2024 Oil

Hey everyone, I understand that Toyota recommends 0W-20 engine oil. Could I use a thicker oil in this engine or will that cause problems? My concern is all of the engine failures I am seeing on 22-24's with the main crank shaft bearing. Perhaps it's the thinner oil that can lead to this? Just a thought and would love to hear your thoughts as well.

 

Strictly for perspective as you wrestle with your decision. I run 5W30 (O.K. Before you ask. Costco Kirkland brand) and have for a long time.

And now a word from our sponsor: LOOOOOOOK >>>>> a squirrel.

 

OIL ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH

They make a synthetic one but I used this photo because I love the catch phrase…and it doesn’t say it on the synthetic one.
Probably makes Lake Speed Jr. have a conniption

 

The overseas trucks with this motor in it are ok to run up to 10W-30. If it were me I would run 5W-30 or 10W-30 but thats up to you and if you want Toyota questioning you about oil changes when you engine blows up anyways.

Or you could just buy 0W-20, return it, and keep the original receipt so when they do ask, you have a bunch of 0W-20 receipts to show them.

 

Why do people insist on going against what the manufacturer specs for the engine that they designed and developed? They say to use 0W-20....it's readily available....why use anything else? Just for shits and giggles? Or to see who can grenade an engine the fastest? I truly don't get it.

 

Because Toyota only requests 0-20 to appease the CAFE requirements, we as the consumer want our engines to last longer. Meanwhile overseas they can run thicker oils….

To each their own. I’d love to run thicker oil. I was not aware running thicker oil would grenade an engine; that overseas is specd for thicker oil…

 

Are you 100% certain the overseas 3.4TT engines are exactly the same as the US ones?

Thicker oil does not have the same flow characteristics and I myself take some comfort in knowing the thinner oil is getting to the already failure-prone bearings better/easier/faster/whatever.

 

That's not the reason I asked the question. They recommend a very thin oil. Seeing all of the crankshaft bearings issues I was starting to think it could be related to the thin oil and was wondering if using a thicker oil would 1. Prevent this and 2. Hurt the engine in any way.

 

Thicker oil can starve the bearings.

 

Do you have documentation that shows that they use a thicker oil for the V6 overseas? I have no doubt they recommend the thin oil here in the US to appease the regulators and for MPGs

 

While the overseas variant of the V35A-FTS (Type '21) is technically spec'ed for the following oils: 0W-20, 5W-20, 5W-30, & 10W-30; they have a fundamental change not available in the US: they do not have the same EVAP system as we do on the Tundra/Sequoia/LX600/GX550...what that has to do with what oil is spec'ed is unknown to me...I just know what the repair manual says...

The US Owner's Manual for the MY22+ Tundra/MY23+ Sequoia does say that you can use 5W-20 in the engine.

Here is what I've done...

Oil changes at 1K, 3K, 5K. After the 5K oil change, I switched to 5K OCIs (Oil Change Intervals).

I have also exclusively run 91/93 octane since new. It has seen one or two tanks of Ethanol Free 87 for MPH testing.

I just crossed 46,000 miles this week and I believe that it will run well into the hundreds of thousands of miles...

I would suggest that you read the following threads and make a decision for yourself...

Bad Engine Bearing
OFFICIAL MY22+ Tundra/MY23+ Sequoia V35A-FTS (Type '21) Engine Failure Discussion Thread

Care of @Tom976



And here the page from the MY22+ Tundra Owner's Manual

 

And yet, Toyota and SAE have said that 0W-8 is fine in the new Corolla and approved the Corolla to use it before it was legally allowed to be used in the US...

 

Please understand that you are seeing a spotlight put on something that hasn't effected a lot of owners...while there have been failures in all model years, it is not a large percentage of vehicles produced up to this point in time...

 

use whatever you please

 

Thank you for your feedback

 

FWIW… Main bearing oil clearance on the V35A is actually larger than the UR Series V8 engines.

 

But I think the big question is will Toyota void your warranty for using thicker oil here in the U.S., even though the overseas variant can run thicker oil.

I don’t think the overseas variant received different internals due to the evap. system….

I’d be happy to run and have ran 0w-30 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum.

91 octane only… I’d do 93 if available. Don’t wanna beat the dead horse, poor ol’ horse been beat constantly.

The info is out there. You do you. Everyone is a big boy.

 

They do that themselves

 

So it does make me wonder when my work truck is a 3.5 ecoboost. Spec is 5w-30 for oil and were told 5k intervals maybe 6k but never more.

Sooooo how does toyotas similiar engine go to 10k intervals on a thinner oil? Hell if I know but I know our work trucks get a lot of idle time and some quite spirited driving.

No engine failures but we have smoked a transmission or 2.

Fuel used is 87 or 88 octane.

 

I think we are seeing a bit of many issues:

1) Thinner oil.
2) stop/start of the engine.
3) fuel dilution.

So if we look at the typical engine failure at ~29k miles. And following the manufacturer’s OCI. Then most of the failures would be approaching the 3rd oil change. So the fuel would have broken down the oil.

Then add the 2 x 2 quarts from the previous 2 oil changes of watered down oil that doesn’t get changed because it stays in the engine.

So my take is to adjust my OCI to 5,000 kms (3,000 miles) Using 0w20.

Turn off the engine stop/start off.

And like @ryanwgregg says, use higher octane gas and drive it!

 

I dropped the initial oil at 500 and just plan on doing it every 4-5k going forward using 0w-20 (Amsoil signature) I also only run 92 octane.

 

The most important thing is to use only Genuine Toyota oil. It’s made with love and care like Wagyu cattle.

 

What if some owners are vegetarians?

Wagyu tofu! is that a thing?

 

I completely agree

 

STOP/START is not a cause of engine failures...I've used it since new...and I would suggest that most of those trucks that are over 100,000 miles did not turn off the STOP/START system at every startup...

 

Internals are the same, but the EVAP system MAY have something to do with crankcase pressure, etc...I'd have to study it more to truly understand why they spec what they do overseas, other than the differences in temperatures...but then again, Montana gets crazy cold and Arizona gets stupid hot...so...

And I would think if you stayed with 5W-20, you'd be ok considering the Owner's Manual makes direct mention of it...

And I've yet to hear of Toyota doing an oil analysis on a failed motor...not to say they aren't, but I don't think they are using that to determine warranty status...

 

Why? I shut it off Everytime. But why do you suggest we use it esp. +100000?