Another Toyota V6 question

iontrap · Aug 15, 2003

My wife drives a 2002 Solara with the V6. I've read on this board that this engine is hard on oil. Up till now I've been taking it to the dealer for oil changes, Havoline 5W-30, but I've decided to start changing it myself.

The car is driven roughly 7k miles per year and the oil changed every 4 months, with no consumption. My question is should I use a good quality dino or synthetic?

just corrected the spelling in your title iontrap, bad habit from having a minor in English,lol- joe

[ August 16, 2003, 10:42 PM: Message edited by: joee12 ]

ToyotaNSaturn · Aug 15, 2003

Since you're mileage between drains is low, only going about 2500 miles between changes, I suggest using Chevron 10w30 and the Toyota or equivalent oil filter. If cost is of no concern, M1 10w30 would be a great choice. But even with this V6 model, I don't see any real gain from using synthetic given the low miles this car puts on.

Any route you choose, I also suggest grabbing a few bottles of Neutra and adding it to you oil as per their recommendations. It worked for me in my 99 V6 Sienna!

Good luck!

iontrap · Aug 16, 2003

If the Chevron is not available, what would be the next choice?

ToyotaNSaturn · Aug 16, 2003

Havoline with the Chevron logo on the back of the bottle is essentially the same oil in a different package.

There's been a lot of good feedback of the latest Pennzoil dino brews. And for 2500 mile drains, it my fare as well as the best OTC dino oils available.

sbc350gearhead · Aug 16, 2003

IIRC, 01 was the last year of the sludgemonsters.

Alan · Aug 16, 2003

How long do you plan on keeping the car for?I own an 02 Sienna and I recieved the "sludge" letter from Toyota so I think you Solara probably falls in this catagory too.The Havoline made by Chevron ought to be a good choice for your car and the change intervals should be 3k or 3months.

iontrap · Aug 16, 2003

The car is leased, so we'll only be keeping it for a couple more years.

wulimaster · Aug 16, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by iontrap:

The car is driven roughly 7k miles per year and the oil changed every 4 months, with no consumption. My question is should I use a good quality dino or synthetic?

Amsoil 10w30 with a Mobil 1 filter. Leave the oil and filter in for one year. Check oil level periodically.

Ken2 · Aug 16, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by iontrap:
The car is leased, so we'll only be keeping it for a couple more years.

Don't worry about it. It'll survive the lease period with what you're doing.

Ken

khager · Aug 16, 2003

quote:

The car is leased, so we'll only be keeping it for a couple more years

A lot of leasee's don't even bother changing the oil period. One more reason to buy new.

mikeinaustin · Aug 16, 2003

if your sure your not going to keep it and assuming your 7K per year mileage, i'd change it once a year with mobil 1 synthetic oil and mobil 1 filter.

smeltjr · Aug 18, 2003

WAIT, NOW I AM CONFUSED. SOMEONE STATES HERE THAT 01 WAS LAST OF THE SLUDGEMONSTERS. TRUE? WHAT WAS CHANGED BETWEEN 01 AND 02? IN MY POST ON THE 03 V6 SEEMED LIKE THE ISSUE WAS STILL EXISTENT. ANYONE KNOW?

ToyotaNSaturn · Aug 18, 2003

smeltjr, according to yotarepair.com, the guidelines Toyota shows are as late as 7/01 manufacture dates on the V6 sludge motors.

Do I believe Toyota? NO! Not after they flat-out refused to fess-up for years about this issue. Correct me if I'm wrong on this one, but wasn't 2002 the year that saw 3 different PCV setups for the Sienna? I'm making the logic leap that 2003 was the first year sludge wasn't as prevalent.

If the PCV/emissions issue has been taken care of by Toyota in 2003, that still leaves 3 other issues to be addressed: reduced coolant jacket size, cramped engine compartment leading to excessive heat buildup, and gear driven cams that chew up the oil very quickly.

Seeing there's still 3 out of 4 issues still nagging us Toyota owners, I'll will continue to treat this motor as "condition critical" until I finally sell it. With all the TLC I've been giving it, I'm sure it will see 200K.

jsharp · Aug 18, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by ToyotaNSaturn:

If the PCV/emissions issue has been taken care of by Toyota in 2003, that still leaves 3 other issues to be addressed: reduced coolant jacket size, cramped engine compartment leading to excessive heat buildup, and gear driven cams that chew up the oil very quickly.

I wouldn't worry about the gear driven cams. I don't think they are a problem without the other issues. The 3.4L V6 in the trucks and 4Runners use they same type of cam drive and they dont seem to have a sludge problem...

Jelly · Aug 18, 2003

I understand I probably can't add much to this conversation, but, wouldn't a "diesel oil" work great in this situation since most diesel engines use gear drive cams as well?

Maybe something like Amsoil HDD 5w-30?

[ August 19, 2003, 09:51 AM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

Jelly · Aug 18, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by jsharp:

quote:

Originally posted by ToyotaNSaturn:

If the PCV/emissions issue has been taken care of by Toyota in 2003, that still leaves 3 other issues to be addressed: reduced coolant jacket size, cramped engine compartment leading to excessive heat buildup, and gear driven cams that chew up the oil very quickly.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about the gear driven cams. I don't think they are a problem without the other issues. The 3.4L V6 in the trucks and 4Runners use they same type of cam drive and they dont seem to have a sludge problem...

Doesn't the 3.4L use belt drive OHC's, whereas the 2.7L I-4 uses chains?

Come to think of it...does the Sienna really use gears to drive the cams?

RussellA · Aug 18, 2003

quote:

Doesn't the 3.4L use belt drive OHC's, whereas the 2.7L I-4 uses chains?

Come to think of it...does the Sienna really use gears to drive the cams?

I have the service manual for the 3.0 L in the 99 Avalon. A timing pulley is attached to the front of the exhaust cams only. There are meshing gears at the back of each cam. This allows the turn of the exhaust cam to turn the intake cam. This is really independant of the timing chain or belt.

I believe JohnBrowning had a picture in a thread on this site showing that the synchromesh gears have been moved external (away from heat) and to the front if I remember in the new engines like new 4cyl the 3.4 L V6

G-MAN · Aug 18, 2003

I'd use Mobil 1 (in the recommended grade, which is probably 5w30) and a Toyota oil filter. Change it once a year or every 7500 miles and you'll be fine.

TooManyWheels · Aug 19, 2003

Jelly - Re your question on using diesel oil in the Toy V6, Check out my UOA on the Toyota 3.4 factory fill. According to the additive levels it looks to me like this is what the factory is filling with.

TooManyWheels · Aug 19, 2003

[ August 19, 2003, 10:48 PM: Message edited by: TooManyWheels ]

Another Toyota V6 question

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