How often do you change YOUR oil??
- Thread starter RobS10
- Start date
Same
Not sure what you mean about the inconsistent service recommendation; the manual and our dealer have always been clear on 10k. I did the first early - at 5k - because I am OCD.
Sludging is an old issue. It isn’t going to happen today without serious neglect by the owner, and definitely not with 10k changes on modern synthetic oils. That being said I am sure someone can find someone or post a photo purporting serious sludging. My money is on the manufacturer’s R&D, not internet rumors.
RobS10
Member
When you say "lube chassis", are you talking about the driveline?
johnnygraphic
Member
First oil change was at 1k, then again at 5k. Now at 7900 miles. We bought it in 2/2021. It’s the wife’s daily driver and sees about 5k/year. A few more months and it will be time to change the oil and rotate the tires/inspection.
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RobS10
Member
Same with ours (1,000 mile oil change) and plan in general. Will bring it into the dealer at 10K for the complimentary inspection, oil change and tire rotation.
i've had my 4th gen for 18 years now. eversince it was new, i've been changing it every 10000 miles though it was recommended then every 5000 miles. it's still running very good. i'm now at 156000 miles.
the audi I typically do 7500 miles but Ill probably do 5k. Previous oil change was just a tad darker than I like. Simple to change though since its top extraction and filter up top
4runner I have about 2k miles left for 10k interval, itll be my first time doing the service since dealer has done all previous ones. Curious to see what the oil looks like.
BadTrainDriver
New member
You can't tell shit by "looking" at oil, hahahah
On the 4Runner, I changed out the factory fill at just over 1k miles. I like to get the bits resulting from the break-in, out. As usual with a new engine, there was some typical metal bits caught by the filter.
At approx. 2.8k now, and will change it again at some point. Most likely based on time for warranty purposes, as it doesn't get driven a lot.
At approx. 2.8k now, and will change it again at some point. Most likely based on time for warranty purposes, as it doesn't get driven a lot.
Charles Bronson
Member
Toyota has a history of oil sludge issues across many of its motors including occasionally the 4.0 V6. Toyota does appear to have addressed these issues, but extended oil changes over a long period of time doesn't help things at, regardless of engine. Most every tech and oil engineer would tell you to change the oil before 10K miles as the oil is likely out of grade and the potential exists for varnishing and sludge build up on the valvetrain.
As noted previously, my primary concern is the oil falling out of grade. If you do a lot of short distance driving (i.e. 15 mile or less), then fuel will build up in the oil as the oil rarely gets up to operating temp, thus the oil will degrade more quickly and fall out of grade. I've done used oil analysis on my 2016 BMW M235 with a 7 QT capacity running a very high quality and robust synthetic 0W-30. I've got three rounds of data that supports that shows the oil falls out of grade at ~7,500 miles.
I've done the same with our 2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R with a 6.5QT capacity running quality dino 5W-30. That oil falls out of grade at around ~5,000 miles. My prior 2012 WRX (4.5 QT capacity) showed generally the same data though it ran high quality synthetic 5W-30.
Given the 4Runner's rather large capacity of 6.6 QTs though running a rather thin 0W-20, I would expect the oil will indicate that a 5,000-7,500 mile oil change would be recommended and the 10K is too long, especially if you do a lot of short distance driving and lots of stone cold starts in the winter.
Lastly, we got two free oil changes as part of Toyota's free maintenance program. Those changes were annually or 10K miles, whichever came first. Once that free maintenance was done, our oil maintenance light came on after 5K miles and the oil change sticker the put in our window said 6 months or 5K miles. I honestly pay no attention to dealer or automaker fluid change recommendations though I did find it amusing that they lowered to 5K miles once out of free maintenance. I do all the work (and research myself).
RobS10
Member
Great info, thank you!
A sub question to my OP should have been "For those of you that have a vehicle with 150K + miles on the odometer and have always changed the oil at 10K intervals, does it burn oil?"
Like I mentioned, 75% of the miles on our '99 SR5 are short trip, city miles, and have changed the oil (conventional oil, no synthetic) at 3K since we bought it in 2004 with 70K miles on it. Burns zero oil at over 200K. That said, I don't think the new ORP will be changed that often, 5K should be good with full synthetic.
CutthroatSlam
Senior Member
2014 SR5 with 296K miles running on various 0w20 synthetic oils changed at 10K mile intervals and it burns/consumes no oil. Oil darkens slightly by 10K but still very clear on the dipstick. I know that I voided my warranty by not using Toyota oil.
2021nightshade4x4
New member
Absolutely, I would support a separate thread for the sub question. I think we Americans’ definition of “reliability” also includes TOLERANCE of neglect. By contrast, and experience owning a European car, I’d say they’re all masochists if random break/fix outside of SCHEDULED maintenance are to be expected as normal parts of ownership.
We tend to have our own ideas of whether required maintenance is excessive, adequate, or inadequate, and follow our gut in determining how often we will change fluids. I have a Dodge Durango with a 5.7L that has “tolerated” 10-15k full synthetic oil changes thus far to 230k miles and consumes less than a quart between changes.
My 4Runner has 17k miles and doesn’t use any between 5k intervals. The oil still even LOOKS new.
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RobS10
Member
.2021nightshade4x4
New member
Man I’d like to see what the compression is on each cylinder on that tight a rig
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kenwilliams0803
New member
This
