Should I stay or should I go? Oil suggestions

[clueless]

First post on the forum, so go easy if I missed anything.

I have a Toyota Tacoma 3.4 V6 that has 81k miles. In the last few years I don't drive it as often. In 2010 I only put on 2k miles and the two years before that 3-4k miles per year. The vehicle will sit and I will drive it once a week, if that. Most of the trips are short multiple errands, from a few to 25 miles at a time. Mix of city and highway driving and it doesn't get cold here. (60F is the lowest)

For the past few years I have been using a Wix or Napa Gold filter and Mobil Clean 5000 5W30 oil. I would replace the oil and oil filter two or three times a year. When I drain the oil it is dark like cola. I can still see some brown in the drained oil. The truck still runs strong.

First, what should my interval be considering this is a low use vehicle. If I followed a 5k suggestion, it would be every other year. That does not sound right.

Secondly, should I stay with the Mobil Clean 5000 or change to the Mobil High Mileage version or something else.

Thank you for your help!

Aloha

 

[dtt004]

Hi.

I have a similar truck with the same engine. My truck is a daily driver though, and I put in a lot of miles on it.

But the engine is awesome. I have over 430,000 miles on my original engine and it still goes and tows like when it was my pop's car.

Hmmmm. You can stick to your 2 timess a year oil changes, using that same conventional oil. I do not believe a synthetic is necessary for your driving conditions. For cars that are driven often, hard, at extreme temperatures, and for owners interested in extended oil drange intervals (~10,000 mile oil changes), then I would recommend a synthetic. However, other members may have different opinions.

Mobil Clean 5000 is a great oil and the filter is too...both are up to the task. Since you're in Hawaii and see quite a bit of salt and moisture, I would simply recommend the 2 times a year to get fresh oil inside your engine.

Also, oil color is not an indicator of it going bad. I mean if it's muddy and nasty then maybe, but oil has additives that "clean up" your engine and oxidize. These are the primary reasons for change in color. The only true way to know when an oil is going bad is through oil analysis, which is what many members here do, and the big trucking companies do as well too. I's main forte is to see how the oil is faring over the miles in the interest of EXTENDING that mileage before it needs to be changed out. When you're dealing with many many quarts of oil in large trucks and rigs, it will save money in the long run.

Have fun in the truck. I am a big fan of Toyota trucks. Although I am an engineer at Honda -_- hahaha

 

[ARB1977]

Great engine. Id be courious to see a UOA at one year. Mines got 118k bit its used synthetic its whole life. Treat it write and it will last a long time.

 

[GenSan]

Run heavy duty engine oil like Shell Rotella T5 or T6.

Change oil every 4 years with your low mileage and change the oil filter yearly with top-offs as needed.

You'll be good to go!

 

[901Memphis]

Once per year with a quality synthetic. Change the filter every 12 months also. Try Pennzoil Platinum or Mobil 1.

 

[chubbs1]

Originally Posted By: dtt004
Hi.

I have a similar truck with the same engine. My truck is a daily driver though, and I put in a lot of miles on it.

But the engine is awesome. I have over 430,000 miles on my original engine and it still goes and tows like when it was my pop's car.

Hmmmm. You can stick to your 2 timess a year oil changes, using that same conventional oil. I do not believe a synthetic is necessary for your driving conditions. For cars that are driven often, hard, at extreme temperatures, and for owners interested in extended oil drange intervals (~10,000 mile oil changes), then I would recommend a synthetic. However, other members may have different opinions.

Mobil Clean 5000 is a great oil and the filter is too...both are up to the task. Since you're in Hawaii and see quite a bit of salt and moisture, I would simply recommend the 2 times a year to get fresh oil inside your engine.

Also, oil color is not an indicator of it going bad. I mean if it's muddy and nasty then maybe, but oil has additives that "clean up" your engine and oxidize. These are the primary reasons for change in color. The only true way to know when an oil is going bad is through oil analysis, which is what many members here do, and the big trucking companies do as well too. I's main forte is to see how the oil is faring over the miles in the interest of EXTENDING that mileage before it needs to be changed out. When you're dealing with many many quarts of oil in large trucks and rigs, it will save money in the long run.

Have fun in the truck. I am a big fan of Toyota trucks. Although I am an engineer at Honda -_- hahaha


+1, Sounds like you are doing a great job of taking care of your truck! Follow this! The other posts are quite silly. Although you could probably run a good Synthetic once/year, I would do what you are but change it twice, the third oil change is excessive. Good Luck!!

 

[Hokiefyd]

I'm in a similar situation with my Dodge Dakota: it may see 2-3k miles a year. It's a 3rd vehicle and is used as a truck, for hauling wood, mulch, garbage, etc. I've just gone to changing the oil every 2,000 miles. That's once or twice a year, and with the unknown history of it (I bought it a few years ago with 168,000 miles on it), I figure that I can change the oil more often and not hurt anything. I may start going by season, and changing it once in the spring and once in the fall.

I agree with ddt004 that twice a year for you on any reasonable oil will be just fine. I'd even say that once a year would work. If you would be more comfortable running synthetic and changing it once a year vs. conventional oil twice a year, know you'll spend less money going the synthetic route. But I'd still say that a 1 year oil change with your Mobil 5000 or Pennzoil Yellow Bottle or Castrol GTX, or ANY modern SM/SN oil would be WELL within reason.

 

[J_Sap]

How much is motor oil in Hawaii? I know almost everything cost more there because everything has to be imported.

If your putting just 2-4K miles on the truck a year I would just do a yearly change with dino or bi-yearly with a good synthetic. I would choose based on whatever choice is cheaper.

 

[EagleFTE]

I have a car and a couple of motorcycles that see similar use. for those I change the oil/filter every 12 months regardless of low miles. Overkill? Maybe, but once a year OCIs are not going to break the bank.

 

[TomYoung]

Originally Posted By: GenSan
Run heavy duty engine oil like Shell Rotella T5 or T6.

Change oil every 4 years with your low mileage and change the oil filter yearly with top-offs as needed.

You'll be good to go!



Changing oil every four years is not responsible.

 

[CATERHAM]

First Welcome to BITOG.

Since you live in a warm climate most of the problems associated with short commutes are much less of an issue and you do occasionally take it for a decent run.
I suspect your oil's condition at any given time is just fine and consiquently it will not deteriorate through periods of the engine not being run.
As a result due to your low annual mileage, annual oil changes are more than frequent enough. To eliminate any doubt you could have an UOA done; if anything it will undoubtedly show that you can go two or three years before the oil NEEDS to be changed.

BTW, isn't 0W-20 the spec' oil grade for the Tacoma now, it is States side? I'd use that grade or 5W-20 as you certainly won't be seeing high oil temp's the way you use your truck.

 

[GenSan]

Originally Posted By: TomYoung
Originally Posted By: GenSan
Run heavy duty engine oil like Shell Rotella T5 or T6.

Change oil every 4 years with your low mileage and change the oil filter yearly with top-offs as needed.

You'll be good to go!



Changing oil every four years is not responsible.


He'll be just fine. It's called HDEO for a reason.

It looks like conventional Castrol GTX was perfectly fine after 5 years and low mileage according to this UOA:

5 year OCI on Castrol GTX

Notice how I said filter changes yearly with top-off; that's not irresponsible.

That engine will be just fine.

 

[kcfx4]

personally, im not a fan of an hdeo in a modern gasoline engine. Id go w a good dino, mobil clean 5k or havoline, or if a blend is desired, you cant beat motorcraft syn blend for the price or protection, id use one of those and change it yearly

 

[clueless]

Thanks for all of your positive suggestions!

J Sap-

I don't remember the price of the oil. I'll check the next time I go. Wix oil filters are five to six dollars depending on the application. Napa Gold are a dollar or two more.