Switching to 5w30?

The 5.7 is a great engine and I've never had one apart for issues related to lubrication (except for external leaks such as cam towers). If you're worried about proper lubrication, use what Toyota recommends.

I'm on my 4th Toyota 5.7L engine (2 Sequoias and 2 Tundras). I change my oil every 5,000 miles with the manufacturer recommended oil and never lose a minute sleep over this subject.

 

My first foray into synthetic oils was with a 2002 Honda Goldwing motorcycle. I was running at the time a 10w40 conventional oil and, since it saw mostly highway use, I changed it ever 6000 miles. A friend had convinced me to try a full synthetic, so I gave it a try. The bike took a gallon at changes, so it was convenient to put the used oil back in the gallon container the new oil came out of. I poured the used conventional, with 6000 miles on it, back in the container the new synthetic came out of and set it on the "Used oil" shelf where it'd sit 'til I made a run to the recycle place.

At the next 6000 miles (I wasn't convinced yet) I changed it again and repeated the process. I set the now-used synthetic on the shelf next to the used dino oil, and it looked cleaner. I could put a drop of either on a white paper towel, and the dino oil was noticeably darker. A few days later a friend was over, and I showed him. We then flipped both bottles on their side, so we could see what was in the bottom of the bottles, and the used dino oil had a thin layer of dark gunk on the bottom. The synthetic didn't have that layer. The bottom of the bottle was darker than the sides, but there was no layer of dark gunk. It was the same bike, same oil filter, virtually the same mileage under virtually identical conditions, and the conventional developed noticeable gunk, and the synthetic didn't. Go figure. He suggested that the dino oil had been sitting there longer, so I shook them both up and set them there again, and a week later the gunk had settled back.

I've since done the same kind of experiments with a high-mileage Cavalier that I bought as a commuter car before retiring. The Cavalier also conveniently took a gallon at changes. I could run a conventional oil for 6000 miles and change it, and after setting on the shelf for a few days then conventional would develop more gunk on the bottom than the synthetic that I was running for 12,000 miles. I decided I'd pay, at the time, twice as much for the oil and use it twice as long and spend half the time on the ground under the car

It's not only the fuels we use in internal combustion engines that contaminate the oil. Heat is a big factor, and synthetics handle heat better than conventional.

 

What a lovely topic you decided to choose. I’m not trying to advocate for or against conventional oil. Have you tried to heat up base stock Dino oil vs base stock PAO? Both look and behave pretty much like oily water and withstand any reasonable amount of heat without a hint of deterioration. The same can be said about most base oil stocks. The remaining retail oil properties determined by the additives package.
My guess is that the gunk you had with your Dino oil was kept in solution and removed when you drained your oil.

 

This image is taken from here:
https://bmwservice.livejournal.com/294609.html
Base stock oils (including Dino and 100% synthetic) heated up to 700 F for 30-40 minutes. There’s nothing that can deteriorate.

 

Boy howdy is it ever.

 

Ahh someone with some common sense.
I have made those same arguments on a camaro forum and there is a guy there that swears synthetics cause engine failures. It's like for the LOVE OF GOD stop what you're doing because you have no clue what you're talking about.

 

Reading back through this, I am on the 0w-20 side of things. I know many fords that use 0w-20 that have 250k on them(f250) that have never had engine or trans problems... On a ford its just everything else that falls apart.

 

Here’s an easy solution for everyone. Get yourself a vibration activated engine hour meter and never go over 200 hours between oil changes.

 

Interesting, never seen one before.

 

My previous 2018 Tahoe had one and it was very convenient. You can pick this one up on Amazon:
AIMILAR Wireless Vibration Hour...

$16 AIMILAR Vibration Hour Meter - Waterproof Hourmeter for Gas Diesel Engine Motors Lawn Mower Air Compressor

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081MY6ZWV

 

Warmer climates, 5/30.
Cold climates 0/20
Done.......

 

Thank you. I thought it a lovely topic as well.

Maybe it's the synthetic that holds it in solution since it doesn't seem to settle out.

But whatever ....
I've already said in another oil thread that I've been seeing oil arguments in motorcycle and car forums for some 25 years, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that virtually everyone is absolutely certain that he's right and everyone who disagrees is wrong. I was a hard sell on synthetics at first. When I switched, both my wife and I commuted a lot for work and were doing 20,000+ miles annually. I also toured on a motorcycle and was putting 12,000+ on my touring bike and another 4000 on my "angry" bike. It seemed that I was under something changing oil most every weekend. I doubled the change interval on both our cars and both bikes and everything's done fine for the last 15 years or so.

I do appreciate the fact that higher viscosities are acceptable in other countries. I've got my next couple of oil changes sitting in my shop now, but after they're used, considering my planned use for this truck, I'll likely go up a but. I sure won't do 20w50, but maybe there's some 5w30 in it's future

 

You have probably the best possible conditions to run an extended OCI - lots of highway driving.
In Europe, the push for synthetics in late 1990s - early 2000s (aka Long Life oils) plus extended drain intervals made so many engines looking like this:
https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/so-much-sludge-pictures.901315/
That is why I make an argument that your oil viscosity and oil type are not as important as a reasonable OCI.

 

Definitely not a good representation.. here is a comment from the thread of part of the reason why that happened:
Yeah there is a valve in the valve cover that I know was not operational, could have been compounding the issue. So that is sorted now that the valve cover has been replaced. I also put new VANOS solenoids in it after I bought it. I want to try to clean things out now and keep it from building up any more. I think I am going to go with this oil. Or the dealer oil, depending on what they say tomorrow.

If PCV isn't working you're not able to remove water/vapors form the oil which causes sludge.

I do agree with you though, long oil change intervals are NOT Good for an engine. Oil is cheap... an engine rebuild isn't

 

This engine looks like a typical Euro engine running on synthetic oil with an extended OCI. The PCV failure might have contributed to the buildup, but I doubt that was the main culprit.

 

It was 100 percent the culprit lol
Some engines you can change the oil every 1k and it will build sludge.
I have friends who are dumb enough to go 25k on an oil change and never build sludge.

The CCV or PVC whatever you want to call it, remove water which will directly cause sludge.

 

Sure, PCV it is. I don’t want to try to reproduce this mess in my engine though, even for the scientific accuracy.

 

A lot of people seem to be on board with 10K OCIs or 1 year which ever comes first. I'm not one of them. Might as well add this vid to every oil thread out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4JS7PybV2k

I'm sticking to 5K or 6 months.

I'd rather not have scored cylinder walls.

 

Definitely at the time. Not so much now. I do still do a lot of miles on one bike, but the car and "angry" bike are back to at least annual changes. The intended purpose of the Tundra is to pull a 6000-pound trailer, and it'll probably be pulling it 90% of its life. I'll change the oil around trips but shoot for 5000 miles.

I think that's the catch in the extended oil change intervals touted by some synthetic manufacturers. Mobil 1, for instance, says their Extended Performance is good for 20,000 miles or 12 months. Well, common sense suggests that someone who does 20,000 a year does primarily highway miles. It's a safe bet for them.

 

I can say with certainty that forum people worry more about their engine oil than the people that design and make it.

 

Very telling video.

Catch cans, yes or no?

 

Maybe we should start a list of states with the recommended oil weights.

I’ll start...

NJ/NY: 5w30 all year - Amsoil SS

 

NJ/NY: 5w30 all year - Amsoil SS
AZ: 5w30 - Mobil1 way quieter than 0w-20.

 

SD/MN/NE/IA
Summer - Chevron Delo SDE 15w40 / Castrol GTX 10w40
Winter - Castrol GTX 10w30
Diesel tick? Lol

 

PA: Rape Seed oil, exxxtra virgin. Smell distracts from catastrophic transmission temps.

 

I panned ahead in the video. Stopped at about the 6:50 mark. Heard Duuuuuuude saying "so we should check our oil every fill up. But we don't. I don't. I don't expect you to. But at every oil change were down about a quart....." Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand that's enough of that video.

Say the phvck what???? Huh? I've owned SEVEN new-from-the-dealer Toyotas and have done every single oil change myself. Close to 300 of them. I have NEVER been down a quart at a Toyota oil change. I'm seven oil changes into the Tundra doing them at 10K and, again, never. What a crock of bull dung.

 

I concur. I've never had a Toyota that consumed oil. i have had 6

my 3 honda's...never.

my 84 monte carlo....well....i had the 3.8 with the bad valve seals.

 

Why?

 

Honestly it sounds like he was referring to owners that do extremely low mileage annually. Maybe he should have clarified. While it sounds like you drive many more miles that that annually on your Toyota’s. The higher the annual mileage the better off you are sticking to the 10k OCI UNLESS you are doing extreme off-roading or towing at max constantly, etc etc. So in your case I do agree with you but I also like and enjoy a lot on his content.

On the flip side I have seen an elderly relative blow a brought from new Toyota Camry 4 cylinder and a brought from new Honda V6 engine with very low mileage but both over 7 years old but less than 9. He wouldn’t change the oil unless he hit the recommended mileage (it was a waste in his opinion) despite us telling him otherwise. He only did short runs and barely any highway. So unfortunately I have to disagree and say there is VALIDITY to what he is saying BUT not to whether it’s losing a quart, but instead to the fact that not all vehicles are treated the same. And should be cared for accordingly…but again HE SHOULD CLARIFY THIS.