Motor oil recommendations, '04 Toyota Sequoia

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Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje
Mobil I 0W-30.Change oil and filter in the spring and fall. Perform the OEM maintenance schedule--last a long time.


Not to hijack, but I just want to try to understand something.

Folks say 0w30 is 'too thin' in some climates, but my understanding is that viscosity really should be reversed. It isn't 0w at startup and 30 at operating--it's more like 50 at startup and 10 at operating. So no matter what, oil is thinner at operating temps.

So why the hesitance from some folks to use 0w30 over 5w or 10w? Isn't 0w still technically too thick at startup, and thinner is better for startup flow? Operating viscosity should be functionally similar no matter what--so being thinner at cold temps is universally better, right?
 
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The OEM rule has generally been, at least when one could choose viscosity based upon the weather, to choose the correct viscosity from the chart for the lowest ambient temperature one expects to encounter during the oil change interval. So, if a 10w-30 is a permissible viscosity and one never stretches the limits of the 10w- part of things, great. However, if one has some pretty big weather swings with extreme cold in the winter (like here) and doesn't like to mess with seasonal OCIs (or uses yearly OCIs or something like that), it's probably more sensible to choose an appropriate 5w-XX or even a 0w-XX and stick with it all year.

I've pointed out several times that if someone thinks an ILSAC 0w-30 or 5w-30 is too thin, the solution to their problem is certainly not an ILSAC 10w-30.
 
Well guys, given the rebates going on, I went and bought a couple jugs of Pennzoil Platinum and a couple jugs of Mobil 1 High Mileage, all 5w-30 as Meijer doesn't seem to carry any 0w-30. I also got a pretty good deal on a five-pack of OEM oil filters.

Plan now is to do a short OCI (3k miles?) On the Pennzoil Platinum that's in there now. Depending on how that looks coming out I'll run Platinum again, another short OCI if there first looks dirty, maybe 6k miles if it looks normal. From there I'll switch back and forth between the Pennzoil and the Mobil. I'll probably send my first full-length OCI in for UOA and see about extended OCIs. I wouldn't mind doing an annual oil change/maintenance checkup every year before racing season starts! At the very least this stash should last me a couple years.

Thanks again
 
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