Breaking the Amsoil habit.

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Oldtom

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I have a 98 Toyota Tacoma with 211,000 miles. I have run various weights of Amsoil synthetic for the entire time.. I work close to home now and only drive 3 miles to work with a few longer trips, for a total of 5000 miles per year. I am wondering if Amsoil is needed for such low mileage use, and, also wonder if my short tripping is loading the oil with fuel and moisture. I want to use a cheaper synthetic and change the oil and filter every six months, to dump any moisture and fuel buildup. I realize that I will be dumping oil that is probably still good. Possible candidates for the new oil are Mobil 1 5w 30 EP, Mobil 1 0w 30 AFE, or any other synthetic available at my friendly local Walmart :)

What oil do you suggest? Thanks in advance for any advice.


I realize that I am real OCD about a truck with a blue book value of about a grand. This truck is the first vehicle I kept over 5 years, because I really like it. I just want my old Semper Fidelis truck to last as long as possible :)
 
Your usage pattern is Severe Service, not light duty. If you are not running the motor for a good number of minutes after it reaches operating temperature, it's hard on the motor, not letting the oil burn off moisture and deal with normal combustion by-products.

If you change the oil often enough it's fine to use dino oil, but I personally am a fan of synthetics when temperatures are outside the ideal (whether cool or hot). Maybe seek out less expensive Syn options?
 
Rotella T6 and Fram ToughGuard. Change every 6 months. Cheap and easy - still synthetic
smile.gif
 
My thoughts... run Supertech conventional, Quaker State green bottle, Valvoline white bottle, PYB, Formula Shell conventional, Havoline DS, Mobil Super and change it every 6 months. With just 5k miles a year and such short trips it would be just as well to run a conventional oil. Changing it out every 6 months would get out oil that diluted with fuel to a high degree. Also getting an every6 month inspection under the truck is good to see if you're going to have or having any other mechanical problems.

My lady's Camry saw just 4500 miles a year for aong time with very short trips. After we got it from her grandmother and the car saw FAR more driving up to hot regular operating temps a strange event happened. The oil started off golden yellow for 1500 miles. Then, bam. It turned very, very dark brown/black with bits of black bits in the oil. I think the motor had enough heat cycles put on it that what had built up in the motor finally released off the parts and got into the oil. It never has done anything like this since that first run. In fact now the oil in the 98 Camry very slowly changes color over 3500 miles. So, again if you are going to run such a small amount of miles in very short trips I would just change a good conventional oil every 6 months. And use that oil change time to inspect belts, looking for leaks etc. And oil would be less $26 plus tax for Havoline DS or $33 plus tax for Pennzoil yellow bottle a year. Not too shabby at all.
 
Just change it once a year w SuperTech synthetic - it will be fine. Every 6 months is a waste. If the inside of the engine is reasonably clean (and I figure it is w long term Amsoil use), I'd change the oil filter every other OCI - 2 years.
 
No offense intended. With 211K miles if I owned the vehicle it would have reached beater status, I would not be using any premium synthetic oil in it. I'd be using that in something I don't consider a beater, and save money on the older ride with a cheaper oil.
 
Disagree. Every 6 months isn't a big deal or that much of a waste of $13-16 of a good quality conventional oil. And getting to check everything out every 6 months is a good idea.

When I borrowed step father's 96 Avalon with 289k miles a couple of years ago I got under it to see if it was leaking motor oil.. it was about 2 quarts low when I checked it when I first picked it up. (Motor was rather noisy) which I hadn't driven it in 3 years but I knew it wasn't that noisy. And I found no oil leaks. But, I found the right side CV axle throwing grease. He had ZERO idea that was going on because he did yearly oil changes. And it had been 8 months. Let him know he had an issue there. Again, every six months with an older car or truck inspection is a good thing. While you don't have to change the oil every 6 months per se... if it were me and I had to roll underneath the vehicle every 6 months to inspect it anyway... might has well change the oil at the same time. Plus.... my lady's grandmother had her Camry's oil changed yearly. But it obviously had a lot of crud that accumulated over time inside that motor. Granted.... it wasn't Amsoil. So, I do agree with you that it likely may not have the same issues has the Camry had. But, we don't totally know that without using a boroscope.
 
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I think a UOA would answer a lot of maybe this or that.
Eighteen years and 211k might be time to pull a valve cover and maybe even put in a new gasket.
You would sure get a good look at the situation.
Somebody mentioned severe service now, and I think they are right. Good oil is now needed more than ever.
 
Forget the oil.....how are you legally still driving that truck? Isn't it under the rust-through-the-frame callback? My brother got $12,000 for his 2000 in 2007.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldtom
only drive 3 miles to work with a few longer trips
I had a commute of only 1 mile. I ALWAYS revved the RPM above 1500 until I saw the temperature gauge hit the middle mark. Then I drove-off to work. The purpose of the wait was to ensure all the moisture was burned-off in the oil, and also in the catalyst (I had a catalytic converter rustout in my first car from short trips).

I don't see the a synthetic is necessary for only 5000 miles/year but maybe a good diesel oil. It is designed to hold contaminants like soot in suspension and may benefit your car too.
.
 
Scientific factors aside, I'd feel the same way about something of mine in the same situation. IMHO Ams really is a waste, and while a conventional may be adequate I'd just change the oil and filter twice a year with Maxlife. Good detergents to help with any dirt buildup and the benefits of syn. blend at $18 per jug.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
Forget the oil.....how are you legally still driving that truck? Isn't it under the rust-through-the-frame callback? My brother got $12,000 for his 2000 in 2007.


Legally??? Please, please, please, post a statute that would prohibit him from driving this truck.
 
Originally Posted By: SlipperyPete
Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
Forget the oil.....how are you legally still driving that truck? Isn't it under the rust-through-the-frame callback? My brother got $12,000 for his 2000 in 2007.


Legally??? Please, please, please, post a statute that would prohibit him from driving this truck.



If he's never taken it to the dealer for the hammer-against-the-frame test they do, then he can drive it until it breaks in half from corrosion.
But I'm surprised it's still kicking, frankly. Perhaps legally was too strong.
 
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