2003 Tacoma V6 with amsoil 10w30

[2003TRD]

Tacoma 3.4 V6
Oil Amsoil syn 10w30
Filter Amsoil SDF 57
Make up oil-none, didnt use a drop
Miles/Time on oil 5900 and 5 months
Miles on unit 21,500
Type of Driving 70% highway 30% city. Also hauled two sportbikes for about 1000-1500 mile of interval, but well within payload capacity for truck and mostyly freeway
will post my last numbers also

sample 15,600-6k oil/ sample 21,500-5,900 oil
Iron 12/ 21
Lead 3/ 4
Copper 78/62
Alum 4/3
Silic 18/15
Boron 34/41
NA 11/ 17
Mg 756/788
Ca 2059/2351
Phos 1085/1035
Zin 1365/1243
moly 0/1

Fuel Vis@100 12.16/11.61
Nit 22/22
Oxid 24/24
TBN 5.7/6.1

So what do you guys think? I personally feel Iron and copper are way to high! Crappy numbers for a toyota and amsoil! I just changed it out and I am going with mobil one 10w30 on this next 6K mile interval. Hopefully the moly in the mobil one will plate up the engine and protect the steel components and i will see a drop in Iron, possibly??
Also, I did clean the injectors with Amsoil PI cleaning dose and a few tanks of maintanence doses and I did the intake cleaner through the brake booster before change the oil this last time this was just before sample was sent. I used some carb cleaner I had instead of seafoam, but it said safe for injectors and it smoked like the seafoam does.

Should I try a 0w40 instead? especially for larger payloads in summer? or just oil with more moly?

 

[oldman]

I'm using Mobile 1 in my 2003 Tundra and am happy so far. It should be the same engine. I installed a bypass filter at 9500k and have about 11500 on it now. I posted my UOA on the bypass page and you commented about the copper and iron then as well. I never burn any oil.

 

[1maniac]

Could it be the fuel adds or the intake cleaner skewing the results? Something seems way outa wack here. Looks like someting for Terry

 

[Scooter]

I have posted quite a bit of my UOA data for my '02 V6 Tacoma. Search the UOA section for user 436. The copper does look high. I would suggest laying off the intake cleaner for the next UOA.

 

[2003TRD]

I will not put any cleaner in next time. But the first UOA i didnt use any intake cleaner and the only thing i ran through was one bottle of techron in the tank before the oil change and my copper was even higher. I guess next change I will try Terry and see what i get and his recommendations.

Scooter are you also the Scooter on Honda sportbike network? I think i asked you about running 20w50 in my 954 on there but I cant say i remember you posting back. Also I will check thru your old UOA, off the top of your head anything similar to what I have? Thanks.

I did see the oil cooler by the filter that you guys had mentioned but where else could this be coming from? it really erks me because the truck should be broke in by now. I know they said the Iron is normal but geeze it seems high compared to what you guys have been getting.
Oh and my gas mileage sucks arse! I changed the plugs before my oil change and I only got 15.55 mpg on this last tank! Even with my fast driving (average 75-80mph) it should be that bad.

 

[2003TRD]

I was looking throught 3.4 V6 UOA and was wondering if it could be the amsoil oil filter doesnt filter as well as the filters that were being used in the other tests (ie mobil one, wix, toyota OEM) Maybe a bad batch of filters? they are always full when i take the old one off so its not the drain valve.
I wonder if not driving the truck for a week at a time could cause the iron to be higher than last time? so its start up wear? Since it was summer I rode my bike to work quite a bit.

 

[2003TRD]

its a 5w30 not a 10w30,,, error in post

 

[928vette]

Not sure if you saw my UOA's... http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=001932

My wear metals were pretty equal with both Mobil 1 oil (10w/30)/Mobil One filter and Amsoil oil (5w/30)/Amsoil filter. I did use the oversize filter each time, but I doubt that has anything to do with it.
I think this analysis is definitely skewed by the cleaner. There is no reason to even be using that stuff at 20k on this motor, especially with using a high quality syn oil.
Your MPG is a litte low... What kind of spark plugs did you put it?? The 3.4 likes the factory plugs the best, stick with them and change every 25k. Stay away from platinum and/or anything else. Platnium may last longer, but copper is still a better conductor, and the plugs are easy to change in our engine. I have read some posts stating the iridium plugs seem to work very well too, but a 6-pack will set you back 40-50 bucks. I did new plugs at 25k and they still looked great. I also changed my fuel filter at 25k.
I average about 18mpg in 50/50 city-highway miles, and thats with a 1" lift/leveling spacers and 265/75/16 LT All Terrain tires.

 

[2003TRD]

The plugs I just changed out this change because I did the cleaner and thought it wouldnt hurt, I used the exact factory plugs (NGK on one side and Denso on the other) I didnt change the gap, They are pregapped at .44 and toyota specs say .43 So not much of a difference at all. I used the carb/injector cleaner stuff just as preventive maintanence thats all. I am going to not use anything on the next one and see how it goes. On your tacoma did u remove the elbow from your airbox? I did that because it was dyno proven for about 5-7hp and is supposed to increase gas mileage (i did it on my last change)

 

[928vette]

Yes I did the elbow mod as soon as I got the truck.

 

[2003TRD]

Dave and others with a tacoma v6, I know that toyota recommends 5w30 (and thats what I have been using) but I noticed you guys with better analysis have been using a 10w30. Anyone have comments on this? Can the difference between a 5w and 10w really make this significant of a difference?

 

[JohnBrowning]

First you are butting way too much fuel system cleaner through that engine!!!! Their is no reason to be running that much fuel system cleaner through it. Why are you putting anything through a vaccum hose or into the intake of that engine???? You are doing more harm then good.

You need to do a UOA with that engine with absolutely zero additives! Toyotas usualy do not have any carbon issues. To be honest you could keep your fuel system functionaly clean in 99% of all cases by useing a product like PI Quick Shot or Redline S-1 once or twice a year for the first 120,000 miles. It is always best until you establish a base line not to use any additive in the fuel or oil. I too break this rule but I am not putting anywear near the volume of solvents into my engine.

If you wanted to do a maintence dose every tank full or every other tank full keep in mind you are talking about 3-6 onces per tankful! If your tank is half full you need to cut you dosage in half as well.

 

[jsharp]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 2003TRD:
Dave and others with a tacoma v6, I know that toyota recommends 5w30 (and thats what I have been using) but I noticed you guys with better analysis have been using a 10w30. Anyone have comments on this? Can the difference between a 5w and 10w really make this significant of a difference?

---

Here's a few UOA's on my 3.4L 4Runner. Not a Tacoma but the same engine. The first 2 are M1 5W-30 and the last 2 are GC 0W-30. I've never used 10W-30 in mine. Some of the numbers are about 1/2 of yours or less in ppm/1K miles.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002070#000000

I'm wondering if the top end wear metals are related to dirt. You've got plenty of silicon. The only time mine was close to that high was the first UOA I did when I had a K&N drop in filter installed. I ditched it and went back to a paper filter and the silicon looks a lot better. Unless you're looking forward to a P0171 or P0172 code and needing to clean your MAF sensor I'd do the same if I were you.

Some of your copper may be from the oil cooler which others have discussed on the board. My 4Runner doesn't have one. I'm wondering if that will come down on your engine after it gets a few more miles.

I agree with JB on the fuel system cleaner too. Why not try some Fuel Power or run a single bottle of Techron at most every oil change...

[ December 03, 2004, 11:36 AM: Message edited by: jsharp ]

 

[2003TRD]

Well like I said, copper was high on the first analysis and the only thing I put in was techron once. The second interval I used some carb/top end cleaner once and then change the plugs Just maintanence. Both times I only did this right before the oil change. I Just dont know, maybe it is still just breaking in. My airfilter is stock and I replaced it in the neighborhood of 11-12k miles, good seal, airbox doesnt look dirty. I guess I will try 10w30 in the summer and see how it does. I am going to do an analysis of my mobil one at 3K and if it looks like anything like these amsoil ones I will just dump it and do a few short changes and reevaluate then.

 

[Amkeer]

I agree with John, you are doing to many fuel things which will skew your uoa. Why change the plugs so early?

Daily Drives:
-2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner,2.7 liter, 4 cylinder, Mobil1 5w30 ODO 12000
-1995 Toyota 4-Runner,3.0 liter,6 cylinder, Mobil1 10w30 ODO 92870
http://community.webshots.com/user/amkeer

 

[jsharp]

2003TRD - Sorry, for some reason I thought you were using an Amsoil air filter. I should try to read one board at a time in the future.

Maybe the silicon and the wear metals are just from breakin and the use of cleaners.

Easy to see. Stop using the cleaners on the next interval and do another UOA to see if the numbers come down...

 

[2003TRD]

Only did the plugs (non plat or iridium) because it is part of the 24 month or 30K maintenance interval. My 24 months was up in November so I changed them a couple months early so I wouldnt have to do it in the winter. They looked OK so I am going to stretch these new ones to 36 months.

 

[jsharp]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 2003TRD:
Only did the plugs (non plat or iridium) because it is part of the 24 month or 30K maintenance interval. My 24 months was up in November so I changed them a couple months early so I wouldnt have to do it in the winter. They looked OK so I am going to stretch these new ones to 36 months.

---

I think I'd have Terry give you a read on your next interval. He's an expert, most of us ( me anyway ) are just guessing...

Terry Dyson

 

[T-Stick]

Try some good Castrol GTX

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=001528