full synthetic, amsoil being one of them. Even mobil1 is not fully synthetic.
 
tacojoel said:
You are aware that the synthetic oils today don't break down as soon like dino oils from the heat an engine produces. Even when my tundra was built in 2001, toyota recommended 7.5k mile oil changes with dino oil. I switched to synthetic going twice as long between oil change intervals. Less headaches changing oil twice a year, less chance to screw something up doing so.
On another note, very few oils are a full synthetic, amsoil being one of them. Even mobil1 is not fully synthetic.
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so what happens to the unburnt fuel that gets mixed in with the synthetic and sits there
this happens with short-distance driving or so its said
 
JayQQ97 said:
so what happens to the unburnt fuel that gets mixed in with the synthetic and sits there
this happens with short-distance driving or so its said
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If thats the case, you change your oil once per year. Obviously doing only short trips, you're not going to accumulate many miles....probably 5k or less.
At any rate engines broken in properly have good ring seal, plus they run much cleaner than 20 years ago. Its why oil change intervals are longer.
 
i was just unclear if the full synthetic retards fuel contamination better than conventional oil and perhaps the Car Nut is uninformed about that issue?
 
Short trips will always incur more fuel contamination for the fact it doesn't have the time to burn off. That said, the manufactures have made these engines to perform using the least fuel during warmup as possible, making for a cleaner running engine. Imo, once the engine fully breaks in, this shouldn't be an issue. If there still is excessive fuel getting into the oil, there's a problem somewhere.
Car nut doesn't ever go into synthetics, nor seem to recommend them.
 
tacojoel said:
You are aware that the synthetic oils today don't break down as soon like dino oils from the heat an engine produces. Even when my tundra was built in 2001, toyota recommended 7.5k mile oil changes with dino oil. I switched to synthetic going twice as long between oil change intervals. Less headaches changing oil twice a year, less chance to screw something up doing so.
On another note, very few oils are a full synthetic, amsoil being one of them. Even mobil1 is not fully synthetic.
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Yes, I am aware of the advantage of syn over dino. My OM states a 5K change interval. I can fathom no reason to shift from that recommendation.

My OM doesn't specify syn, blend or dino. It does clearly state API grade, viscosity and change interval. The oil I purchase exceeds the API grade and matches the viscosity. I match the change interval.

Each change happens near 5 Kmiles. I use filters made by WIX, ACDelco or Bosch. New filter each change. Generally, I pay <$5 for a filter.

I will not be shifting off the 5K interval nor suggest others to extend. I understand that I may save a change over the year by extending. So, that would save about $35. It takes a whole bunch of years to save enough to replace a trashed engine due to extending change intervals. Last I knew a crate engine was near $5,000 plus install labor. In other words, I see no sense risking $5000+ to save $35/year. Kinda like stepping over dollar bills to pick up a penny.

Besides, the task to change oil in the 4.0L (1GR-FE) takes me about 15-20 minutes including prop shaft lube. Its not a big headache nor trouble.

Everyone sees fit to care of their vehicle as they feel is best.
 
Mobil and k&n make very good oil filters too.
Surprised they list normal oil change intervals at 5k miles thats all. Even my older toyota trucks were 7.5k in the manual....5k for severe conditions.
 
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