Amsoil Signature Series 0W-30 in my 4runner

[snowbizx]

New to forum... new truck... new oil

I just ordered the 0W-30 signature series oil from amsoil for my 2008 6 cyl 4runner (first change). They say 12 months/35k miles. I tow a light weight trailer (around 3k lbs) 1-2 times a month for 2-5 hour trips each way. I also need to survive some pretty chilly winters in chicago. Any of u amsoil guys really only change out ur oil 1X a year?!? For me, that would put me at around 18-20k miles.

Seems a bit scary for me considering i would be more than tripling my recommended drain intervals from toyota.

 

[hate2work]

I would recommend that you stay with 5k OCIs until you're past the warranty period.

Also, some people change out the factory fill earlier than 5k, they think it's better to get some of the wear metals out of there.

Welcome to Bitog!!

 

[snowbizx]

well then shouldn't i just go with their cheaper XL oil? how will they know how often i'm changing my oil anyway?

 

[Badlees]

I agree with the above. Do your 5K oil changes and use a quality oil that is not as expensive. There are plenty of good choices.

 

[tig1]

Use a good oil, but go by the warrenty. If your engine fails, Toyota won't help you and no oil company will either.

 

[snowbizx]

how will they know what my drain intervals are?

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: snowbizx
how will they know what my drain intervals are?




Keep your own records. Show all oil changes, mileage,dates, and oil receipts. Do this as long as the vehicle is under warranty. And use the correct oil.

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: snowbizx
well then shouldn't i just go with their cheaper XL oil? how will they know how often i'm changing my oil anyway?


Yes, use a less expensive oil for the warranty period, then switch over. If you're going to change your own oil, you need to keep records to show them if you have trouble.

There are many good oils that will go 5k between changes, including many dino oils. But there are some dinos that will barely go that far, so be careful.

 

[Colt]

Change the Amsoil oil and EA oil filter every 10-12K miles and you won't have a problem.You could probably easily go more but I wouldn't.
I switched over to Amsoil 0w30 and a EA oil filter at a 1000 miles in my V6 Tacoma.We have the same engine.
I change the oil and filter once a year but don't do 10-12K miles a year.I do about 7500 but would leave the oil and filter in for 10-12K if I did.

 

[StevieC]

I'm a fan of Amsoil products, but I have to agree with the others... Stick to the XL-7500 series oil because it's API Certified and change according to your manual while under the warranty period. Then after your warranty switch over to their SSO 0w30 and run for a short interval, change it out and put fresh stuff in, then do a UOA and see how long you can run it based on your driving conditions...

I would never go by the bottle, always go by what the UOA tells you. I would run it for as long as the bottle as long as the UOA says it's ok. I'm going to do this with my truck as soon as I figure out why the insolubles are so high, which I think is due to a cotton air-filter...

I also would use Amsoil EAO oil filters over any other. IMO they are the best built, offer the best filtration and have the best flow. You can also run it for a very long time without changing which makes it more affordable than a cheaper filter in the long run.

 

[RTexasF]

Your warranty specifies 5000 miles or six months, don't exceed either, it's just not worth it.

 

[3Toyotas]

Originally Posted By: snowbizx
New to forum... new truck... new oil

I just ordered the 0W-30 signature series oil from amsoil for my 2008 6 cyl 4runner (first change). They say 12 months/35k miles. I tow a light weight trailer (around 3k lbs) 1-2 times a month for 2-5 hour trips each way. I also need to survive some pretty chilly winters in chicago. Any of u amsoil guys really only change out ur oil 1X a year?!? For me, that would put me at around 18-20k miles.

Seems a bit scary for me considering i would be more than tripling my recommended drain intervals from toyota.


You want to be careful on your intervals during break in, which in your toyota will be about 20k miles. Toyota motors leach higher iron metals until then. After 20k miles, i think you could safely go 1yr or 18k miles with no problem on SSO. Providing you use the EAO filter.
I do go 1yr intervals on my toyota's running amsoil. But they are just barely getting to the 20k mile point. Our 4.0L 4runner has the ASL in it right now with 10 months on the oil and 6k miles. It will be dumped in may, but i will add; the ASL is working great in that motor. No noise anymore, and the oil still looks new but this motor has 30k miles.

If you're worried about the warranty (I'm not), then run the XL line until 20k or so, then switch to SSO and extend the OCI. Amsoil's XL line is a good oil, and is currently cheaper than mobil one. But hands down, the SSO is one of the best if not thee best oil you can get bar none. But i wouldn't go over 20k miles with it.

But if you just ordered it, you could probably go 7500-10k somewhat safely and then slowly extend that interval as you put the miles on. ???

Let me know how the SSO works will you? I don't know if i want to use SSO or ASL in our 4runner next OCI.

 

[snowbizx]

lots of great (and contradictory) info. thanks!

however, there are still a few questions i have. a lotta guys are telling me to stick with the XL and 5k intervals until my warranty is up at 6 yrs/100k miles. is this just as a precautionary measure in case something happens to my engine and toyota decides to decline service? i've never heard of something like this ever happening... my dad had huuuge problems with his passat about 6 years ago and he never had to produce any sort of records to have it serviced under warranty. and amsoil also has some sort of limited warranty as well, right?

either way, since i already have the SSO on it's way, i'll probably switch from the factory fill at 3500. if i choose to disregard the toyota recommendations, i'll run the SSO for another 6500 (10k total miles), then wait until i hit 20k total miles for another SSO change.

i'll definitely report back with my findings, although it's really just an extremely amateur opinion

 

[demarpaint]

The only time you'll have a problem with a car maker is if you have an engine fail due to an oil issue. Then is when you'll need to produce records and prove that you complied with the warranty terms.

If you Dad's Passat had a major engine failure related to oil, and they didn't ask for proof that the engine was serviced as per mfg recommendations your Dad was very lucky. If a water pump failed and caused an engine to seize that would probably be a case where oil change records wouldn't be asked for, but then again nothing these days surprises me.

 

[snowbizx]

that's what i'm saying... if it's the oil that causes engine failure, then isn't that warrantied by amsoil anyway? especially if i'm changing the oil more frequently than amsoil's specifications.

basically, that makes following factory drain intervals while the car is under warranty completely irrelevant. almost sounds like an urban legend or good ol' internet forum hear-say, no?

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: snowbizx
New to forum... new truck... new oil

I just ordered the 0W-30 signature series oil from amsoil for my 2008 6 cyl 4runner (first change). They say 12 months/35k miles. I tow a light weight trailer (around 3k lbs) 1-2 times a month for 2-5 hour trips each way. I also need to survive some pretty chilly winters in chicago. Any of u amsoil guys really only change out ur oil 1X a year?!? For me, that would put me at around 18-20k miles.

Seems a bit scary for me considering i would be more than tripling my recommended drain intervals from toyota.
How is it you believe in Amsoils claims enough to run it, but then what makes you not believe Amsoils claim on how long you can run it.There is absoulutly no reason to run Amsoil and do 5,000 mile oil changes What visc does Toy recommend? 20 or 30 wt?

 

[KW]

I have a Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5.2 that I drive daily and tow a car trailer with a car on it at least one Saturday night each month. I change the oil in it once a year with Amsoil ASL 5W30.

In your new truck I suggest doing a UOA after about 10K with the SSO just to see how everything is doing then stretch it out from there if everything looks good. At 18 to 20K you are just above the severe limits of the SSO which I think is 17500.

Pablo or Gary may have an answer about the warranty.

I have never seen an oil related failure in an engine that had oil in it and/or at least got changed sometimes.

 

[iunderpressure]

Warranty doesn't really bother me either. I have never had a problem with dealers covering the warranty work either. I had a jeep in the past that I had lifted that they still covered under warranty. If one dealer won't cover something go to the next. I had a F-250 that was always breaking down. They replaced the turbo, egr valve, and several other parts and never asked about oil changes or anything, and I didn't buy the truck from them or do any of my servicing with them.

 

[Steve S]

Ford dealers get used to doing so much work on the Stupid dutys it doesn't matter about anything if approached properly

 

[snowbizx]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: snowbizx
New to forum... new truck... new oil

I just ordered the 0W-30 signature series oil from amsoil for my 2008 6 cyl 4runner (first change). They say 12 months/35k miles. I tow a light weight trailer (around 3k lbs) 1-2 times a month for 2-5 hour trips each way. I also need to survive some pretty chilly winters in chicago. Any of u amsoil guys really only change out ur oil 1X a year?!? For me, that would put me at around 18-20k miles.

Seems a bit scary for me considering i would be more than tripling my recommended drain intervals from toyota.
How is it you believe in Amsoils claims enough to run it, but then what makes you not believe Amsoils claim on how long you can run it.There is absoulutly no reason to run Amsoil and do 5,000 mile oil changes What visc does Toy recommend? 20 or 30 wt?


in all fairness, i was just asking if anyone follows these suggested intervals with the type of driving i do. i was also making sure that the conditions in which i use my truck wasn't considered "severe service" in any way. i never said i was gonna be changing my oil every 5k - even after numerous bitogers suggested to do so.

toyota suggests 30W oil