When to switch to synthetic oil on Toyota engine?

GoHack · Aug 30, 2003

At what point can I switch to synthetic oil on my new Tacoma? It's got the 2.7L I4 engine. The dealer said it isn't broken in until around 10,000 miles. I've got 5000 miles on it now, having change the oil at 1000 and 3000 miles, w/the next one scheduled for 6000 miles. I plan on going w/the Amsoil series 2000, if I can get any, or Mobil 1. Thx.

Steve S · Aug 30, 2003

You are ready to go any time . Go with M1, great oil for the price. [ August 30, 2003, 11:33 PM: Message edited by: Steve S ]

Al · Aug 30, 2003

You were good to go by the time you got the vehicle in your driveway. More dealer disinformation. Either Amsoil, Mobil 1, I believe I am the only person on this board that uses the Schaeffer's Moly Pure Syn. Might just be better then either Amsoil or Mobil 1. I just wish it was available in the 10W-30.

Amkeer · Aug 30, 2003

You are good to go! [Smile]

I switched at 1500 miles with my Tacoma to the Mobil1. I am switching this batch at 6 months which is today!!!! [Smile]

Daily Drives -2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner XtraCab, Impulse Red, Peppy 2.7 Liter 4 Banger, Running Mobil1 Synthetics SS 5W-30. ODO 4500 Miles. -1995 Toyota 4-Runner, Evergreen, 3.0 V6, Running Mobil1 Synthetic SS 10W-30. ODO 81000 Miles.

Ken2 · Aug 30, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by GoHack: ...What's w/this Schaeffer's Moly Pure Syn? Thx

It's not really for most vehicle engines. While it's an excellent oil, note the 185 viscosity index and 3.8 HT/HS viscosity, it is only rated GF-2 and API-SJ. I think this oil is mainly intended for applications like unattended pumping stations and such where a very long drain interval is needed. You can see on the data sheet that the smallest container it's sold in is 30 gallons for the #156 5W-30 and 5 gallon pails for the #256 straight weights diesel/gasoline engine oil. For vehicle use for all of use, the 7000 series oils do an excellent job, and well worth the money--and a clear cost saver with performance arguably equal to the available full synthetic oils. Ken

JohnBrowning · Aug 31, 2003

You can do it when you are ready. Once you had 1000 miles on it you would have been fine. Your engine will continue tio wear even with synthetics. I think that this is an old wives tale that just seems to keep comeing back to life. Their are too many vechiles that ship with synthetic and they seem to break in just fine!

buster · Aug 31, 2003

ASAP!! FWIW, Terry recommends Redline for Toyos. There good at keeping an engine clean. I use M1/Amsoil with Auto Rx maintanence dose.

AudiJunkie · Aug 31, 2003

I'd change with dino at 3000-4000 miles for a short period so it is clean when you put in the synth at 5000 miles. I just gave my cousin some M1 5w-30 for his 2003 Toyota truck, maybe it will get 10w-30 in the summer. If you change out Mobil 1 before 5000-6000 of use, it is a waste. Change it exactly 2x a year, regardless of miles driven, up to 7500mi in 6 months.

Patman · Aug 31, 2003

It's totally safe to put in synthetic whenever you want, the only reason I'd go with dino on the first oil change would be because I like to do a couple of them real early, at 500-600 miles, then again around 2000-3000 miles. So using a synthetic for the first change doesn't sit well with me if I end up draining it out so soon. But a lot of people mistakenly think that synthetics are going to hinder the break in process and this is simply not true.

GoHack · Aug 31, 2003

Thx for the replies. I guess I'll go w/it. I've never used Schaeffer's, even though there's a local dealer. I guess it's popular w/the local farmers here. What's w/this Schaeffer's Moly Pure Syn? Thx

GoHack · Sep 1, 2003

Switched over to 5W-30 Mobil 1 today. I don't know if it is my imagination or what, but my engine certainly appears to run a lot smoother w/the M1 than it did w/the mineral based oil I was using, Toyota 5W-30. Mileage appears to have improved also, though I didn't check it.

kreativ · Sep 2, 2003

My local Toyota dealer also mentioned 10,000 miles before switching to synthetic, and not to switch back to conventional if I go synthetic. The latter isn't true either, right? Or is it dependant on type of engine?

Roger · Sep 2, 2003

I see you've already made the move and that is fine. I'm late reading the post. I'm one of the few dissenters who would advocate a longer breakin before switching to synthetic. Like may on this board, I follow a long running UOA spreadsheet at the Maxima site where Bill99gxe has noticed that cars that switch too soon to synthetic show higher wear levels at later mileage. A Toyota engine isn't a Nissan. I'll give you that. But I also know of no one tracking a long term wear analysis of Toyota engines. I also get lower UOA wear numbers in my car following the manufacturer's recommendation on 5W30 oil instead of 10W30. There are times when I think the manufacturers may be making the right call with their recommendations. Initial engine breakin is one of them in my view. Still, you waited 5K. That's good. Just my $0.02

GoHack · Sep 3, 2003

quote:
I see you've already made the move and that is fine. I'm late reading the post. I'm one of the few dissenters who would advocate a longer breakin before switching to synthetic. Like may on this board, I follow a long running UOA spreadsheet at the Maxima site where Bill99gxe has noticed that cars that switch too soon to synthetic show higher wear levels at later mileage. A Toyota engine isn't a Nissan. I'll give you that. But I also know of no one tracking a long term wear analysis of Toyota engines. I also get lower UOA wear numbers in my car following the manufacturer's recommendation on 5W30 oil instead of 10W30. There are times when I think the manufacturers may be making the right call with their recommendations. Initial engine breakin is one of them in my view. Still, you waited 5K. That's good. Just my $0.02

I thought about it and the way I look at it is this, I've been doing most of my driving in forth at 60 mph, except on the Interstate, where I drive in fifth. The legal highway speed here in Washington state, outside of the major cities such as Seattle, is 70 mph. So at those speeds, that 2.7L I4 is running between 2800 to 3000 rpm. That's a lot of wear and tear, especially on a 4 cylinder. I figure that by 5000 miles of running at around those speeds, that engine has got to be more than broken it. It I weren't driving at those speeds, then yes your right. In other words, are engines that run 5000 miles at speeds of 3000 rpm any more broken in than say an engine that has run at 2000 rpm in casual day to day driving? If it were the 3.4L V6, I would most likely have waited a little longer. I did of course, take it easy the first say 500 miles, running, at most, maybe sixty, in fifth. I changed the oil and filter at 1000, to flush any metal chips and casting sand from the manufacturing process out, as well as the metal particles produced from the engine being broken in, then 3000, and now 5000 miles, after which I'll go 5000 miles between changes, w/the synthetic.

When to switch to synthetic oil on Toyota engine?

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