2010 Toyota Sienna owners manual oil recs

[thinshavings]

My owner's manual says "5w-30 provides the best fuel economy"
Then it explains how a multi viscosity oil works.
Then it says "a higher viscosity oil is recommended if you do high speed driving or the vehicle is driven under a heavy load." But it doesn't say what heavier oil to use or what they consider high speed or heavy load.
So with the high temps we see here in south east Texas should I run a 5w-40 or a 10w-40 for best protection??

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: thinshavings
So with the high temps we see here in south east Texas should I run a 5w-40 or a 10w-40 for best protection??


All things being equal, they should be interchangeable at your location. The low side won't matter much, since your cold starts won't be anywhere near what I face up here in the winter.

 

[5sfe91]

Stick with 5w-30 or a 10w-30 they will work just fine. A 40 weight is too thick for your new engine

 

[ekpolk]

Which engine, the V-6 or the new I-4?

 

[beast3300]

5w30 call it a day. I drag my car and no problems with 5w30. I was just at the track yesterday in fact.

 

[cos]

5W30 will protect your Sienna just fine, use it with confidence.

 

[webfors]

Follow the manual. If it states higher visc is good under certain severe conditions, and your application falls within that definition, then it makes sense to look at higher visc. If not, use the 5w30.

 

[ekpolk]

One more time, which engine are we talking about?? Everyone is prognosticating about what to do without knowing whether we're discussing a mid-sized V-6 (relatively low stress application even in a heavy-ish van) or the new 4-cylinder engine (even being a large 2.7L, and coupled to a 6-spd auto must be a relatively higher stress situation).

How can anybody say, sure, use this oil or that before we even know which engine is involved? ? ?

 

[Bill in Utah]

You mean we are to have ALL the DATA before making recommendations?

Whats the fun or fact with that?

Welcome to my world!

Bill

 

[Brett Miller]

I have a 2008 with the 3.5 V6. These engines run very well on any 5W-30 oil. I run PP 5W-30 in mine and change at the factory recommended 5,000 miles.

 

[thinshavings]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk
One more time, which engine are we talking about?? Everyone is prognosticating about what to do without knowing whether we're discussing a mid-sized V-6 (relatively low stress application even in a heavy-ish van) or the new 4-cylinder engine (even being a large 2.7L, and coupled to a 6-spd auto must be a relatively higher stress situation).

How can anybody say, sure, use this oil or that before we even know which engine is involved? ? ?

Sorry about that, I guess I just assumed everyoune knows the only engine available in a 2010 Sienna is a 3.5 V-6.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: thinshavings
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
One more time, which engine are we talking about?? Everyone is prognosticating about what to do without knowing whether we're discussing a mid-sized V-6 (relatively low stress application even in a heavy-ish van) or the new 4-cylinder engine (even being a large 2.7L, and coupled to a 6-spd auto must be a relatively higher stress situation).

How can anybody say, sure, use this oil or that before we even know which engine is involved? ? ?

Sorry about that, I guess I just assumed everyoune knows the only engine available in a 2010 Sienna is a 3.5 V-6.


No, not everyone in the world is a Sienna expert. Toyota has now slipped an I-4 into the Sienna mix. Upon further review, it does appear that this engine is "new" for 2011, but nevertheless, the question remains. From this point forward, with Siennas, we're going to have to be clear about which Sienna engine we're talking about.

 

[Norm Olt]

I would question that the 3.5L V-6 engine in the Sienna differs greatly from the 3.5L V-6 in the Camry, the RAV4, the etc., etc.

UNLESS there is a specifically different Toyota model designation for that engine, they are probably pretty much all the same. There might be a different (i.e., 5W-30 vs. 5W-20 or 0W-20) oil recommendation based upon the GVW & towing capability of the van, but I doubt it.

Toyota experts please feel free to chime in...

Cheers!

p.s. A 2.7L I-4 is a pretty big 4 cylinder motor, IMHO. Pistons have to be around the size (4.0"!) of the old "Iron Duke" GM's which was basically half of a 5.0 V-8.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Norm Olt
I would question that the 3.5L V-6 engine in the Sienna differs greatly from the 3.5L V-6 in the Camry, the RAV4, the etc., etc.

It is very common for OEMs to tweak a particular engine for a certain application.

That is why oil and maintenance requirements will differ from model to model, even if they have the same engine. For instance, the VQ35DE in the Maxima isn't quite the same as the one in the Altima.

 

[prax]

The 2011 Sienna uses 0W-20 last time I checked. V6 and I4. It still uses the 2GR-FE but it must be different.

The 2011 Camry V6 2GR-FE still uses 5W-30.

 

[Norm Olt]

My "differs GREATLY" vs. "tweak"ed = not a whole lot, really. They can't be because they would have to do all the epa certification [censored]=o=la if they were...

Chevy built 350 V-8's with 250 (2bbl), 300, 350, 295, 270, even 425!!!!! hp, over the years. These were all 5.7L but varied greatly in cam, heads, carb vs. FI, compression, exhaust, etc.

Those were materially different motors, IMHO. Not + or -5 hp because it has a higher hood or a different exhaust system.

Cheers!

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Norm Olt
p.s. A 2.7L I-4 is a pretty big 4 cylinder motor, IMHO. Pistons have to be around the size (4.0"!) of the old "Iron Duke" GM's which was basically half of a 5.0 V-8.


Yeah, it's large. The 1AR-FE (the 2.7L engine) has a bore of 3.54" and a stroke of 4.13".
The 2AR-FE (the 2.5L version) has the same bore, with a shorter stroke (3.86").

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: prax
The 2011 Sienna uses 0W-20 last time I checked. V6 and I4. It still uses the 2GR-FE but it must be different.

The 2011 Camry V6 2GR-FE still uses 5W-30.


This is correct, and I'm not sure why the difference. Most Toyotas have the green 0W-20 label on the window next to the window sticker, but some models (like the V-6 Camry) do not. As you state, it's the "same" engine in the Sienna and Camry, but there must be a reason and/or difference in the engine. If anything, you'd think it'd be the other way around, that 3.5L engine having to work a touch harder pulling a Sienna around vs. a Camry.

 

[Norm Olt]

OK, I did a little research and they say the "old" 3RZ-FE 2.7L motor has a 95mm bore, so 95 X 0.03937 = 3.74 (say 3 and 3/4 ")

It also had a 95mm stroke so it was, effectively "square" in design: what I really like is the rated torque was greater than the rated hp!

The "NEW" 1AR-FE appears to have a 90MM bore, so 90 X 0.03937 = the 3.54" Jason mentions above. More hp, about the same torque, better emissions and gas mileage, one would hope.

Reminds me of the old Porsche 944's: 2.5, 2.7 and 3.0!!! Litre 4's!

 

[prax]

Originally Posted By: Jason Adcock
If anything, you'd think it'd be the other way around, that 3.5L engine having to work a touch harder pulling a Sienna around vs. a Camry.


That's what I thought.

We do know that engines with the same code aren't exactly the same. I just wonder what the differences there are, if there are any. It'd be interesting to know what changes Toyota made so it could use a lower weight.