Toyota 4.7 owners

[Toy4x4]

I recently bought a 4Runner with the 4.7 and was wondering what you owners used synthetic wise?

Any oils to avoid, etc. due to...?

I've used Mobil 1 for the last 11 years (M1 HM 10w30 was the latest) and had 5k changes.

Thanks!

 

[BerndV]

I have a 2005 Sequoia with the 4.7 that I purchased new. For the first 135,000 miles I ran nothing but Redline. However, with the recent downgrading of their formulas, I have decided to switch to M1 0W-40 for summer and M1 0W-30 for winter. M1 5W-30 EP and PU 5W-30 would also be excellent choices IMO. I have also used Amsoil Severe Gear in the diffs and transfer case since it was new and M1 synthetic ATF in the PS system.

 

[LScowboy]

there is no upside to using a 10W-30 oil, only downsides.

a 5W-30 or 0W-30 is just as thick at engine normal operating temperature, and when the engine is cold, being thinner, it gets to critical parts sooner, thereby reducing overall wear (most of which occurs in the warm-up period)

 

[147_Grain]

Mobil's 5W-30 is a better all-around oil than their outdated 10W-30 which doesn't sell as well. Pennzoil Platinum or Quaker State DEFY 5W-30 are also good products to consider.

IF you don't know the maintenance history on the 4-Runner, recommend you change the 1st LOF a little early and consider 5,000 services as your other vehicles do.

Transmission, differentials, cooling system, belts, and hoses might need a little attention too.

 

[Toy4x4]

BerndV: Hey I lived in Kalispell from 82-86! Gotta make it back up there sometime!
I don't want to get into dual oils and wouldn't really need to here in HOT AZ. The few times I'd be in the cold won't matter. My last truck had 5w30 and had no issues in the cold.

LScowboy: Yeah, I won't use 10w30.

147-grain: This is a "Certified Toyota" so (if they are actually truthful about it) it has been gone over and I just checked the oil this morning---still golden and full. There are a few things I'll have to check out, but its nothing drastic right now. Its an '07 with 47xxx miles, too.

 

[CATERHAM]

Toyota Canada spec's both 5W-20 and 5W-30 for the 4.7L.
You haven't said how you use it?
If you're not towing anything heavy I'd stick with a 20wt oil and in a synthetic I'd go with M1 0W-20.
If running a 20wt freaks you out in an AZ summer then any cheap 5W-30 syn would be more than fine.

 

[The_Captain]

Pennzoil Ultra, Kendall GT-1 Full Synthetic w/titanium , QSUD, Pennzoil Platinum or Mobil 1......any of these would serve you well. My buddy used Ultra for a OCI to clean up what maintenance the previous owner did or did not do on his used Tundra. He then switched to Kendall with no complaints.

 

[Toy4x4]

CATERHAM: No towing worth mentioning (plan to, but its a one way trip for 1100 miles).

The Captain: Yeah I'd be sticking with Mobil 1 or PP...readily available anywhere.

Now to throw a cat amoungst the pigeons: what about M1 0w40? Over the many years here I've heard amazing praise for this oil. Easy startup, great ad package and 40 for being a very hot climate (112*F tomorrow!) most of the year. I know MPG will suffer a bit and its above what the engine calls for, but just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[CATERHAM]

M1 0W-40 is a great oil but unnecessarily heavy for your Toyota 4Runner.
What you could do is run a 50/50 blend of M1 0W-40 and the Mobil made Toyota 0W-20. This would give you a robust 200 VI 0W-30.
A lighter 60% version of this blend is below:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3025131&page=1

Or as an alternative go with M1 AFE 0W-20 instead to produce a 180 VI 0W-30.

 

[901Memphis]

Id probably go straight for afe 0w30 or pu 5w30 if it available. How heavy is the trailer your towing for 1100 miles?

 

[Tones]

I have run a 10W-30 in the past and found that the 4.7 likes a lighter 0W or 5W oil. I run the Mobil 1 0W-30 year round with no issues and no plans to change. I have run 10k oil changes that last few years. I run the Mobil 1 in all my Toyotas.

 

[glock19]

I had a 2006 4Runner for over 3 years and ran PP 5w-30 with absolutely no issues. I've heard the same about the M1 (just not my preference). It's not a particularly picky engine so you should be fine with either.

 

[Toy4x4]

901Memphis: I don't know the weight of the trailer. It will be the bigger quad-wheeled one filled with boxes, tables and clothes...not really heavy. I know the 4R will have no problem towing it.

I should have mentioned this. I drive about 10K a year and it would be great to have an oil so I could do one change a year instead of the two I've been doing. No biggy, but it would be nice and also save some $$ as a bonus.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

My '03 Sequoia has been on M1, PP, PU 5-30 and 5-20 for all its 97k. I do 7500k changes and Blackstone said I could go more with all versions I sent in. 7500 puts me at 1x year for the last bunch of years so I'm OK with that. Check out Tundrasolutions also for other forums.

Only "strange" thing I ever had was that my fuel injector seals/O-rings dry rotted/cracked and started leaking twice over the years. Couldn't find many references on web with that issue but AZ heat might effect it for you. I'm in NY so no clue on why. Just know if you randomly get whiff of fuel at idle or getting out of truck to check that.

From all the threads (especially with hot/dry) watch years/mileage for the timing belt. It is an interference motor so if it breaks it gets ugly fast.

 

[quint]

^^ What he said about the timing belt. I changed mine around 95,000 miles, the belt looked great, the idler pulley however was a mess. Its a time-consuming job, lot of stuff to move around, but not at all difficult.

I run mine on a mix of Mobil 1 0w-30 and HM 5w-30, changed once a year or 10,000 miles, whichever happens first (usually the year). It comes out almost as clear as it went in, no matter how many miles since the last change. Amazingly clean-running engine.

Whatever drains out of the Sequoia I dump into the Corolla as needed, because it needs it often......

 

[Climb14er]

I've got a 2007 4Runner Sport 4WD and after a few early oil changes with dino 5W-30 oil, I have used exclusively Pennzoil Platinum synthetic 5W-30.

The 4.7 is very easy on oil and mine has not burned a single drop!

Any good 5W-30 oil is fine for the 4.7 and I use PP synthetic due to the cold winters and hot summers here in Denver and in the South West and Mountains.

I also run Redline 75W-90 in the transfer case and front and rear diffs. Excellent combination.

The 4.7 is a great Toyota engine! The 4Runner 4WD is a fantastic vehicle!

 

[live_to_hunt]

We have a 2006 Sequoia I have run PYB 5w30 it has 107,000 always changed by 5,000 miles. Had the timing belt changed at 94,000. Great vehicle

 

[HARTZSKY]

The 4.7, in my humble opinion, is one of the best engines Toyota ever produced.

 

[crainholio]

Mine liked Mobil-1 High Mileage 5W-30, kept away the valvetrain tick at hot idle that Mobil-1 5W-30 seemed to induce. Bought the Tundra in 2007 with ~32K on the odometer, sold it in 2011 with ~130K miles still quiet as a mouse and using no oil between changes.

I tried Mobil-1 0W-40 one hot Summer but it made no observable difference in oil pressure or fuel mileage, HM 5W-30 was cheaper at WalMart in 5qt jugs so I stuck w/ that.