12 Month interval - oil and filter recommendations

[Boss_429]

Hi everybody,

First, great site, with a wealth of info!

Anyhow, we have a 05' Toyota 4Runner V6 that my wife loves, and she only puts about 6000 miles on it a year (18,000 on it now). We intend on keeping it for a number of years. Now that it is out of warranty, I can do whatever I want with the oil and filter changes.

Currently, I've been changing the oil twice a year (in the fall and
spring). I've been using 5W30 Castrol Syntec Blend, and a PP1 oil filter. I've been considering switching to changing the oil once a year with Amsoil 5W30 ASL, and and Amsoil Ea oil filter.

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with a once a year oil change, so I'd appreciate some feedback... should I stick with my current choices twice a year, or go with the once year change with the Amsoil products? (or others) Which setup do you think would provide the best protection in the course of a year, or would it be a toss up?

P.S. We are up here in NE Pa, so we get some fairly nasty, cold winter weather, and we can also get a good spell of hot weather during the summer.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CivicFan]

How long are the trips? If it's short trips then I would stick with semi-annual OCI. If, on the other hand, the trips are long (10+ miles) but infrequent then I would go with annual OCI with Mobil 1 oil and any filter of your choice.

 

[Gary Allan]

What I would recommend is getting a used oil analysis at your next scheduled OCI. That should tell you how your current routine is proving out. You can then make a more informed decision about doing the one year OCI. I tend to share Civicfan's view here. Some engines appear less effected by short trip usage ..while others show lots of fuel and other side effects.

 

[02zx9r]

The amsoil setup would work in your situation. As would the twice a year oci.

Whatever you want to do. Change oil once or twice a year?

 

[Boss_429]

Thanks,

I would say it's a 50/50 mix of short trips and 10+ mile trips. Then, the vehicle may sit for 3 or 4 days without being driven.

 

[Panzerman]

Id stick with twice a year and the current oil youve been using. With changing temperatures come condensation and I lived in PA and know, nice one day and cold the next and rain for days, your talking about a whole year of this abuse. really you wont save any money going with Amsoil/EA filter, unless you count your time and if you do a oil anylalist you even cost yourself more. Twicw a year oil changes with a blend is safe with only 6000 miles and your not breaking the bank with that interval. If it aint broke dont fix it.

 

[salesrep]

M1 once a year.

 

[Titan]

Pennzoil Platinum once a year. Wait for sales and stock up.

 

[Pablo]

Use the ASL 5w30 with confidence. It will easily last one year in those conditions and give you great cold weather flow.

 

[1999nick]

Why do you think your 05 Toyota 4Runner is out of warranty? Why doesn't it have the standard Toyota 5-year, 60,000 mile warranty on the power train?

 

[02zx9r]

I dont know if it is different for suv's but when I got my corolla they only had 3 month/36K mile warranty.

I went ahead and did the 6 year/100K warranty since I do about 22K a year

 

[1999nick]

Originally Posted By: 02zx9r
I dont know if it is different for suv's but when I got my corolla they only had 3 month/36K mile warranty.

I went ahead and did the 6 year/100K warranty since I do about 22K a year


You might need to recheck that. According to the information I am seeing, all Toyotas have a 3-year, 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a 5-year, 60,000 mile power train warranty.

 

[Boss_429]

Originally Posted By: 1999nick
Why do you think your 05 Toyota 4Runner is out of warranty? Why doesn't it have the standard Toyota 5-year, 60,000 mile warranty on the power train?


Come to think of it, I believe you are correct. I think there is a 5-year/60,000 drive train warranty. I was so use to the dealership sending me offers to extend my warranty just prior to the end of the 3-year/36,000 mile period that I forgot about the power train warranty.

Not that it matters, as I doubt they I will have any motor issues that would be oil or oil filter related even if I go with the once a year interval.

I'm still up in the air on which way to go, and it's not a question of trying to save money. I don't mind spending a little more if it is really worth it.

Maybe I'll stick with the twice a year changes, and upgrade the oil a little bit to a full synthetic rather than the blend? I know that the wife does like to let the vehicle sit there and warm up lot longer than I let mine warm up. Because of that, and some of the short trips she has, I suspect that the UOA I will do in the spring will show some fuel in the results... but I could be wrong.

Thanks again everybody!

 

[1999nick]

Originally Posted By: Boss_429
Originally Posted By: 1999nick
Why do you think your 05 Toyota 4Runner is out of warranty? Why doesn't it have the standard Toyota 5-year, 60,000 mile warranty on the power train?


Come to think of it, I believe you are correct. I think there is a 5-year/60,000 drive train warranty. I was so use to the dealership sending me offers to extend my warranty just prior to the end of the 3-year/36,000 mile period that I forgot about the power train warranty.

Not that it matters, as I doubt they I will have any motor issues that would be oil or oil filter related even if I go with the once a year interval.

I'm still up in the air on which way to go, and it's not a question of trying to save money. I don't mind spending a little more if it is really worth it.

Maybe I'll stick with the twice a year changes, and upgrade the oil a little bit to a full synthetic rather than the blend? I know that the wife does like to let the vehicle sit there and warm up lot longer than I let mine warm up. Because of that, and some of the short trips she has, I suspect that the UOA I will do in the spring will show some fuel in the results... but I could be wrong.

Thanks again everybody!


Now, about that twice a year OCI at 3000 miles with synthetic: I have posted my experiences with Mobil 1 synthetic on this board several times. I began using Mobil 1 when it first came out back in the middle 70's. It was advertised to be good for a one year, 25,000 mile OCI, and I believed them. I usually did a one year OCI, which amounted to 18,000 to 20,000 miles. I usually added about 2 quarts of make up oil, sometimes a little more. My engines always remained clean and quiet to over 100,000 miles; 140,000 miles is the most I ever put on a car as I always liked to have a fairly new car.

Anyway, when I retired back in 2001, my miles per year were reduced to about 6000. I changed over then and began using conventional, changed twice a year. Couldn't see wasting good synthetic on a one year 6000 mile OCI.

The way I see it, if you don't have a turbocharged engine, or a known sludger, the only reason for using synthetic is to extend the oil change interval. If you change regular oil at 3,000 to 5,000 mile intervals, your engine will last, on average, 200,000 to 300,000 miles. Some Toyota engines, especially their 4 cylinder engines, have been known to last much longer on regular oil.

 

[Boss_429]

Originally Posted By: 1999nick

The way I see it, if you don't have a turbocharged engine, or a known sludger, the only reason for using synthetic is to extend the oil change interval. If you change regular oil at 3,000 to 5,000 mile intervals, your engine will last, on average, 200,000 to 300,000 miles. Some Toyota engines, especially their 4 cylinder engines, have been known to last much longer on regular oil.


Sounds like good advice. I will certainly consider it. If I can get a trouble free 200,000 miles out of it, at the wife's current rate of usage, she will have the vehicle another 30 years.

 

[Cary]

I will be the odd one out here and say use any good synthetic once a year. A used oil analysis will show if there are any problems, but given the stock OCI with mineral is 7500 miles, you are already being conservative. Many European manufactures are extending their time limit from 1 year to 18 months or even two years, so I don't see why there is a problem with once a year, except peoples compulsive need to change the oil.

Keep in mind that while this group is focused on oil, they can't seem to get used to longer intervals despite what the used oil analysis say. Look at the average used oil analysis on this board, it is far shorter than 5000 miles.

 

[Merkava_4]

Twice a year with Amsoil = money well spent.

 

[Boss_429]

Originally Posted By: Cary
I will be the odd one out here and say use any good synthetic once a year. A used oil analysis will show if there are any problems, but given the stock OCI with mineral is 7500 miles, you are already being conservative. Many European manufactures are extending their time limit from 1 year to 18 months or even two years, so I don't see why there is a problem with once a year, except peoples compulsive need to change the oil.

Keep in mind that while this group is focused on oil, they can't seem to get used to longer intervals despite what the used oil analysis say. Look at the average used oil analysis on this board, it is far shorter than 5000 miles.


Also a good point Cary. However, I just don't want to go a year only to find that a used oil analysis shows there is (was) a problem?

I guess the safe bet is to continue with what I've been doing, or continue what I've been doing, and possibly step it up a notch on the oil selection, and maybe even the filter. It really is a great vehicle, and I don't want to chance it.

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: 1999nick
Originally Posted By: 02zx9r
I dont know if it is different for suv's but when I got my corolla they only had 3 month/36K mile warranty.

I went ahead and did the 6 year/100K warranty since I do about 22K a year


You might need to recheck that. According to the information I am seeing, all Toyotas have a 3-year, 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a 5-year, 60,000 mile power train warranty.


Well they had bot I believe but I went with I think is an extended warranty or something, I need to find my paperwork and find out. But I do know it is 100K warranty

 

[1999nick]

Originally Posted By: Boss_429
Originally Posted By: 1999nick

The way I see it, if you don't have a turbocharged engine, or a known sludger, the only reason for using synthetic is to extend the oil change interval. If you change regular oil at 3,000 to 5,000 mile intervals, your engine will last, on average, 200,000 to 300,000 miles. Some Toyota engines, especially their 4 cylinder engines, have been known to last much longer on regular oil.


Sounds like good advice. I will certainly consider it. If I can get a trouble free 200,000 miles out of it, at the wife's current rate of usage, she will have the vehicle another 30 years.

I drive the same 6000 miles per year that your wife does, now that I'm retired. Hey, in 30 more years, I will be 101 years old.