I am somebody who takes pretty good care of my stuff and probably change the oil at a shorter interval than most. My brother-in-law is a different story. I take care of his car, but he is so bad with maint. that he goes nearly a year before I get to work on the car again. Last OCI he put 13 months and about 12K on regular Mobil 1 and it was not pretty coming out. I actually ran the engine with cheap oil for 30 minutes, dumped it (it had turned pretty black) and then re-filled with M1 5W-30. What do you think of putting in M1 0W-40 since his maint. is so bad? We are on long island, so we do have cold winters, and he does have a lot of short trips because his work is 5mi. from home.
M1 0W-40 in a 2006 Solara
- Thread starter rob6773
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Try M1 5W-30 EP or 5W-20 EP.
If it is not using an excessive amount of oil then I would stick with 5w or 10w30.
+1 the M1EP 5W30 for your brother in laws car. Someone needs to be checking the oil level on that car pretty regularly if he is running that long an oci.
Both Amsoil and M1 EP are 15K oils. Certainly, if you put in Amsoil, you can rest assured "you've done all you could" as the situation is currently configured.
I'd run ASM 0W-20 if amsoil gets the nod.
This raises the spiny issue of how much of this you really want to own.
I'd run ASM 0W-20 if amsoil gets the nod.
This raises the spiny issue of how much of this you really want to own.
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Why 0-20 if it calls for 5W-30? I know it can give you better mileage, but on a long oil run wounld'nt a little heavier hold-up better?
I normally go a little heavier on my cars, for example on my truck (chevy with a moderate cold start knock) which calls for 5-30 in the engine I use T6. In the diffs. that call for for 75-90 I use severe gear 75-110. I also use this grade severe gear in my subaru's diffs. and they got a little quieter.
I normally go a little heavier on my cars, for example on my truck (chevy with a moderate cold start knock) which calls for 5-30 in the engine I use T6. In the diffs. that call for for 75-90 I use severe gear 75-110. I also use this grade severe gear in my subaru's diffs. and they got a little quieter.
The 0W-20 grade has been back spec'd by Toyota to include the 2006 Solara.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2144765&page=1
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2144765&page=1
ASM is a heavy 20 weight IIRC. The car doesn't "know" what oil is in there so there is no functional difference between a heavy 20 weight and a light 30 weight; ASM has shown to be a fairly robust oil. and according to a chart posted by someone on the site here, Toyota has back spec'ed many cars to run 5W-20 and 0W-20 oil (chart supplied on demand), when they were originally spec'ed for 5W-30. My !echo! is one of them as are the I4 and V6 2006 Solarae.
I've never heard that heavier oils hold up better for long drains. Lighter oils, by design, need to be shear resistant to prevent any significant loss of viscosity. In any case, choosing an oil marketed as long drain should be your first order of business in reigning in this situation. 12K should not obliterate any oil designed for extended use.
So M1 EP, or any of the numerous Amsoil Signature Series fills should get you (him) back on track.
I've never heard that heavier oils hold up better for long drains. Lighter oils, by design, need to be shear resistant to prevent any significant loss of viscosity. In any case, choosing an oil marketed as long drain should be your first order of business in reigning in this situation. 12K should not obliterate any oil designed for extended use.
So M1 EP, or any of the numerous Amsoil Signature Series fills should get you (him) back on track.
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How reliable are these 0 weight oils? I've heard rumors that they shear at an exponential rate. Wouldn't 0w40 just become 5w30 in the first few thousand miles?
Right.
Actually that rumor is not correct because the "right rumor" is that 0W-XX oils have zero viscosity and everybody knows you can't have less than zero, therefore 0W-XX oils are perfectly shear stable.
Next question?
Actually that rumor is not correct because the "right rumor" is that 0W-XX oils have zero viscosity and everybody knows you can't have less than zero, therefore 0W-XX oils are perfectly shear stable.
Next question?
Years ago, the common belief was that Mobil 1 0W-40 SL sheared quickly to a thirty weight; many OCI with UOA seemed confirm this. I don't remember what the starting viscosity was or how "close it was" to 30 weight, but a small move in viscosity could put it into a different grade. There was no indication that the engine was not being protected however and I would not assign "exponential" to the phenomenon.
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Is this with the V6?.....which would be the 3.3L (there is also a 4 cylinder version).
If it is the V6, it is the 3MZFE motor, which is built on the 1MZFE 3.0L design.
They use the same oil filter.
I would recommend the Bosch Distance Plus Filter.
The size for your 2006 (V6) would be D3330.
The FRAM filter that would be good would be the XG3614.
I upsized to Bosch Distance Plus D3422.....or FRAM XG3600
I did a lot of reading and this filter upsize keeps the same pressure bypass, same thread size and physical dimensions EXCEPT that it is slightly longer.
It is up to you as to the filter size, but I do really like the Bosch Distance Plus filter for your application.
It has the extra holding capacity (either size) over other filters for that long neglected time until you see this vehicle again.
It also seems to be a really rugged construction.
AMSOIL has a great product, but they do NOT recommend their 25K mile interval for their filters or oil in your vehicle (or TOYOTA vehicles in general).
If you choose a AMSOIL product.....one of their long drain products, you cannot go wrong with them.....if you want to spring a little more money for a step up from Mobil 1.
Mobil 1 is also a great product.
I would NOT go heavier in oil (the 0W-40) but would stick with the 5W-30, 5W-20, 0W-30 or 0W-20 oil.
The 0W-xx oils will give you better cold flow (not just in super cold winter).
If it is the V6, it is the 3MZFE motor, which is built on the 1MZFE 3.0L design.
They use the same oil filter.
I would recommend the Bosch Distance Plus Filter.
The size for your 2006 (V6) would be D3330.
The FRAM filter that would be good would be the XG3614.
I upsized to Bosch Distance Plus D3422.....or FRAM XG3600
I did a lot of reading and this filter upsize keeps the same pressure bypass, same thread size and physical dimensions EXCEPT that it is slightly longer.
It is up to you as to the filter size, but I do really like the Bosch Distance Plus filter for your application.
It has the extra holding capacity (either size) over other filters for that long neglected time until you see this vehicle again.
It also seems to be a really rugged construction.
AMSOIL has a great product, but they do NOT recommend their 25K mile interval for their filters or oil in your vehicle (or TOYOTA vehicles in general).
If you choose a AMSOIL product.....one of their long drain products, you cannot go wrong with them.....if you want to spring a little more money for a step up from Mobil 1.
Mobil 1 is also a great product.
I would NOT go heavier in oil (the 0W-40) but would stick with the 5W-30, 5W-20, 0W-30 or 0W-20 oil.
The 0W-xx oils will give you better cold flow (not just in super cold winter).
Nothing unusual about M1 coming out dirty at any mileage especially that year Toyota engine. Did its job keeping contaminants in suspension. Seems like every post the recommendation is thinner regardless of the factory specs. Stay with the M1 5w-30 or use the EP version. Check the startup after sitting overnight. If it blows a puff of blue smoke use the M1 5w-30 high mileage. Upgrade to a extended filter like the M1 or the Fram XG.
Last year I dropped the Mobil 1 hot and it seemed more than dirty, it seemed like it was thick like sludge. I worked in a shop for years, so I have seen much worse, even with Mobil 1. We once had a customer put in slick 50 and mobil 1 in an escort for 17K and total sludge came out. We had another guy with a late '70s olds that refused to change his mobil 1, just change the filter. He had some serious mess inside that engine.
It doesn't seem logical to me to go thicker. I'd probably go with M1 0w30 or the M1 5w30 EP. Maybe even Castrol Edge w/Titanium 5w30 as it is an extended drain oil as well.
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Ignore your in laws car as it is not your problem. After he blows a few motors he will either learn or keep paying to replace them.
+1 to all the comments.
From what i see, if he's mostly a short tripper 5w20/0w20 oil could be of benefit.
A bosh distance+, fram extended guard, or Napa platinum filter with a good extended drain oil, like Mobil EP or Amsoil, would be the way to go.
At the end of the day the responsibility of maintenance is the in-laws. So, i wouldn't sweat it.
From what i see, if he's mostly a short tripper 5w20/0w20 oil could be of benefit.
A bosh distance+, fram extended guard, or Napa platinum filter with a good extended drain oil, like Mobil EP or Amsoil, would be the way to go.
At the end of the day the responsibility of maintenance is the in-laws. So, i wouldn't sweat it.
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