toyota tundra

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I have a two year old Tundra with 20,000 miles on it. I was surprised that Toyota only recommended 5000 mile changes, as I was raised to believe that 3000 miles was gospel.
I usually get it done around 4000, which is just a little more frequent than 2x/year.
I've never specified any type of oil, figuring they'd Know best for my climate, which is warm to hot in summer and Dang Cold in winter.

also have a garage queen Miata, stored inwinter, driven only in warmer weather.any special recommendatons for either of these vehicles?
 
Your Tundra has the recommendation for an oil drain interval of 7500 miles of highway driving and 5000 miles of "severe service." It also allows for 10W-30 oil in weather above 0°F. I use 10W-30 with 5000 mile ODI. I'm now using Schaeffer #703 10W-30, and I'll do an analysis at 5k and see where I stand--it's likely the the oil will be good for more miles. You'll want to use 5W-30 for your winter oil.

For the Miata, the same advice holds...use the highest viscosity oil the manual allows for the weather.

3000 mile ODI was good years ago, and is presently good for Jiffy Lube's profits...and I'd do 3k ODI if I only do short, cold drives daily.

I think the general feeling is that top quality conventional oils are Castrol (BP), Chevron & Havoline (ChevronTexaco), Mobil (ExxonMobil), and Pennz (Royal/Dutch Shell)...maybe Kendall (ConocoPhillips), maybe Phillips TropArtic (also ConocoPhillips) & Mystik (CITGO/Petroleos de Venezuela), maybe some others with regional distribution.


Ken
 
Use premium dino oils or if you want to spend more money use synthetics. the only thing that happens from changing oil to often is a clean long lasting engine and extra money spent.
 
quote:

Originally posted by lodestone:
I have a two year old Tundra with 20,000 miles on it..

also have a garage queen Miata


Hi,

Use Mobil 1 10W-30 on both the Tundra and
the Miata. Change no more frequently than
every 5,000 miles. Fully synthetic motor oil
pours much better than dino oil. So, you don't
have to worry about 10W being too thick

cheers.gif


Jae
 
quote:

Originally posted by J:

quote:

Originally posted by lodestone:
I have a two year old Tundra with 20,000 miles on it..

also have a garage queen Miata


Hi,

Use Mobil 1 10W-30 on both the Tundra and
the Miata. Change no more frequently than
every 5,000 miles. Fully synthetic motor oil
pours much better than dino oil. So, you don't
have to worry about 10W being too thick

cheers.gif


Jae


First of all, thanks to all.
Secondly I neglected to mention, as Ken alluded to, that I do a lot of short cold drives as I live less than 2 miles from work. When I think of all of those cold cold mornings when I have to start the truck after it's been sitting outside in sub-zero weather, I wonder how it will survive.
After spending over 30g's on it, I don't mind using a more effective , more expensive lube.

given these conditions, would using a synthetic and changing 5000miles or every 6months be overkill?
and what Synthetics are recommended.
cheers.gif
 
Well, your major problem is that you don't drive the Tundra enough. In cold weather with your very short trips I may lean towards getting that oil out of there at the first sign of Spring weather regardless of mileage. I would bet tons of condensation built up in the oil plus heavy fuel concentration. Perhaps one oil analysis at the end og the winter to confirm the condition of the oil. This would tell you what you may do in future winters. As to dino or synthetic. with so few miles synthetic would be expensive but obviously the best protection
 
I'll agree with J. I have a '00 Tundra with the I-force V8, and run Mobil1 10W-30 at 5000 mile intervals with Penske (Wix) filters.
 
Cold weather startups and short trips are probably the most severe conditions for a motor oil. (lot's of condensation + the unburnt byproducts from the combustion process = acids that'll etch away your cylinder walls)

If this vehicle were mine, I'd run cheap 5W30 dino juice in the winter and change it every 90 days even if mileage is low. I'd also try and give the truck a decent weekly run to try and burn off as much condensation as possible.
 
I have a 1 1/2 year old Tundra 20k.I also do a lot of short trips.I used Mobil 1 10/30 for winter(went 4400) and use MobilDC for short 2500-3k intervals.Toyotas need short intervals I feel.
Been thinking of going to Delvac 1 at least 5k.I worry if the DC is good enough to stand up to it.But I am worried about if Delvac is good for a gasser with no molly in it.Boy I never worried so much about oil until I came here
dunno.gif
.
Rich
 
quote:

Boy I never worried so much about oil until I came here .

How true..... My wife drives an '02 Sequoia and I just changed the oil (15K on the truck) from GTX 5W30 to Mobil 1 10W30, based upon recommendations from members here. Also using a Purolator Pure One oil filter and OEM air filter; I plan on performing oil analyses at 5K and 7.5K to see find a good extended oil change interval. If the oil stays strong at 7.5K, I may even explore a 10K oil change interval. I'm in Florida so cold weather will not be an issue.

I'll post results as they become available.

[ April 10, 2003, 12:19 AM: Message edited by: chinee ]
 
Heh chinee,
I ask everybody I meet that has a sequoia if they change the rear axle lubricant at every oil change (5000mi) like the owner's maintenance schedule states? The 2002 scheduled maintenance guide I have states the sequoia should have the axle lube changed every 5000 miles, but not the Tundra? I thought they used the same axles??? I still wonder why? Any ideas?
 
i'll put in a vote counter to all of the above (as a side note, i own both of these cars). i would recomend mobil 1 0W-40 for both, and go with a 7500, 1 year change interval. the lower viscosity oil will serve you well both in the cold startups and in the miata, which has a documented history of HLA noise and slow oil travel on startups.

while it is true that what you are doing is the worst thing possible for the oil, everyone forgets the mobil "aunt millie" tests, which showed excellent results with an even worse driver profile.

as a side note, toyotas are bloody murder on oil, i would not go over 10k with it, especially in your app. miatas are much nicer on oil.

cheetahdriver
 
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