Well ive posted this on the Toyota boards, but wanted to see what you guys thought. I'm trying to decide whether I should run Mobil 1 or conventional oil in my recently purchased 98 Toyota Tacoma 4WD with the 3.4 liter V6 that has almost 82,000 miles. The only reason I am hesitant about synthetic is the posibility of a leak developing. When I just had my timing belt/waterpump replaced at the dealer they said my front crank seal was "seeping oil" and replaced it. I know the truck has run Amsoil in the past because there was a sticker on the dipstick that says "Amsoil synthetic motor oil...do not add, drain, or fill without owners permission" and there is also an Amsoil air filter as well. Not sure how long Amsoil was used for, but possibly the first 40k or more miles. Under the oil cap is clean along with the oil fill hole. If I go with conventional my OCI will be about 3k miles or 5k with Mobil 1. I am going to use the recommended 5w30 year round either way. My truck sees mainly highway miles, but will occasionally go out to the sand dunes to offroad. There is Chevron dino in the truck right now and am going to change my oil this week or so as it is coming up on the 3k mark. My question is would you use synthetic or conventional oil in my situation?
Mobil 1 or conventional in my Tacoma...
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In your climate I would run 10w-30 if that were my truck. Also go with dino Pennzoil every 3000 miles or 3 months, whichever comes first.
If you are going to keep the vehicle for a long time I would just go with Mobil1 10w30 with a dash (250 ml) of 15w50 and change it every 6 months/6000 miles. Go with a Wix filter.
Daily Drives:
-2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner, 2.7 liter, 4 cylinder, Mobil1 5w30 ODO 11750
-1995 Toyota 4-Runner,3.0 liter, 6 cylinder, Mobil 1 10w30 ODO 92870
http://community.webshots.com/user/amkeer
Daily Drives:
-2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner, 2.7 liter, 4 cylinder, Mobil1 5w30 ODO 11750
-1995 Toyota 4-Runner,3.0 liter, 6 cylinder, Mobil 1 10w30 ODO 92870
http://community.webshots.com/user/amkeer
I run the Motorcraft 5w30 in my 3.4.. And yes, use toyota OEM filtration oil /air. You can run synthetics fine in it if that is what you want to do and go with 5-10k mile OCI . If you run Dino I recomend that you use good beefy dinos, no need to up the viscosity on the Toy if it's not already leaking they run forever on 5-10w30.
Maybe an AutoRX treatment is in order in your situation.
Maybe an AutoRX treatment is in order in your situation.
You can Mobil 1 5w30 or 10W-30 longer than 5000 or 6000 miles in that engine. The factory standard service interval is 7500 miles and unless the truck is really thrashed that interval is no problem for a good synthetic. The German Castrol 0W-30 would also be a great choice.
The heavy oils aren't really required IMO and will probably only hurt your gas mileage. Check the UOA section here for some oil anaylsis results. Most of them in that engine are using 30 weights and show no problems.
You can see a few 7K-10K mile UOA's from my 4Runner with the same engine here -
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002070
and I know others have posted results for that engine also.
I'd use Toyota factory air and oil filters although I've had good luck with an STP air filter and Motorcraft oil filters on my truck...
The heavy oils aren't really required IMO and will probably only hurt your gas mileage. Check the UOA section here for some oil anaylsis results. Most of them in that engine are using 30 weights and show no problems.
You can see a few 7K-10K mile UOA's from my 4Runner with the same engine here -
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002070
and I know others have posted results for that engine also.
I'd use Toyota factory air and oil filters although I've had good luck with an STP air filter and Motorcraft oil filters on my truck...
I recommend 10w 30 Mobil 1 for your warm climate. It will give you a fighting chance. This is one of the Toyota Sludge monster motors and it will beat the daylights out of a dino oil. Especially if you take it offroad. Oil consumption doubles in my Toyota V6 4x4 if I use 5w 30 instead of 10w 30.
I have to disagree that the 3.4 is a sludge monster. The only time I have heard of these mortors sludging is with extreme coolant contamination or neglect. This hair trigger reaction to Toyota v-6's as sludge monster is feminicent of Penziol being a high deposit oil IMHO.
For wheeling a Toy
Toyota makes great engines. I had a Toyota using dino oil at 3,000 miles OCI and it went 210,000 miles but body and wire harness rusted out. Engine still was good for another 50,000 miles at least.
I used the Delo400, but there are a lot of good dino oil today. I like the Motorcraft synthetic/blend, but Mobil 1 would do fine also.
Do an Auto Rx to clean things out and if want to go with Mobil 1 should be no problem. I like Amsoil but Mobil 1 should do fine also.
I used the Delo400, but there are a lot of good dino oil today. I like the Motorcraft synthetic/blend, but Mobil 1 would do fine also.
Do an Auto Rx to clean things out and if want to go with Mobil 1 should be no problem. I like Amsoil but Mobil 1 should do fine also.
Thanks for the responses. Still deciding on the oil. I'm going to just stick with the OEM oil filter/air filter which are both on the truck right now.
The 3.4L V6's used in the trucks and 4Runners are not the Toyota sludgers. These engines have intake cams gear driven by the exhaust cams so you'd think they'd be hard on oil but they also have good cooling and pcv systems and 6 quarts of oil capacity. I don't think they're any harder on oil than any number of other engines...
Any of M1's synthetics will work out great! I would put a geniune Toyota airfilter back in it! I do not think it matters what oil filter you run. The cheap walmart brand oil filter work just fine! You can get M1 10W30 in the 5 Quart Jug for $18.22. Their oil filters are around $1.99. Change the oil every 6 months and you will always have plenty of life left in the oil!
You will not develop a leak from useing synthetic oil. You are more likely to develop a leak from useing dino oil. If you do use dino oil consider 15W40 Delo or Delvac 1300 in the warm months. I would run a 10W30 in the cooler months. Keep the dino oil change intervals conservative like 3000 miles. Toyota's oil change interval with dino 5W30 is unrealistic in their engines.
You will not develop a leak from useing synthetic oil. You are more likely to develop a leak from useing dino oil. If you do use dino oil consider 15W40 Delo or Delvac 1300 in the warm months. I would run a 10W30 in the cooler months. Keep the dino oil change intervals conservative like 3000 miles. Toyota's oil change interval with dino 5W30 is unrealistic in their engines.
First, the 3.4L motor is not a sludge monster. Second, you will kill that engine using mineral oil, but it will take 300,000-500,000 miles to do so.
Third, if you are going to use Synthetic, at least get one of the big benifits which is longer oil change intervals. I would use Mobil 1 5w30 or 10w-30 changed every 7500 miles.
Third, if you are going to use Synthetic, at least get one of the big benifits which is longer oil change intervals. I would use Mobil 1 5w30 or 10w-30 changed every 7500 miles.
JHZR2
Staff member
M1 10w-30 runs great in my father's toyota. 180K miles, next to no wear in OCIs over 10K seems like a good choice for toyota apps. Runs like brand new... uses and leaks no oil. ever.
JMH
JMH
What engine is it? Was Mobil 1 used since new?
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