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This is an unfortunate reality. I was a heavy-line tech for a Ford dealership many years ago. Most of the guys they have working the lube rack are kids/minimum wage labor. I think a lot of people assume that when they take their car in for service that an actual mechanic/tech is working on their...

Agreed. I think it would have to be if they are stating that it "protects" catalytic converters.

I'll take a stab. I'm still learning about his stuff myself, so anyone please feel free to correct anything I get wrong (@OVERKILL ?). I look for SP rated because I want to ensure I get oils that have the correct additive package/chemical composition for our cars. As I understand it, oils that...

I've been looking into Mobil1's ESP line and am trying to understand it. I understand that it was developed to protect emission systems components in both gasoline and diesel vehicles, having originally been developed for European cars, according to M1's website. That said, it doesn't seem to...

Let's not forget Dura Lube. The way that stuff was marketed it could fix anything. They practically stopped short of calling if an elixir.

This is what I remember as well. A lot of cars in the 1980's and prior had cork valve cover and oil pan gaskets. They said not to use a synth if you had those as the small molecules would make their way through any cracks in the gaskets lol.

I'm really curious to see if CAFE madates are going to get scaled back. EPA recently announced they are nixing the mandate on start-stop technology. CAFE standards are set by NHTSA. I'm waiting for 2026 models to hit the dealers so I can look at the owner's manuals and see what they say with...

Thank you. Updated my post. There's a lot of fear mongering in the U.S. manuals. If you look at U.S. manuals for Toyota and Subaru, they state "must use" oil X, but it's OK to use oil Y if oil X is unavailable, but must go back to oil X at next oil change. They then go on to state that if you...

I think a lot of us got side-tracked from the original question. According to a copy of the owners manual that I found online, 5w-20 is recommended (I assume yours is the 3.6L?) but they state up to 10w-30 is fine. Here's a link to the manual I found online. Info is on pages 656-657. Hope this...

Wonder if this isn't what actually happened. It makes sense.

I agree. And without the whole story, we are probably never going to know. Unfortunate because I, and I assume most of us, would like to know the root cause.

How thick are we talking here? While Toyota specs 0w-16, or 0w-8 in most of their cars sold now in the U.S., the owners manuals will state that 5w-30 and 10w-30 are fine for the exact same vehicle in other markets. Would these be oils in Xw-40 range where this is happening?

I'm wondering if his friend perhaps used an oil with the incorrect additive pack. If the vehicle called for an API SP oil, but he used something with a euro spec, for example that didn't have the additive pack necessary to properly protect and lubricate his engine.

I didn't realize these oils were for both gas and diesel. I just looked at the PDS for their 0w-30. It's rated at 12.0 cSt @ 100*`. Pretty impressive when you consider that most of the 5w-30's out there are in the 10's.

Where are you finding the HTHS values? Unless I'm blind and just missing it, I don't see it on any PDS sheets I've seen.

I think he might be referencing the "Lifelong." That one shows 9.0 at 100c for 0w-20.

I was wondering about this myself. I was wondering if the original plan of switching to 0w-40 was an idea from the bean counter brigade in hopes of getting the engines to last past the warranty period. After that, too bad so sad for the owners. It wouldn't surprise me if someone from their legal...

If I end up getting that car, I will likely go really wild and use a 0w-30. I know in then past it's been advised that it's generally OK to go up a viscosity grade or two, but I don't feel like that applies anymore with these newer engines. Not when the manufacturer has owners manuals globally...

Did they originally spec a 0w-8 or 16? Or are you speculating on them not going to thinner oil as they seem to have been with almost every new model year.

Thank you for such an informative post. I've always been intersted in trying to understand how this stuff works. You mention had to start using "special design features" to be able to use oils lower than xW-20. We recetnly got the wife a Rav4 Hybrid and I'm pretty dumbstruck as to how 0w-16 is...