Update: confirmed that the 3UR is recommended to run a whole suite of heavier oils. Screenshots from UAE 200 5.7L manual below. More proof that environmental regulatory agencies have handcuffed Toyota in the states.
I spent the better part of yesterday’s afternoon researching oil viscosities, manufacturer recommendations, CAFE/EPA laws, and Toyota’s recommendations in other parts of the world.
I have come to the conclusion that Toyota recommends 0W-20 in their modern engines due to the EPA requirement that the oil used to measure fuel efficiency ratings is required, by law, to be printed in the manual and on the oil fill cap. Since Toyota used 0W-20 oil to rate their fleet of engines, it is mandated that it is listed in the Owners Manual and on the cap. It makes sense to use this oil since it has the least mechanical resistance internally and may eek out a minutia of a percentage efficiency difference in a pristine testing environment.
While there are documented cases of 3UR-FE engines run well into 200/300k on 0W-20 oil - we have nothing beyond that since this recommendation started around 2008. What we do have is an engine that is unfortunately known to seep out oil from a number of different places and has numerous documented cases of mysterious consumption/loss over the course of an OCI. Is the low viscosity oil causing the leaks? Is the low viscosity oil simply vaporizing in the combustion chamber under certain operating conditions?
Toyota Recommends everything from 5W-30 UP TO 20W-50 in the 3UR-FE in other parts of the world. TIS recommends 5W-30 thru 20W-50 for Tundras in Mexico. I went so far as to cross reference oil system part numbers and concluded that there are no differences between 3UR’s across the world. Moreover, as @bjowett has indicated - tolerances on Toyota NA V8’s from the 1UZ in the original Lexus LS to the current high performance 2UR-GSE and low stressed 3UR-FE all have essentially the same main bearing tolerances.
Conclusively, I will be running 5W-30 here on out in my 2014 and 2020 3UR-FE. There is increased protection with a heavier weight oil, it’s more prevalent in the global marketplace, and Toyota/Lexus states that “a higher viscosity may be used under certain operating conditions” in the USA Owner’s Manual.
Interesting Read here: Excessive oil consumption
Interesting that when you select a region other than NA, heavier oils are recommended here: Castrol Oil Selector
While there is no doubt TGMO 0W-20 is good oil - is it the best? Were decisions made inside Toyota solely due to EPA/CAFE regulations? I think so.....Especially since running 0W-20 has proven to provide enough coverage to get them out of even the longest term warranty contract available.
Thoughts???
I spent the better part of yesterday’s afternoon researching oil viscosities, manufacturer recommendations, CAFE/EPA laws, and Toyota’s recommendations in other parts of the world.
I have come to the conclusion that Toyota recommends 0W-20 in their modern engines due to the EPA requirement that the oil used to measure fuel efficiency ratings is required, by law, to be printed in the manual and on the oil fill cap. Since Toyota used 0W-20 oil to rate their fleet of engines, it is mandated that it is listed in the Owners Manual and on the cap. It makes sense to use this oil since it has the least mechanical resistance internally and may eek out a minutia of a percentage efficiency difference in a pristine testing environment.
While there are documented cases of 3UR-FE engines run well into 200/300k on 0W-20 oil - we have nothing beyond that since this recommendation started around 2008. What we do have is an engine that is unfortunately known to seep out oil from a number of different places and has numerous documented cases of mysterious consumption/loss over the course of an OCI. Is the low viscosity oil causing the leaks? Is the low viscosity oil simply vaporizing in the combustion chamber under certain operating conditions?
Toyota Recommends everything from 5W-30 UP TO 20W-50 in the 3UR-FE in other parts of the world. TIS recommends 5W-30 thru 20W-50 for Tundras in Mexico. I went so far as to cross reference oil system part numbers and concluded that there are no differences between 3UR’s across the world. Moreover, as @bjowett has indicated - tolerances on Toyota NA V8’s from the 1UZ in the original Lexus LS to the current high performance 2UR-GSE and low stressed 3UR-FE all have essentially the same main bearing tolerances.
Conclusively, I will be running 5W-30 here on out in my 2014 and 2020 3UR-FE. There is increased protection with a heavier weight oil, it’s more prevalent in the global marketplace, and Toyota/Lexus states that “a higher viscosity may be used under certain operating conditions” in the USA Owner’s Manual.
Interesting Read here: Excessive oil consumption
Interesting that when you select a region other than NA, heavier oils are recommended here: Castrol Oil Selector
While there is no doubt TGMO 0W-20 is good oil - is it the best? Were decisions made inside Toyota solely due to EPA/CAFE regulations? I think so.....Especially since running 0W-20 has proven to provide enough coverage to get them out of even the longest term warranty contract available.
Thoughts???
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