What oil should I put in my 2002 Toyota Corolla LE living in the California heat.

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The only experience I have with car maintenance is helping others with their cars and replacing a friend's cabin air filter. Now that I have my own car I want to learn how to take car of it myself as much as I can so I have been doing research on changing oil since mine is getting low.
See my owners manual: https://pasteboard.co/JoGZOW4.png

I just moved from the east coast to California and I am thinking of getting 10W-30 fully synthetic oil since the lowest it gets here is about 34 degrees Fahrenheit. I am also thinking of installing a "FRAM Ultra Synthetic Filter XG4967" and "FRAM Extra Guard Air Filter, CA5466" engine filter. I know there are other things to check on I found here, but the oil and filters are my first task: https://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/drivers-ed/ultimate-car-maintenance-checklist

So my questions are, should I be getting a specific 10W-30 fully synthetic oil, or is that the only requirement to look for? Should I be looking at completely different filters or oil and why? Also, any particular recommendations?
 
Fram Ultra is top-of-the-line, so stick with that. If I was looking for well-priced API certified synthetic 10w-30, I'd either look for Pennzoil Platinum or Castrol Edge. You can't go wrong with either, so just buy what's cheaper. 10w-30 is better in warmer climates since it is harder to shear it down a viscosity grade if you really torture the oil. This is due to less viscosity modifiers than 5w-30. Assuming you change it out every 5k-7.5k miles and keep it topped off, shearing is a least of your worries.
 
I would run the cheaper supertech 5w or 10w 30 synthetic and see if it uses oil. If not next oci use what ever synthetic you want to spend for.
 
What does the owners manual spec.?
5W30 preferred, with 10W30 as an alternative.......being that your now in Sunny California, go with the 10W30.

You can also go with a XG4386 Filter..........same spec’s as the XG4967, only a little longer.....more media to filter!

If you really want, you can go with an XG3600 filter......just check the clearance of the A/C lines as it passes through the bottom........a 3600 fits my 98, but not my 99 because of this!
 
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Congrats on your first car. That era of Corolla has a known issue of high oil consumption. Please check your oil often and keep it filled. I add an extra 1/2 quart to my old Prizm, which is a twin of the Corolla.
 
My son has a 96 Corolla, 1.8 engine. It has the 3/4-16 oil filter adapter. I wonder if his engine can use a FL-400S or a 3600? 🤔
1996 is a Gen 7.......close enough, but cannot confirm clearances. Gotta crawl under and try.......I used a cheap SuperTech 3600 filter to confirm.......match up the filter base and Bingo......Winner.
Good Luck!

(Side note: my reason behind this was to standardize the Oil viscosity and the Filter requirements across all 4 of my Vehicles. I buy in bulk and this strictly is a cost saving measure.)
 
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Wow thanks for all the responses, I appreciate everyone advice and it seems the consensus is that I can use 10W30, but ultimately it doesn't matter what synthetic oil I use as long as its 10W30 or 5W30.



5W30 preferred, with 10W30 as an alternative.......being that your now in Sunny California, go with the 10W30.

You can also go with a XG4386 Filter..........same spec’s as the XG4967, only a little longer.....more media to filter!

If you really want, you can go with an XG3600 filter......just check the clearance of the A/C lines as it passes through the bottom........a 3600 fits my 98, but not my 99 because of this!
Thanks for the confirmation on the 10W30 being in a warmer climate. Also Amazon says the XG4386 and XG3600 are not compatible with my car. Is that information inaccurate?


I'd run any 5w30 synthetic and a good filter.
Wouldn't 10W30 be more efficient in the warmer climate here?


Use the cheapest synthetic on sale. Napa has their house brand synthetic on sale for $3.39/qt until 8/31. It's Valvoline
Thank you, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything fundamental with choosing the oil. What do you think of spasm3's recommendation of supertech oil? Is any brand ok for my car's long term health? Otherwise, I'll just go with whatever's cheapest like you suggest.
 
Thank you, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything fundamental with choosing the oil. What do you think of spasm3's recommendation of supertech oil? Is any brand ok for my car's long term health? Otherwise, I'll just go with whatever's cheapest like you suggest.

There is nothing wrong with Supertech :)
 
So my questions are, should I be getting a specific 10W-30 fully synthetic oil, or is that the only requirement to look for? Should I be looking at completely different filters or oil and why? Also, any particular recommendations?

Yes definitely I've used 10w-30 in my 2004 Corolla and the one that has always worked best hands down has been "The one on sale with a rebate".
 
OE, super tech or Mobil filter.. 5w or 10w30 would be just fine.. Corolla's are easy on oil. Pick up whatever you can get cheap. My choices would be castrol, formula shell, Mobil, NAPA/Valvoline.

If you don't plan on extended drain intervals run conventional.
 
I wouldn't overthink it.
5w30 is fine in CA. I might run 10w30 if it burned a little oil.
10w30 is OK; I go by the mfg recommendation.
There are a lotta cars here that run 5w30, trust me.
 
In California, I'd use 10w30
5W30 preferred, with 10W30 as an alternative.......being that your now in Sunny California, go with the 10W30.

You can also go with a XG4386 Filter..........same spec’s as the XG4967, only a little longer.....more media to filter!

If you really want, you can go with an XG3600 filter......just check the clearance of the A/C lines as it passes through the bottom........a 3600 fits my 98, but not my 99 because of this!
Isn't the gasket surface barely big enough to fit a 3600 and you risk the gasket blowing out, I wish the XG2951 was commonly available, but the most common car it fits is cars with SUZUKI V6 engines and there's not enough of them on the road for any retailer to bother making the minimum order to keep them in stock, the 2951 is overall about the size of a 3614 but has the smaller gasket like a 4967 or 4386.
 
SuperTech Full Synthetic 5W30 and a SuperTech Oil Filter both for under $20.00 changed out every 5000 miles. While your there, get a bottle of Chevron Complete Fuel System Cleaner and use per instructions on bottle. Simple is good!!! ;)

Ps. Check your oil level every fuel fill up initially.
 
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