is M1 5W30 OK for 04 camry 2.4L?

[oldluder]

Hi, there. Finally retired my '89 lude with about 210k miles. Now i get this new baby from local dealer. I worry about warrenty issue so that I probably won't do the OC myself. Toyota asks 5kmiles or 6 months as OC interval. I'm thinking to use M1 5w30. However read many negative posts about M1 5w30 recently. My question is: are there any other 5w30 oils do not thin out quickly and last as long as 5k miles/6months ? Or i just go for M1 5w30 since weather is always warm here. Thanks.

 

[TSoA]

If it is warm all the time, you do not need synth. A 15w-40 diesel-rated oil will run clean and you will not have consumption issues. A good dino 10w-30 fits your temp requirments too, like Chevron or Pennzoil. Another option is a semi-syn like Syntec Blend or Pennzoil HMV, an extra $5 at change time is worth it. PS 6-month intervals are what I use, a good idea imo. Unless you drive over 8000 miles in 6 months you don't need synthetic. Mobil 1 10w-30 would be a good synth choice though, unnecessary expense and consumption might be an issue. [ December 14, 2003, 01:21 AM: Message edited by: TSoA ]

 

[oldluder]

thanks for your reply. However, 5w30 is the only grade written in owner's manual. I sort of concern about warrenty issue. Any recommendation among 5w30s?

 

[TSoA]

The 5w part is really only relavent to your climate. If ambient temps are over 20 degrees, a 10w-30 oil is really desirable.(for reasons you should research yourself) 5w-30 is more of a cold-weather oil and it compramises other areas for the cold-weather rating. M1 10w-30 is a good oil for your car, nothing is wrong with normal M1 in normal cars. Syntec is worth looking into if you really want synth, but many many people here are off the synth because overall performnce of 5w-30 synths is woefull. A newer formula oil might be partly synth GII+ base blended with esters as a Extreme Pressure function and to treat seals and cold-cranking. Do a search here and take a look at the UOA section for similar cars to yours. I'd run either Chevron Supreme/Dello 10w-30 or Syntec Blend (5w-30 if you want) every 6 months for $10 a jug, myself.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Both Ken4 and Myself have the same car but in 2003 model year. Ken has had the best results with 15W40,15W50 and such synthetics. I have run 10W30 conventional and 5W40 synthetic so far in mine. To date my engine performs best on the synthetic 5W40. I am useing 5W40 because our winter are cold and harsh in Michigan. If I lived in California I would probably run 40Wt-50Wt. conventioanl or synthetic. I am partial to Delo 400 15W40, Delvac 1300 15W40 and Chevron Supreme 10W30 in conventional oils. In syntetics M1 15W50 and 10W30, Amsoil 10W30 and 15W40, and Redline 10W30 and 5W40. I am going to try the Redline 10W40 or 15W40 this summer. I would never put anything lighter then 10W30 in! While fuel ecconomy will go up an insignificant amount your oil consuption will go up long term and your ring life will be diminished with light weight 5W30 as compared to 10W30 and thicker. If you want the best bang for the buck and an API approved oil then just go to Sams Club, Cosco or Walmart and pick up some M1 10W30! 10W30 is listed in the owners manual and the Toyota Passport maintence manual as acceptable so you will not have to worry about any type of warranty issue should a problem ever arise!! Is yours an automatic of manual trans? I have the manual. I am planing on adding bilstein shocks, fabing sub frame conectors and bettter front and rear anti-sway bars. I would also like to replace all the stock buschings with urathane.

 

[Ken4]

The 2AZ-FE 2.4L is still pretty much a prototype engine and we are all guinea pigs for toyota. I've only done 2 UOAs for this young engine so far and it's still too early to say whether it will prove to be as reliable as the outgoing 5S-FE 2.2L. My hunch is wear levels will inevitably be higher due to the additional VVT and Timing Chain. I havent tested the oil temp yet, but I also have a hunch it will be HOT HOT HOT. Maybe >105C for normal highway cruising. Therefore you would be wise to use a good synthetic, preferably one that is ACEA A3 rated. Oh, I've also noticed that the auto tranny & diff now uses a shared ATF. The older camrys were separate. The diff shears down the ATF quickly and leaves a lot of Fe deposits on the magnetic drain plug. Now with shared fluids, it is now not so ideal to leave the ATF in too long. I would also recommend doing periodic drain & refills using Toyota Type T-IV, even though my manual says 'no need to change fluid under normal use otherwise every 80,000km'.

 

[sbc350gearhead]

I had an excellent 4k UOA in my 99 camry with the 2.2 with mobil 1 5w30. I will post a 5k report in a couple of months. I don't think that there is anything wrong with mobil 5w30. It is shear stable and we really don't have any proof as of yet, that the 10w30 will provide better wear numbers. But in your climate, I would use the 10w30.

 

[jsharp]

If you're going to use Mobil 1, you may as well run the 5W-30 IMO. It's shear stable now and the UOA's on this board don't really show the 10W-30 to be superior. If you want a thicker 30 weight you might try the German Castrol Syntec 0W-30 or one of the Amsoil products. I wouldn't worry too much about the dealers if you're using a quality synthetic oil and changing it often enough. Most of the dealers use oil that many here ( me included ) wouldn't ever consider using... [ December 14, 2003, 03:21 PM: Message edited by: jsharp ]

 

[unDummy]

Its good enough for mine. Since your in a slightly warmer climate, the choice is yours. 0w40/10w30/5w40/10w40/0w30/0w20(just kidding) can probably be used with nothing but a mild loss in MPG(.05 mpg) for the thicker weights. I'm a guinea pig for Toyota engineering. How many off these engines have been sold since it came out? million????

 

[Amkeer]

Just use the 5-30 m1 it will run perfect in that new vehicle. I don't know why people bring up if its warm all the time garbage! Thats what a cooling system is for! If you use m1 and change it every 6 months 5000 miles the vehicle will last a long time. If you want slightly thicker viscosity you could add about 100 ml of 15-50 but I don't think your going to need it. Daily Drives: -2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner XtraCab, Impulse Red, Peppy 2.7 Liter 4 Banger, Running Mobil1 Synthetics SS 5W-30. ODO 6400 Miles. -1995 Toyota 4-Runner, Evergreen, 3.0 V6, Running Mobil1 Synthetic SS 10W-30. ODO 82200 Miles. (Switching to GC next)Nope sticking with M1. http://community.webshots.com/user/amkeer [ December 14, 2003, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: Amkeer ]

 

[JohnBrowning]

Amkeer the reason tempature is important question is for viscosity selection. I know I would not recomend that someone put Delo 400 15W40 in their crank case if it was winter and the car was being operated in Buffalo NY!! THe cooling syntem is not going to help a 20Wt. oil towing a 9500lb load through death valley! THe oil will fail!

quote:

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It says in the owner's manual: 'Recommended oil viscosity: SAE 5w30'. Also, 'If SAE 5w30 is not available, SAE 10w30 may be used. However, it should be replaced with SAE 5w30 at the next oil change'.

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That staement above is the permission statement to use 10W30. In legal speak that is like a barn door size opening for you to step right through. It protects you from any recourse if you use 10W30! It is not hard to claim that the store was out of 5W30 when you bought your oil! Try 5W30 M1 and then do a UOA then try M1 10W30 and do a UOA. I am betting that the 10W30 will come out on top! You will see the effects of increased ring wear with 5W30 past 120,000 miles you will start to have consumption issues. The only things that bothers me a bit about the 2AZ-FE engine is the low tension rings, mimium skirt pistons, rings staked near top of piston and resin/polymer gears on ballance shafts! THey have gone to such lengths to reduce friction and mass that I sometimes worry about long term durability. I do take comfort in knowing that Toyota designed and built it though!

 

[Amkeer]

John he is in Cali and the vehicle is a Camry. Its a new vehicle. He is going to run synthetics. I see no problems with him running the recommended 5w-30, do you, seriously? So you are telling me if I run M1 in my truck for 120,000 miles changed every 6 months, 5000 miles I will start burning oil? Thats rediculous! How can you justify that? I am all ears explain please.

 

[oldluder]

John, mine is an automatic one. My wife didn't want a manual one. Glad to know you'll do some Mod on your camry. I myself also prefer 10w30. My '89 honda prelude and '95 chevy corsica use 10w30 dino. So far I'm very satisfied with it. If there's no warranty issue, I'll definately go for 10w30 with no doubt. It says in the owner's manual: 'Recommended oil viscosity: SAE 5w30'. Also, 'If SAE 5w30 is not available, SAE 10w30 may be used. However, it should be replaced with SAE 5w30 at the next oil change'. Like most of other new cars, this car comes with 5yr/60k warranty. I don't know how often new car buyers make warranty claim but I think it's good for me to prepare the worst case. I personally like 10w30 but I just could not work out with warranty issue. And I also want the best for the new baby. Hopefully you guys may recommend some THICKer 5w30s for me. BTW, seems many of you don't use the grades in the owner's manuals. I'm curious if dealers will decline the warrenty claims because you don't use the oil they ask?

 

[Sin City]

The last time I bought oil from Walmart the receipt said Mobil 1 and Castrol Syntec with no mention anywhere on the receipt of the oil's viscosity. However I do think that AutoZone does list the oil's viscosity on the receipt. If the oil's viscosity is not listed on your receipt and your engine were to fail while the car is still under warranty (unlikely) and they ask you for a reciept just give it to them and say that you used 5W-30. I would suggest either Mobil 1 5W-30 or "German" Syntec 0W-30. If you were to use a conventional oil 5W-30 in the fall-spring time and 10W-30 in the summer. [ December 15, 2003, 02:51 PM: Message edited by: Sin City ]

 

[oldluder]

Thanks for all your guys warm replies. I heard Toyota was notorious on warranty denial. I'll try 5w30 in the first 5yr/60k mi period and then switch to 10w30. Thanks again.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Amkeer it does not matter if it is synthetic or not "5W" is "5W". Just like M1 0W40 burns off like crazy and thins out because it is a 0W40 and not a 5W40 or a 15W40! M1 10W30 is so thin anyways why go even thiner! M1 5W30 is almost a 20wt oil. The HT/HS is very low and we already have 2 UOA showing that 40wt and 50 wt oils do well in this engine. We also know that 10W30 and thicker is a better viscosity match for his enviroment he is not in the Artic circle! I will agree that M1 5W30 is much improved since the Trisyn and now SS versions. It does not change the fact that 5 wt does not offer as much long term protection. Even 10W30 is not recomended for sustained high speed driveing and this was the recomendation for over 20 year offered in the back of owners manuals. Some non-synthetics have been out permorming some synthetics larely so agin I say that base stock make up is not the golden grail to engine life! Their is no reason on earth that this engine needs to have a 5W30 oil in a climate as moderate as California!!! If the best engine protection is wanted 5W30 M1 is not the answere. WIth very few exceptions M1 10W30 has always done better then it older 5W30 big brother even if it is just slightly better. Truthfully he could easily run M1 15W50 with the California climate even dureing winter! It does stay above 40 degrees most of the time in California dureing the winter right? Amkeer how many Toyotas have you had go past 300,000 miles? [ December 20, 2003, 03:42 PM: Message edited by: JohnBrowning ]

 

[Grossomotto]

Just don't run Toyota factory dino. Doing 5000 mile changes with a synthetic like Mobil 1 and a good filter, your engine will last 300,000 anyhow. So, take your pick. I'm running Mobil 1 5W30 in both V6 3.4L Toyotas (Tacoma and 4Runner). Why? Because Toyota says to and both vehicles are almost new. I may switch to Delvac 5W40. Not so much that I like extended drains intervals, but that it's Mobils only true synthetic in 5W40. And their best synthetic, as well.

 

[jsharp]

I think the reason a lot of people are recommending 5W-30 vs. 10w-30 here is simple. If you look at the M1 data sheets and numerous UOA's on this board there is no practical difference between the two other than the 40C viscosity. Even the HTHS is so close ( a 3% difference ) that it probably doesn't matter. Things might look different if you start comparing the 5W-30 to the 40 weight oils though...

 

[oldluder]

hi, guys. another thought: what if I do an oil change between each dealer visit(6mon/5k mi, toyota factory dino) with a good quality dino oil like chevron or penzoil 10w30? or just bring M1 to the dealer and ask them to do it every 6mon/5k mi? thanks.