Oil recommendation for Toyota 5.7 summer towing

[HawkeyeScott]

Looking for oil counsel on a Toyota 5.7 that will tow (travel trailer) up some steep mountains in 95 to 100 degree temperatures come summer. Toyota specs 5W-20 oils. This will be my first foray into something that thin, especially while working an engine in those conditions. Sump is 8 qts., so I won't go the boutique route simply for cost.

Looking at about 10-12,000 miles on the truck each year and will probably do full synthetic OCIs every 6 months. Winter temps as low as single digits, but very rarely below zero.

To complicate the issue somewhat, I have a stash of Mobil1 AFE 0W-30 I'd like to use up and won't otherwise have a use for. I could give it to my neighbor for Christmas, but have also thought about mixing it to thin it out. I suppose it could be mower oil, but that seems a bit like feeding the dog prime rib.

Thanks.

 

[CT8]

The 0W-30 is a good choice. I would use it year round. There is no need to THIN it out.

 

[spasm3]

Put 0w30 in the avalanche today. Granted my truck does not call for a 20wt, but i think its great for a truck.

 

[Doublehaul]

0w20 is fine...three generations of Super Dutys have been towing on 20wt with zero issues. If you couldn't tow on a 20wt we would know by now. Don't try to overthink the engine designer

 

[FCD]

Just reading the title of the topic i was going to suggest M1 0W-30 , so if you have a stash of it to use up definetly do.

 

[Nickdfresh]

With over eight qts. in the sump does it really matter that much? Any synthetic 5W-20 or 0W-20 will be fine...

 

[Kuato]

Another vote for the 0w30.

Doesn't the Toyota manual specify a thicker oil for towing/high temps/etc?

 

[fdcg27]

Since you have the AFE on hand anyway, use it.
It certainly won't do any harm and might be of some benefit in the uses you've described.
At colder temps, it should be thinner than any 5W-XX and the higher grade and HTHS should cover you in hot weather towing although there isn't that much difference between a thin thirty and a thick twenty.
I can't see any downside in using it.
Warranty?
Nobody will ever know that you're using a 0W-30 instead of a 5W-20 unless you tell them.
No UOA can show this since oils can both thin and thicken in use.

 

[CT8]

Strange a BITOG consensus !

 

[4WD]

When M1 0w30 first hit my area - people did not buy it. 0w was like a mystery in the south then.
So I grabbed a bear hug stash of it on clearance and ran it in every thing for 2 years - towed boats and trailers - ran smooth and quiet in my stuff calling for 5w30 ...

 

[Merkava_4]

Is 0W-30 the thinnest of the 30 weights ? Is that what you guys are getting at ?

Back in 1999 when the first Tundra's came out, the oil specified then was 10W-30. I'm supposed to believe that a 2016 Tundra has an engine too tight for 10W-30 to fit into.

 

[FlyNavyP3]

I wouldn't hesitate to use up your 0w30 stash IMHO it will perform beautifully. Once it's gone really any major brand oil in conventional semi or synthetic will be up to the task in the Toyota specified grade the 5.7 was built to work and has a sizable oil cooler so no need to worry about working it on the 5w20 specified oil. Or if it makes you feel better and sleep better at night a 30wt after your stash is gone will be fine too, I honestly think that's more of an emotional decision as the engine will likely outlast the remainder of the truck on the specified oil, even on conventional oil.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
With over eight qts. in the sump does it really matter that much? Any synthetic 5W-20 or 0W-20 will be fine...


It doesn't but that wont stop people from recommending heavier oil. Any full syn 20 wt oil will be fine. Can't wait for the Rotella or TDT recommendations. You know because big diesel trucks run HDEOs and they haul stuff so since you are going to be hauling stuff you should run what they run, ignoring the fact they have completely different applications.

 

[jongies3]

I wouldn't worry about the 5W-20 at all, it's been tested in all the vigorous tests Toyota puts the engines through. And I'm sure they've ran it hard in places as cold as Alaska winters to the heat of Death Valley in the summer, towing or not. And with a sump capacity of 8 quarts, there's plenty of oil in there for adequate lubrication and cooling. If the truck is still under warranty I definitely wouldn't stray from the recommendation but that's just me.

 

[Merkava_4]

The question is though: Would the engine last longer with a 30 weight ? I think it would.

 

[4WD]

It could go either way and I'm pretty sure it will ...

 

[Kuato]

I'll mention again that Toyota OMs state that a heavier oil must be used for adequate protection under heavy use. Portions of these owner's manuals have been posted up here before, but I couldn't locate them in my short search.

 

[edhackett]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
I'll mention again that Toyota OMs state that a heavier oil must be used for adequate protection under heavy use. Portions of these owner's manuals have been posted up here before, but I couldn't locate them in my short search.


Quick as typing "2016 Tundra owner's manual" into google:

■ Engine oil selection
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” is used in your Toyota vehicle. Use Toyota approved “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent to satisfy the following grade and viscosity.
Oil grade: ILSAC GF-5 multigrade engine oil
Recommended[*] viscosity: SAE 0W-20
SAE 0W-20 is the best choice for good fuel economy and good starting in cold weather.[**]
If SAE 0W-20 is not available, SAE 5W-20 oil may be used. However, it must be replaced with SAE 0W-20 at the next oil change.
Oil viscosity (0W-20 is explained here as an example):
• The 0W in 0W-20 indicates the characteristic of the oil which allows cold
startability. Oils with a lower value before the W allow for easier starting
of the engine in cold weather.
• The 20 in 0W-20 indicates the viscosity characteristic of the oil when the
oil is at high temperature. An oil with a higher viscosity (one with a higher value) may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load conditions.

[*] Note Recommended, not required. The recommendation is required by CAFE regulation.
[**] Notice no mention of optimum engine protection?

No, Virginia, Toyota does not believe that 0W-20 provides adequate protection under all operating conditions. Try some independent thought. You're smarter than your oil cap, though I wonder about some on here.

Footnotes and bolding added by me.

Ed

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: edhackett
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I'll mention again that Toyota OMs state that a heavier oil must be used for adequate protection under heavy use. Portions of these owner's manuals have been posted up here before, but I couldn't locate them in my short search.


Quick as typing "2016 Tundra owner's manual" into google:

■ Engine oil selection
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” is used in your Toyota vehicle. Use Toyota approved “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent to satisfy the following grade and viscosity.
Oil grade: ILSAC GF-5 multigrade engine oil
Recommended[*] viscosity: SAE 0W-20
SAE 0W-20 is the best choice for good fuel economy and good starting in cold weather.[**]
If SAE 0W-20 is not available, SAE 5W-20 oil may be used. However, it must be replaced with SAE 0W-20 at the next oil change.
Oil viscosity (0W-20 is explained here as an example):
• The 0W in 0W-20 indicates the characteristic of the oil which allows cold
startability. Oils with a lower value before the W allow for easier starting
of the engine in cold weather.
• The 20 in 0W-20 indicates the viscosity characteristic of the oil when the
oil is at high temperature. An oil with a higher viscosity (one with a higher value) may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load conditions.

[*] Note Recommended, not required. The recommendation is required by CAFE regulation.
[**] Notice no mention of optimum engine protection?

No, Virginia, Toyota does not believe that 0W-20 provides adequate protection under all operating conditions. Try some independent thought. You're smarter than your oil cap, though I wonder about some on here.

Footnotes and bolding added by me.

Ed


Thanks Ed. It's even more strongly worded in some of the other manuals I've seen....

 

[B320i]

I've pointed out before the manual for families' 2003 Toyota Prado with the 1GR-FE V6 (4L) specifies anything from 5w30 for cold-weather usage, 10w30 ordinarily and then adds 15w40 (and maybe) 20w50. I need to pull out the manual and perhaps photograph it, just so as everyone believes me.

The vehicle has now run Valvoline's 5w40 with the ACEA A3/B4, LL-01 (etcetera) ratings for some time now, and was used for heavy towing. If anything, the valve-train has quietened down substantially after the 35,000km that have been put on it since purchasing with about 60,000km a couple of years ago.

If the vehicle is recommended for 0w/5w-20 year-round, then a good xW-30 should be perfectly adequate. Not sure if there is a viscosity/temperature page in the manual, but follow that is possible.
Personally, I might lean towards the 10w-30 HDEO's that are talked about here on the forums (no experience with these, as I've never seen them in Australia). Failing that, a diesel/petrol rated 5w or 15w-40, depending on your cold-starts. Would lean towards a 5w below freezing, 15w above.