5th Gen Oil Recommendation? New Owner!

[DougEFresh2]

My personal oil guide

here's what I use and keep with me anytime i change my oil...

4Runner_Oil_Change.pdf - Google Drive

 

[ElectroBoy]

here's what I use and keep with me anytime i change my oil...

4Runner_Oil_Change.pdf - Google Drive

Your directions have you filling the oil filter canister with new oil before installing it. Then you add an additional 6.6 Qts of new oil. By doing this you risk adding too much oil. The 5th Gens are notorious for being hard to get a good reading from the dipstick. Especially with new light colored synthetic oil. What works for me is not filling the filter before installation, but adding 6.0 Qts, run the engine for a while to distribute the oil and warm it up, let it sit for a few minutes for the oil to settle, then take multiple dipstick readings to “calibrate” your eyes as to where the oil level shows up on the dipstick. Then add a few ounces at a time and take dipstick readings until you reach the full line. It should be close to 6.6 Qts. BTW the 6.6 Qts is not absolute, and is stated to that effect in the manual.

 

[83Mule]

Laugh if you want but I hit the end of the stick with white spray paint so I could see the oil level...........

 

[kenwilliams0803]

Laugh if you want but I hit the end of the stick with white spray paint so I could see the oil level...........

You can also rough it up with some sandpaper instead of going the paint route. It should help a bunch.

 

[ElectroBoy]

You can also rough it up with some sandpaper instead of going the paint route. It should help a bunch.

I roughed mine up a lot but I still have to angle it just right in the light to see the thin shiny oil on the slightly less shiny stick.

 

[DougEFresh2]

Your directions have you filling the oil filter canister with new oil before installing it. Then you add an additional 6.6 Qts of new oil. By doing this you risk adding too much oil. The 5th Gens are notorious for being hard to get a good reading from the dipstick. Especially with new light colored synthetic oil. What works for me is not filling the filter before installation, but adding 6.0 Qts, run the engine for a while to distribute the oil and warm it up, let it sit for a few minutes for the oil to settle, then take multiple dipstick readings to “calibrate” your eyes as to where the oil level shows up on the dipstick. Then add a few ounces at a time and take dipstick readings until you reach the full line. It should be close to 6.6 Qts. BTW the 6.6 Qts is not absolute, and is stated to that effect in the manual.

thank you! i appreciate your feedback. I'll probably do a little reworking of this guide to address this oversight. i'm eventually going to use this in my first post, but not yet. there's apparently still some quirks that need ironed out first.

 

[pDubs]

No chatter in my '14 4R SR5 - whisper quiet motor. I guess Mobil-1 is providing > PPM in my area.

dowutnow?

5th gen 4runner motors sound like diesel engines that knock and tick like crazy. Every single one I've ever heard run.

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

dowutnow?

5th gen 4runner motors sound like diesel engines that knock and tick like crazy. Every single one I've ever heard run.

Yep, just the nature of them. The tick is the injectors, I have never heard injectors this loud in my life. I read something where guys were adding 2 cycle oil to the gas and it eliminated 90% of the injector noise. I bought the oil but haven't been brave enough to try it yet lol

 

[enyce]

Been using Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy since my first oil change. Purchased oil by Walmart and its inexpensive. Owned vehicle since 11 miles and now have almost 55,000. No issues at all.

 

[JLTD]

Mine takes 6-1/2 quarts. That puts it 2/3 of the way up to the full mark and doesn't use any during a normal interval. I figure another 3.2oz of oil won't make a measurable difference. YMMV.

 

[Lexington]

Someone mentioned this earlier and I just want to add to this. If you take your vehicle to a oil change place DO NOT LET THEM USE ANY TYPE OF IMPACT GUN to remove or tightened the front bolts for the skid plates. The front bolts thread into two nuts that are welded inside the front frame and the will break if I torque guns are used. This is a ****ed up poor shit ass design by Toyota. The impact guns will break the weld and is a pain in the ass to fix. I found out the hard way. I ended up having to weld 2 nuts on top of the frame and had to buy 2 very long bolts so I could put the skid plate on.

First of all the skid plate is a crappy design because it has no removable access plate for an oil change. The Tacoma has it,so why didn’t the do this for the 4Runner? Instead of just removing the access plate you have to drop the whole skid plate.

If your going to go this route then the threaded holes need to be robust. The back holes are fine. The holes for the rear bolts are threaded into the frame and very strong. The front bolt holes are 2 nuts welded inside the frame and are not very strong. Plus when it breaks their is no way to get the nut out and no way to re weld them. What Toyota should have don’t was put in 2 thick square plates inside the frame that’s about 1/2 to 3/8 thick the thread holes in those plates and then weld them in. This way is very strong and you don’t have to worry about over torquing.

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

Someone mentioned this earlier and I just want to add to this. If you take your vehicle to a oil change place DO NOT LET THEM USE ANY TYPE OF IMPACT GUN to remove or tightened the front bolts for the skid plates. The front bolts thread into two nuts that are welded inside the front frame and the will break if I torque guns are used. This is a ****ed up poor shit ass design by Toyota. The impact guns will break the weld and is a pain in the ass to fix. I found out the hard way. I ended up having to weld 2 nuts on top of the frame and had to buy 2 very long bolts so I could put the skid plate on.

First of all the skid plate is a crappy design because it has no removable access plate for an oil change. The Tacoma has it,so why didn’t the do this for the 4Runner? Instead of just removing the access plate you have to drop the whole skid plate.

If your going to go this route then the threaded holes need to be robust. The back holes are fine. The holes for the rear bolts are threaded into the frame and very strong. The front bolt holes are 2 nuts welded inside the frame and are not very strong. Plus when it breaks their is no way to get the nut out and no way to re weld them. What Toyota should have don’t was put in 2 thick square plates inside the frame that’s about 1/2 to 3/8 thick the thread holes in those plates and then weld them in. This way is very strong and you don’t have to worry about over torquing.

While I agree it's not the best design, you could have saved a bunch of work by simply installing a rivnut. Food for thought for other people.

 

[RedSled]

While I agree it's not the best design, you could have saved a bunch of work by simply installing a rivnut. Food for thought for other people.

And then hope you don’t spin the RivNut. :thumb:

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

And then hope you don’t spin the RivNut. :thumb:

It's a little 12mm bolt. How tight are you trying to make it? Snug is all you need. That and a little anti seize and you will not a problem for the life of the truck. Some people just think everything needs to be gorilla tight and this is what happens.

 

[RedSled]

It's a little 12mm bolt. How tight are you trying to make it? Snug is all you need. That and a little anti seize and you will not a problem for the life of the truck. Some people just think everything needs to be gorilla tight and this is what happens.

I’m with you on this man.

 

[Lester Lugnut]

dowutnow?

5th gen 4runner motors sound like diesel engines that knock and tick like crazy. Every single one I've ever heard run.

Mine doesn't.

 

[83Mule]

DO NOT add 2 cycle oil.........bye bye Cats........

 

[Dynamo]

Someone mentioned this earlier and I just want to add to this. If you take your vehicle to a oil change place DO NOT LET THEM USE ANY TYPE OF IMPACT GUN to remove or tightened the front bolts for the skid plates. The front bolts thread into two nuts that are welded inside the front frame and the will break if I torque guns are used. This is a ****ed up poor shit ass design by Toyota. The impact guns will break the weld and is a pain in the ass to fix. I found out the hard way. I ended up having to weld 2 nuts on top of the frame and had to buy 2 very long bolts so I could put the skid plate on.

First of all the skid plate is a crappy design because it has no removable access plate for an oil change. The Tacoma has it,so why didn’t the do this for the 4Runner? Instead of just removing the access plate you have to drop the whole skid plate.

If your going to go this route then the threaded holes need to be robust. The back holes are fine. The holes for the rear bolts are threaded into the frame and very strong. The front bolt holes are 2 nuts welded inside the frame and are not very strong. Plus when it breaks their is no way to get the nut out and no way to re weld them. What Toyota should have don’t was put in 2 thick square plates inside the frame that’s about 1/2 to 3/8 thick the thread holes in those plates and then weld them in. This way is very strong and you don’t have to worry about over torquing.

Two things...

First, I use my Dewalt 20V 3/8" impact wrench for removing and installing the skid plate bolts and have yet to break or cross thread any of them. Impact wrenches aren't a problem if you don't try to apply gorilla strength torque to smaller bolts.

Secondly, there's a much easier fix if any of the welded mounting nuts get damaged. The front skid plate actually bolts onto two frame braces that can be replaced. There's a left side brace and a right side brace (same p/n for either side) and the welded nuts are on those braces. If any of the welded nuts ever get messed up you can simply replace that brace. The braces are just bolted on. No need to weld anything to fix a stripped or broken nut. Each brace can be had for under $80 from a discount OEM parts vendor. Part numbers are 51403-60020 (left & right, non dynamic susp) or 51403-60030 (left & right, w/ dynamic susp). So while Toyota's skid plate mounting design isn't perfect at least the mounting points are on replaceable parts.

 

[TRDshadow]

Just wanna add my two cent lol I have owned my ORP for a month and got it with 54 miles it currently sits at 2900. After A LOT of looking i decided on amsoil products. I changed the engine at 2500 and put ams sig series and the amsoil filter. Ill be running this 10K miles changing the filter adding a little oil and going another 10K and changing everything. This oil is guaranteed for 25k, with the filter stating 15K. I come from the heavy duty industry where we were running t6 rotella 60k with filter change at 30/60K and the oil check always came back good. I have all the faith in this interval and oil. Also swapped over to amsoil gear oil in the rear diff and Xcase the front diff will come at 10K. I have ran rotella in everything i have owned for the past 10 years, so i am venturing out with this amsoil, and the t6 only came in 5/40.

 

[WiscoOverland]

I think that the deal is still going on but Shell Rotes for Gas Trucks now has a rebate where you can get $10 off per 5qt bottle. Fleet Farm had it on sale with $10 off so I ended up getting Shell Rotella full synthetic for $2 per quart when you do the math. Pretty hard to beat.