09 Toyota 3.5L switch to syn?

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I have made a few posts but am still a little confused. I also was reading "09 Chevrolet 5.3L switch to syn" and found some interesting remarks. I have a 09 Toyota Venza 3.5L V6. I currently have about 750 miles total on her now. I would like to know the best break in method for my car. I am still undecided on what oil to use. I am going synthetic, if nothing more for peace of mind. Should I do a 1000 mile change and switch over to synthetic? I'm prpbably going to go Mobil 1 but haven't rule out Pennzoil Platinum or even Royal purple. I find it interesting that people tell the author of the Chevy post he'll be fine with Mobil 1 but in their signature they are using PP or Royal purple ...something other than what the author is asking about. Why? If MObil 1 is the best, why not use mobil 1? If mobil 1 is NOT the best, why not recommend the "other" oil. OR are all synthetics the same if you do 5K mile changes?? I'm sure this one ot that one will have a slightly better report...but at the end of the day do they all protect your engine about the same?? Please advise what you think would be best for my Toyota. I'm not trying to start a feud but am trying to learn. I just want to know what would be best in my application.--VenzaTRD
 
I have an 09 Corolla. I went 500 miles on factory oil. Dumped and installed Pennz dino till 1500 miles, Then went full synthetic since that time.
 
Most oils today are of High Quality and will serve you well. Especially in your Toyota, Mobil is no exception!

I like to be gentle for the first 500 Miles or so, then I would thoroughly warm up your engine and then do a few rolling, wide-open throttle bursts to seat the rings properly if they aren't already. Say 5 of them. Then shut the car down and let it cool. Then fire it back up warm it up again and repeat. Then I would take it on a bit of a drive before returning home.

Then when you get home I would swap out the oil for whatever synthetic you choose. I really like Amsoil, but there are other really great synthetics out there.

The break in procedure I have recommended to you above is something I have always done with my new engines and it has served me well. Never have I had a consumption issues.
 
Originally Posted By: VenzaTRD
I have made a few posts but am still a little confused. I also was reading "09 Chevrolet 5.3L switch to syn" and found some interesting remarks. I have a 09 Toyota Venza 3.5L V6. I currently have about 750 miles total on her now. I would like to know the best break in method for my car. I am still undecided on what oil to use. I am going synthetic, if nothing more for peace of mind. Should I do a 1000 mile change and switch over to synthetic? I'm prpbably going to go Mobil 1 but haven't rule out Pennzoil Platinum or even Royal purple. I find it interesting that people tell the author of the Chevy post he'll be fine with Mobil 1 but in their signature they are using PP or Royal purple ...something other than what the author is asking about. Why? If MObil 1 is the best, why not use mobil 1? If mobil 1 is NOT the best, why not recommend the "other" oil. OR are all synthetics the same if you do 5K mile changes?? I'm sure this one ot that one will have a slightly better report...but at the end of the day do they all protect your engine about the same?? Please advise what you think would be best for my Toyota. I'm not trying to start a feud but am trying to learn. I just want to know what would be best in my application.--VenzaTRD


If i had a new car, i would personally run it for 500 miles....then in goes the synthetic oil. If it's a brand spanking new Toyota...I would run Pennzoil Platinum starting at 500 miles then change it out after 2500k miles. Why? Because it's stil new. After the initial 2.5k Id then stagger the next OCI to 4k. Run a UOA on the 4k oil. And then stagger it up from there. If results are positive and the oil still looks good after 4k..id extend my next OCI to 6k or 7k with Mobil 1 EP. Regardless of what Synthetic oil i use...i wont go beyond 6k or 7k. why? peace of mind without running a UOA everytime. I would love to use Royal Purple or Amsoil. But it's too expensive. If you have the money, those would actually be my first choice.
 
If you do the 5K OCI's for warranty purposes you can use just about any SM rated oil on the shelf in your Venza(love the Venza BTW). On my new Tacoma, I left the factory fill in for 3K, and have been changing every 3K till 15K, then started 5K OCI's till the warranty is up. Your factory filter is made especially for break in, it has a unique foam type element which is very good at capturing break in particles. At 15K my Tacoma uses no oil. This early dumping of FF oil is a waste of natural resources and simply adds to waste in our enviroment IMO.
 
Hermann, just what kind of special filter is used for break in? The filter is no different then the regular filters you get from the dealer for every oil change.
 
Originally Posted By: toyotaguy
Hermann, just what kind of special filter is used for break in? The filter is no different then the regular filters you get from the dealer for every oil change.


Not true in my case... In the one that was on my Santa Fe from the factory, was a different colour and size. It had foam inside whereas the OEM's available from the dealership do not.

I have cut both open because I'm anal and like to see whats in them.
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ok, on the first oil change I did, the canister filter I put into the car was the same one I took out. hmmm not sure then which vehicles get that.
 
I want to make this a simple and easy to understand as possible
as I can tell you are fretting over the oil for your new Venza.
I too have a new Venza although my wife seems to drive it most of the time. I see you live in NC so you dont have to worry about cold starts and your high temps are rarely over 100F.
That being said, unless you are doing alot of towing or racing
with your Venza, synthetic oils offer negligible benefit over
conventional oils. Especially when you must meet your warranty requirements of 5K OC, you will be wasting money on something you really dont need. You will be fine with any of the major brand conv. oils and a purolator filter.I love my car too but the science is already taken care of in the form of automotive and lubrication engineering. Trust the reccomendations.Toyota's are well known to go 200k to 300k with manufactures service schedules. As far as breaking them in, I always say break them in the way you are going to drive them, and it has always worked.
Leave the factory fill in until the first 5k OC.
Stop worrying and enjoy your ride!

SlipperySam
 
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In my 08 Sienna 3.5, I changed to Pennzoil Yellow Bottle at 1,300 miles, then to Platinum at 5,000 and will continue with 5,000 intervals.

Does the Venza call for 5W-10 or 5W-30?
 
In my 08 Sienna 3.5, I changed to Pennzoil Yellow Bottle at 1,300 miles, then to Platinum at 5,000 and will continue with 5,000 intervals.

Does the Venza call for 5W-10 or 5W-30?
 
I change to synthetic oil early on, as others have mentioned in other threads, synthetic oils are used as FF in many engines.

My routine for a new car is change the FF at 500 miles, run a dino oil for another 1500 or so miles, then change to synthetic oil. Everyone seems to have an opinion or way of making the transition. That's how I do it.
 
Originally Posted By: toyotaguy
Hermann, just what kind of special filter is used for break in? The filter is no different then the regular filters you get from the dealer for every oil change.


The Factory installed oil filter is a special Made in Japan Denso. They weigh about twice as much as a dealer available Denso made in Thailand filter. They are about $12 each if you can find them. A few Toyota dealers import them. Not needed after breakin IMO. Somewhere in the oil filter forum you could search for threads on the subject.
 
No matter how many posts people read on this forum it is hilarious how many people waste money of synthetic oils and drop them at 5k. Blows me away everytime!

And for Peace of Mind you Say?? You don't even have a friken clue what goes on INSIDE your motor but now all of a sudden your worried about the oil that is inside of it?


EDIT: and DROP the factory fill at 500 Miles!!!
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Not smart
 
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Wow Blizare...I'm honored that not only did I get your very FIRST post but it was one with nothing but criticism.
Seriously though.....why post if you are not going to have a constructive means to the post?
If you believe that synthetics are a waste then don't buy them. But don't belittle someone who thinks it will be better for their vehicle. I think it's outrageous for people to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a car. But if they have the money and thats what they want, I'm happy for them.
And yes, synthetics give me that peace of mind. I'm just trying to figure out which brand of oil will be best for me and which one will give better gas mileage.----venzaTRD
 
Originally Posted By: Blizare
No matter how many posts people read on this forum it is hilarious how many people waste money of synthetic oils and drop them at 5k. Blows me away everytime!

And for Peace of Mind you Say?? You don't even have a friken clue what goes on INSIDE your motor but now all of a sudden your worried about the oil that is inside of it?


EDIT: and DROP the factory fill at 500 Miles!!!
39.gif
Not smart







Wow what an entry!
 
Here's my opinion as a user of synthetic oil (Mobil 1) since it came out until I retired in 2001. I always did one year OCI's, which was usually 18,000 to 20,000 miles. This was because M1 was advertised as being good for one year or 25,000 mile OCI's. I never had a lubrication problem in all those years; never a sludged engine or anything but a quietly running engine with as much as 140,000 miles.

When I retired in 2001, I quit using synthetic because I could not see wasting synthetic when I was only driving about 6,000 miles a year. A 5,000 mile OCI will give most any engine a 200,000 to 300,000 mile life using any name brand dino. Exceptions would be a known sludger engine or a turbocharged engine.

Inasmuch as you are mandated to show a 5,000 mile OCI by your new car warranty, if your car specifies a 5W20 oil, it will be,in almost all cases, a synthetic blend anyway.

By the way, I could well afford synthetic even if I were doing 1,000 mile OCI's, but, then, I did not reach my present financial position at 70+ years of age by wasting my money. Matter of fact, I use Mobil 1 in all of my small engine lawn equipment.
 
Originally Posted By: 1999nick
Here's my opinion as a user of synthetic oil (Mobil 1) since it came out until I retired in 2001. I always did one year OCI's, which was usually 18,000 to 20,000 miles. This was because M1 was advertised as being good for one year or 25,000 mile OCI's. I never had a lubrication problem in all those years; never a sludged engine or anything but a quietly running engine with as much as 140,000 miles.

When I retired in 2001, I quit using synthetic because I could not see wasting synthetic when I was only driving about 6,000 miles a year. A 5,000 mile OCI will give most any engine a 200,000 to 300,000 mile life using any name brand dino. Exceptions would be a known sludger engine or a turbocharged engine.

Inasmuch as you are mandated to show a 5,000 mile OCI by your new car warranty, if your car specifies a 5W20 oil, it will be,in almost all cases, a synthetic blend anyway.

By the way, I could well afford synthetic even if I were doing 1,000 mile OCI's, but, then, I did not reach my present financial position at 70+ years of age by wasting my money. Matter of fact, I use Mobil 1 in all of my small engine lawn equipment.


We need to take this post and add it as a sticky in this forum!
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THANK YOU 1999nick!
 
I found an increase in mileage with synthetic. It also flows faster at startup. I would change factory oil at 1K, getting more of the break in particles out. At 750 miles a lot of cylinder break in should be already done. At the low price of synthetics I am sticking to 5K intervals in my 07 Prius. I would stick to the original Denso filter, especially under warranty, and there is no question it is correct for the engine.
 
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