engine oil viscosity

[bryan89]

ok. i have heard a couple different reccommendations on this.
just want to clear it up. first off,
i have a 88 4runner. 22re. 5spd.
daily driver.
195k on the clock, but motor replaced by PO and has about 70k to best of my knowledge.
i live in charleston, sc....so never really gets below zero.

now, some people say 10w-30. some say 10w-40. i have heard some self proclaimed toyota guru's even say 20w-50.
which one is right? what do you guys use?

i ask because sometimes, when i crank up the truck after a while, the oil light takes a few seconds than i would like to go out. sometimes, on a cold start it goes out right away. but if i shut it off after its warmed up and crank it right back up, it goes out right away. so i was thinking i might have worn rod bearings. but then, i am running 10w-30. so is it too thin or am i running on borrowed time here?
thanks in advance,
b

 

[KLF]

The owner's manual says to use 10W-30, that's what I always use.

What are you using for an oil filter? Sometimes a delay in getting pressure when first started sometimes means the anti-drainback valve in the filter isn't working, so the first thing the oil pump has to do is refill the filter.

When was the last time you did a timing chain? Do you get a lot of chain & valvetrain death rattle when you first start? Could be the tensioner is worn out.

Have you checked your oil pump? There is a tolerance check in the FSM.

 

[NorCalBorn]

The owner's manual says to use 10W-30, that's what I always use.

What are you using for an oil filter? Sometimes a delay in getting pressure when first started sometimes means the anti-drainback valve in the filter isn't working, so the first thing the oil pump has to do is refill the filter.

When was the last time you did a timing chain? Do you get a lot of chain & valvetrain death rattle when you first start? Could be the tensioner is worn out.

Have you checked your oil pump? There is a tolerance check in the FSM.

*Are you using a huge a$$ed Ford style filter that's bigger than a beer can or the preferred D-3 factory sized deal?


You can use 20w50 in warmer climates w/ the 22r's if things have started to wear out to bide some time. I used to always go with 3qts of 10w30 and 1-1/2 20w50..whatever weight that works out to.

 

[KLF]

*Are you using a huge a$$ed Ford style filter that's bigger than a beer can or the preferred D-3 factory sized deal?

Well, more importantly, are you using any of the POS FRAM filters? The anti-drainback valve in their filters is terrible, doesn't work.

 

[bryan89]

nope, i am using a wix filter, sized to fit as an OEM replacement. nothing over sized like that.

as far as the valve train rattle, i dont think its any louder. if it is i would say just barely, until the oil light goes out obviously, then it runs fine. i can barely hear the motor run with the hood shut in the driver seat.

as far as the timing chain, i dont know. i bought the truck from a guy in colorado, who says the owner before him put the motor in. supposedly it only had 70k or so on it at the time, but i did not receive any documentation.

would a loose timing chain have anything to do with the low oil pressure? i mean as long as it doesnt skip a tooth on the oil pump it should be the same right?

 

[KLF]

would a loose timing chain have anything to do with the low oil pressure? i mean as long as it doesnt skip a tooth on the oil pump it should be the same right?

No, the oil pump is driven off the front end of the crank.

It could also be a sticky sender. Maybe get a mechanical gauge, mount it under the hood just to see what the actual reading is? The FSM says the warm oil pressure should be >4.3 psi @ idle, 36-71 psi @ 3000 rpm.

The last time I had my engine apart (5 years ago) I was not happy with the oil pressure reading on the gauge, it would generally hover around the 1/4 mark when on the highway, and I had a bad chain rattle when I would start up cold. When I was buying parts from engnbldr I decided to upgrade to his "turbo" oil pump, it made a huge difference.

 

[toy4xfun]

i would try using a different filter once and see what happens, i would go with a Toyota filter or K&N, if the problem goes away you know what it is, and it is not good for an engine to dry start, also use a good oil, i use castrol.

 

[toy4xfun]

oh and i do use 20-50, i was told by a mechanic with high mileage engines, over 100,000 that is all he will use.

 

[tonyota]

Always ran Castrol 20w-50 in the 22r/22re. That's a hard working engine (the way I drive anyway)

Wix is a good filter

Could be any number of things causing slow building oil pressure
All the above advice is good, try the mechanical gauge ( can keep factory gauge too with a "Y" adapter) & see if the gauge &/or sender are accurate

 

[toy4xfun]

actually a 22re has two ports one is behind the engine mount, the other is where the stock sending unit is, my mechanical gauge is installed, in the threaded hole right behind the engine mount on the passenger. side.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I use 10W-40, but my engine has had a rough life, and needs all the help it can get...

 

[toy4xfun]

jerod you better go to 20w 50 then!

 

[KLF]

actually a 22re has two ports one is behind the engine mount, the other is where the stock sending unit is, my mechanical gauge is installed, in the threaded hole right behind the engine mount on the passenger. side.

Yup there's a little plug in the hole from the factory, I just pulled it out of mine the other day. I was hoping to sneak another sender in there for a mechanical gauge, was wondering if it would fit under the engine mount. Much easier than dealing with all those adapters and a T fitting.

 

[toy4xfun]

it will klf but i will tell you it will be easier to put it in with the line before you put the mount on, it can be done with the mount on but it is easier with the mount of, i have done it both ways. and it gives a great reading from there too.

mine also had the copper tube to a piece of crap mechanical gauge the POS installed so i used the tube to my autometer, and when i put the 22re in it i went to that threaded hole.


i found it funny that the copper tube probably cost more than the gauge he installed.

 

[Pluton]

The owner's manual says to use 10W-30, that's what I always use.

The OM for my U.S. '91 22RE allows 5W-30, 10W-30, 10W-40. The OM in other countries that didn't have U.S. fed fuel economy directives allow 20W-50 also, plus all those weird foreign weights like 10W-60 and 20W-40.
However, my recent, low-miles 22RE works fine on 10W-30 and 5W-40, but 15W-50 is too thick...it actually slows the engine down.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

but 15W-50 is too thick...it actually slows the engine down.

That's what I need!

 

[bryan89]

well, went with the quick checks.
i put the penzoil 10w-40 for higher mile engines in. also added toyota filter. also added a quart of lucas oil stabilizer. "garunteed to never have a dry start again".

well, lucas was wrong. still seeing same symptoms a few days after oil change.

want to check the pressure with a gauge, but i need to locate an undampened oil pressure gauge. cause i want to see what is happening real time. the dampening put in most automotive gauges is there to remove all of the little spikes and needle jumps, which is what i want to see.

anybody know of a good place to get one? fluke makes a pressure sensor module for the multimeter but its like 300 bucks.

also, assuming i need rod bearings, what is that going to cost me? OEM, or LC engineering? and i probably will go ahead and to do the timing chain, tensioner, guides, cover etc.. maybe oil pump? while im in there.

man this aint gonna be cheap.

 

[Combat Chuck]

we can quote you numbers until the cows come home, but you might want to talk to a shop about the bottom-end job. Unless you're doing your bearings all yourself, whatever shop you visit will be the final say on price.
Good luck!

 

[Bogo]

The real viscosity of whatever oil is the lower number. So a 5W-30 oil is a SAE 5 viscosity oil. They add high temperature viscosity improving agents to get it to SAE 30 viscosity when at 210F. The kicker is the viscosity improving agents wear out over time so the oil needs to be changed sooner. Also don't overheat them as that breaks them down even faster.

I personally use 10W-30 on the '95 4Runner I just got, and 15W-40 on the older '89 and '94 pickups I have. The older pickups both have block and oil pan heaters. The 4Runnder doesn't yet. The 15W-40 is what I use on all other engines around the farm. It is John Deere's Plus 50 II. Oil and Lubricants : Plus-50 II 15W-40 Engine Oil Made for both diesel and gas engines.

I used to run 20W-50 in the '94 but stopped that after looking at the specs for the JD Plus 50 oil, and now use it instead.

 

[Jonathan_Ferguson]

The real viscosity of whatever oil is the lower number. So a 5W-30 oil is a SAE 5 viscosity oil. They add high temperature viscosity improving agents to get it to SAE 30 viscosity when at 210F. The kicker is the viscosity improving agents wear out over time so the oil needs to be changed sooner. Also don't overheat them as that breaks them down even faster.

I personally use 10W-30 on the '95 4Runner I just got, and 15W-40 on the older '89 and '94 pickups I have. The older pickups both have block and oil pan heaters. The 4Runnder doesn't yet. The 15W-40 is what I use on all other engines around the farm. It is John Deere's Plus 50 II. Oil and Lubricants : Plus-50 II 15W-40 Engine Oil Made for both diesel and gas engines.

I used to run 20W-50 in the '94 but stopped that after looking at the specs for the JD Plus 50 oil, and now use it instead.

CJ-4 is nice.