Switching to 5w30?

No no, I won't be defining anything this evening. Just thought there might be some inside info on using it (from a buddy in the oil industry, engine design dept, etc) and was seeing if you'd share.

 

I can give you some inside if you would like. Add 5 to 10% of pure POE (polyol esters) to any engine oil to bulletproof it against thermal decomposition and improve soot holding capacity. Mobil Jet Oil II is pure POE and available on eBay for around $22 per quart. Don’t go over 200 engine hours on any oil. Just my 2 cents.

 

If you keep reading, it suggest that a higher viscosity might be more suitable for hard use. That is why I switched.

 

I might go back to whale oil and just change every 3k.

 

When I switched to 5w-30 my Tundra got quieter and the ticking sound went away. I am getting ready to do my next change using Kirkland full synthetic brand oil from Costco.

 

Between the general 5.7 ticking, thicker oil generally providing better protection, and thicker oil not being as likely to leak as quickly such as from cam towers and such I think it’s a good call.

 

Ok, I paraphrased. This is the actual text:

"An oil with a higher viscosity (one with a higher value) may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load conditions."

This is quite the hint from Toyota. This what lead to me switching to 5w30 for towing.

 

To echo most in here about the reasons for manufacturers to change I’ll give you another example.

My Ram 1500 now calls for 0-20. It has always been 5-20 up until 2022 with no change to the engine. The manual even states that there may be a tick upon cold start up that will go away. That language did not exist before the change.

I want to run a thicker oil but I have a long warranty and I fear it would be an easy denial for Ram.

For everyone choosing to run thicker oil, I get it.

 

Don't they have to prove that your choice of oil caused the warranty failure? I suppose if it where and engine failure, might be dicey.

 

It's just a guess without hearing from someone who was actually there but I highly doubt the 5.7 was designed from the outset with 0w-20 in mind. Coming from the Tacoma world, remember the MY2005 redesign of that truck and its two new engines: the 2.7L 2TR and 4.0L single vvt 1GR. Both required 5w-30 motor oil like most vehicles at the time. Then for MY2006 that came out fall 2005 the 2TR oil cap changed to 0w-20 but the engine was the same. I was at NAIAS Jan '06 drooling over the cutaway new 3UR for the new Tundra and considering the timeframe for developing an engine vs when 0w-20 went mainstream, there's a good chance it didn't run it until late development.

The single vvt 1GR didn't get revised to 0w-20 presumably because it lacked roller bearing rockers so it required the added film strength of 5w-30 until its last year of 2015. The dual vvt version in the FJ and Tundra did though.

 

They would. I, unfortunately could see a fight if they think they could weasel out of covering things. Even though you and I know that it probably had nothing to do with any engine failure.

 

20 weight is 20 weight. 0 flows a little better when cold than 5.
A little.
So, what's the issue?

 

I switched to 5w30 at 60k

1st 60k was 0w20.

my truck still runs after 10k miles

all Kirkland oil



Whatever that means

 

No issue. Pointing out how manufacturers just keep going to thinner oil to squeak out a bit more MPG.

 

Good read.

 

Agreed. Any response @RichterScale ? Should I run 0-20 towing across the desert in 115 heat? I’ve bet on “no”.

 

If I use 5W-30, do I still need to use premium gas?


In all seriousness, I am curious about using 5W-30 for summer months & 0W-20 in the winter months, but I'll hold off until I'm out of warranty.

I think I agree with the others saying that it could be a "root cause" used to deny a claim. And I fear that much more than the minutia of additional wear that could occur due to thinner oil.

 

5w20 isn't thinner than 0w20.
Didn't you say they switched from 0-5?
Maybe I'm missing something.

 

Not sure what you're getting at.

 

Ron, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Do you need a hug?
Have a great day, Ron! If that’s possible.

 

I'll take a hug of you're offering.
Seriously though, maybe I'm misunderstanding. I thought you said RAM switched from 0w20 - 5w20 and you're saying they switched to thinner oil. Isn't that what you said?

 

I’m pretty sure I know what he’s getting at.

 

Yes, that’s what I said, Ron. Perhaps I’m not an oil expert. My understanding is that at cold temp 0 is thinner than 5. I’ll go back and educate myself better and report back when I’m not so damn ignorant.
Hugs out Ron!

 

It does flow better when cold. At operating temp, it's the same. That's all I was getting at. As far as the remark about towing across the desert in 115* heat, I'm still not sure what that's about. Toyota says to use a heavier weight oil if that's where you live and what you do with your truck. I didn't say anything to the contrary.
I dunno, I'm a little autistic and came in the house with my brain in building stuff mode and probably shouldn't have responded to anything in this thread. Maybe there's some humor I'm not picking up on or something.

 

I have to supply the 5W-30 oil when I get the oil changed as my local dealer no longer stocks 5W-30.

 

Changed mine this morning with 5w30 for first time. Cant say i notice any difference in quietness or smoothness than with 0w20

 

I also switched recently. Cold start sounds exactly the same/tick w 5w30. No noticeable difference overall. Maybe a little quieter once warm

 

I had the same initial impression when I changed to 5w30 last year, no difference. A few oil changes in I think it is quieter than it used to be, but it’s a noisy valve train regardless. On my wife’s Rav4 on the other hand I went from 0w16 to 0w20 and feel it is noticeably quieter. It used to sound like it had marbles in it with 0w16.

 

What I would like to know is can we and or should we run 5w30?

 

As a matter of fact, you can. As a matter of opinion, I prefer to personally but obviously not everyone agrees. The 3UR manual says you can use 0w20 all the way through 20w50 in every other country. 5w30 is recommended down to -30 degrees C to be suitable for cold starts. I don’t get temps colder than that, so I’d prefer the greater protection towing heavy in the summer months especially with boost. Will you ever know the difference it will or won’t make in your engine? Probably not. You decide for yourself.