1st gen high mileage

Wondering what people are getting for mileage on there 1st gens. I purchased 05 quad cab sr5 4.7 with roughly 150,000 miles. I was just reading somewhere on here that is considered high mileage. I'm closing into the 250,000 mile mark and this thing runs like the day I got it maybe better. I changed my oil a month ago and checked it the other day amd thought the dipstick was dry and oil either burned out of it or leaked. To my surprise after driving 2300 miles on oil it was almost clear amd I couldnt see it on the dipstick.
I've never seen this before not even on a new engine. I'm running 0/20 in it and been changing faithfully every 5000 miles. I dont think this truck will have any problems surpassing the 500,000 mile mark and beyond. 2nd owner and 1st owner always dealer maintained. What you guys have and thoughts?

 

I have 213,000 on my 06. Still runs like a champ. I'm running 5w30 synthetic and change it every 5k.

 

194k on my 05 that has been upside down at 70mph, runs like a top. Just minor transmission hiccup when cold. Cheap fix hopefully.

5w-30 Mobil synthetic

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/highest-mileage-1st-gen-thread.11039/

 

I just rolled over 3 million miles. Original timing belt. I change the oil every 50k. Right around the time it starts to thicken. That's the sweet spot. The only repair I've made is a burned out brake light. Shame on Toyota for giving us cheap bulbs.

 

Same here on the engine running as good as day one. 166k miles here.

Can I ask why you are using 0w-20?

Our 4.7 engines spec 5w-30 (preferred) or 10w-30 in warmer climes.

 

275k and purring like a kitten.

 

I was gonna ask the same thing. I think only the 2.7 i4 engine might use that oil

 

My 02 has 130k, runs great
And my 06 has 145k, and runs great as well. Conventional oil (5w30) change every 3-5k.

 

2nd gen Tundras run 0-20.

 

I don't know what it is either but I've noticed this too. My subaru oil will be black the day after an oil change, but my tundra is still pale yellow after 5K.

 

Naw they are spec'd for 5-30 or 10-30.
I've been running M1 10-40 in my 3RZ since I bought it 10 years and 145K miles ago (now at 245K). I went with 10-40 because I used to live in Southern California so theoretically the thicker oil would stay thick at extremely high temperatures which wasn't uncommon in the desert.

 

My wife's Lexus gx460 runs 0-20

 

I run 10/w30 Castrol syntec in my 2000 Toyota tundra and it just turned 384,000 miles. I bought it new with 45 miles! No oil leaks,no smoke from engine and used no oil between changed.I change my oil every 7500 miles and I can look in the valve cover and it is clean as a whistle! I should get 500,000 miles easy,! I kind of raced around with a newer Camaro the other day and covered it up with white tire smoke going around a curve! It still runs strong!!

 

That's a good looking 1st Gen.

 

0W-20 oil is spec-ed for fuel economy in an effort for auto manufacturers (in this case, Toyota) to increase their fleet average MPG numbers to meet CAFE standards. Elsewhere in the world, you'll find the same vehicle -- whether a Tundra, Camry, Prius -- the oil spec is 5W-30.
I've research this a fair amount online. Most of the articles I've found relate to the trucking industry where fuel costs are such a big part of their business expenses, so increasing fuel efficiency -- even a small amount -- is a high priority. What seems to be the consensus is that dropping "one weight", say from a 30 weight to a 20 weight oil will net "as much as 1% fuel economy increase" (read: less than 1%). That's not a lot for you and I, but if you're Toyota, every bit counts toward meeting your goals.
However, logic would dictate (and these research articles point out) a thinner oil doesn't lubricate as well, so it's a balance between economy and engine longevity. From what I've read, 30 weight seems to be the sweet spot.
Personally, I won't run 20 weight oil in anything I own -- it just doesn't make sense. And for those focused on the "0W" rating for cold-start protection, there are plenty of 0W-30 and 0W-40 oils on the market.

 

My 2000 SR5 has 190k, it runs like a champ. The only repair i've done to mine is replacing the TPS, but she's been golden ever since. I change the oil every 5k miles. I'm the third owner and it was an old farm truck, so she is just being broken in.

 

I realize this is an old post. But could any of you with these high mileage tundras tell me if/when you changed your transmission fluid? Some say not to do it at all, some say it should be done every 30k to 60k....but none of them have tundras with that great of lifespan. Was curious to know what experience says.

 

You either change it regularly or not at all. That's been the general consensus I've seen. There are reasons to this approach; none of which I prefer to go into now.

 

Ok, this may be edging into "none of which I prefer to go into now" but i am at 119k. Fluids were checked around 60k, not changed. Is it too late to change it now, or leave it and forget about it.
No issues with transmission so far, and I do not tow anything. A lot of my reason for asking is that i was quoted between $355 and $600 to have it done...and if it's not necessary, why spend the money and potentially cause tranny issues (which I've read can happen).

 

Generally speaking, I come from a background with GM most of my life. In that world, especially when the 700R4 got an electronic upgrade to the 4l60e, which had a swath of shortsighted mistakes, the consensus was, "if you don't know the fluid change history, once you top 100-150k, don't bother".

The "logic" to that, if there is any logic in it, is/was if you've never had the tranny fluid changed for that long, there are virtually no detergents or cleaners in the fluid, and should you fully flush the old fluid and apply new, modern fluid with lots of detergents and cleaners, you're liable to break some gunk loose and clog a port somewhere that's going to hose your transmission.

There are countless horror stories on the internet which support this viewpoint, but I've never seen science to prove it. To be safe, a lot of guys will either go the SeaFoam route and do light additions to slowly add a light cleaner and dissolve stuff, OR just drain the pan and replace a few quarts every few thousand miles in intervals until you'd gone through a dozen or two quarts, to gradually add in.

The topic is like religion or politics though, which may be why @Jack McCarthy didn't want to go there. Also, if there is any credence to shop/internet lore, giving bad advice could put someone or the forum's reputation on the line.

I would say, I don't feel like 115-120k is a hell of a lot of miles for these trucks. I also don't think a full flush of transmission fluid is ever necessarily warranted except in one case: Look up 'pink milkshake' for one case why you may need a full flush on these trucks. Aside from that, maybe consider an incremental replacement of a few quarts at a time.

 

If the fluid doesn't look burned, I would change it personally. I would do 3-4 drain+fills over the course of a few months or a few thousand miles. This is what many of us have done to our 1st gens.

I've shared this video a few times over the years but I think there is some good info in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o690DovjDAc

 

Would or wouldn't? Seems counter-intuitive. If it looks burnt, I would change it. If that's a typo and you edit, I'll be deleting this reply.

 

If the fluid is in horrible shape, my understanding is that you might create more problems by changing it. Or at least that is what I've always heard. Is that backed up by anything concrete? I doubt it. Some people don't believe in changing it ever which I think is stupid.

 

Ah, so basically what Chris was on about. Makes sense (I watched his vid just now)

I think not changing at some point in time is pretty stupid too. Manufacturers don't write manuals as if they expect the car to last much past 10-20yrs or 100-200k miles. There are additives in drivetrain fluids for a reason, and age definitely breaks down everything, except maybe my libido.

I would say 'if burnt, proceed with caution' but definitely avoid an outright flush. At least that way you're likely to get some early warning signs after the 1st fluid change, like slipping, odd or erratic shift times, which would be a sign you just escalated your need for tranny service.

 

119K miles is not high mileage -- hell, you're just past the first timing belt change interval. There's no reason to be concerned about refreshing the fluid in the tranny either 3-4 quarts at a time (spill & fill), or by flushing via the ATF cooler return line. Let it go another 119K miles and then you'll be in the high mileage range. (For clarity: do not let it go another 119K miles!)

As to the prices you were quoted, they're outrageous. I presume those quotes are from dealers and they're suggesting a full flush? What year is your truck?

 

I had an '06 with 238k, still going strong. I drove it like I stole it for 100% of those miles, but I maintained it very well. I loved that truck. I traded it for a '20 because my wife wanted me to carry her around in something more up to date. I loved that truck.

The transmission quandary exists because extremely dirty and/or burnt transmission fluid can gum up valves, and draining it generally leaves the worst dregs at the bottom of the pan ready to do their nefarious thing. (I'm not a mechanic, but I play one on TV) If you're worried about it, take out and add a bit at a time over a few weeks or months, until any you're taking out looks relatively new. Guessing 1/3 or so each time, until you've changed 2 or 3 times the volume of the pan. Then do a full flush and replace and start changing it more regularly.

I loved that truck.

 

Your wife made you trade in your 1gt? I'd be trading in my wife....

 

I'd drive her around in a pink F250 if that's what she really wanted. Happy wife, happy life.

 

why do you change oil so often? I wait till it either drips out, or turns to sludge. Then I run it on ATF for a thousand miles. Drain that out, and then refill with used oil from the drain bin at Walmart.

My timing belt shredded years ago, I use a giant rubber band now.