I'd like to know what motor oil- regular or synthetic would be better for a toyota T-100 SR5 3.4 liter V6 engine with 140,000 miles on it. I'v read alot of things on both oils. Internal engine parts pistons,rods, rings,valves, cam, heads are all original. Like to hear from you guys who know the pros and cons of each. And should i stay away from additives. Thanks!
OIL question
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Hey frey
Didn't know mobil 1 synthetic had a high milege oil, i'll look into it, thanks for the info.
john
Didn't know mobil 1 synthetic had a high milege oil, i'll look into it, thanks for the info.
john
Tigerstripe40
SILVER Star
Personally, I feel that synthetic oil is great for high revving, high performance engines with very close tolerances.
Motors like what is used in Toyota trucks aren't high revving, high performance engines.
I would use a quality conventional motor oil without any funky additives.
Synthetic motor oils have a much smaller, more uniform molecule size. This is a good feature, however, this also causes the motor oil to 'find leaks'.
Synthetics do allow you to go longer between oil changes, however, that is assuming the oil doesn't get contaminated with other 'stuff' in the mean time. Typically, trucks are used in dirtier environments than sports cars and the oil is more likely to get contaminated. You can get a bypass oil filter that will help.
When I rebuilt the motor in my 4Runner, I did a few experiments. After break in and running the motor for about 5k miles on a quality conventional motor oil (valvoline) I took a sample and then I switched the motor to Mobil 1 full synthetic and filter, ran that for 5k miles and took another sample.
I sent the samples to an oil testing service (blackstone labs) and when I got the results back, what I found was that there was no appreciable difference between the 2 oils. The differences measured were within the error margin for the testing proceedures.
In my Tacoma with 60k miles, I have been running conventional valvoline 5w30 and doing oil and filter changes every 5k miles and I have the oil analyzed. I suspect I could probably go 8k miles between oil changes, but I like to error on the side of caution.
Hope this helps.
Motors like what is used in Toyota trucks aren't high revving, high performance engines.
I would use a quality conventional motor oil without any funky additives.
Synthetic motor oils have a much smaller, more uniform molecule size. This is a good feature, however, this also causes the motor oil to 'find leaks'.
Synthetics do allow you to go longer between oil changes, however, that is assuming the oil doesn't get contaminated with other 'stuff' in the mean time. Typically, trucks are used in dirtier environments than sports cars and the oil is more likely to get contaminated. You can get a bypass oil filter that will help.
When I rebuilt the motor in my 4Runner, I did a few experiments. After break in and running the motor for about 5k miles on a quality conventional motor oil (valvoline) I took a sample and then I switched the motor to Mobil 1 full synthetic and filter, ran that for 5k miles and took another sample.
I sent the samples to an oil testing service (blackstone labs) and when I got the results back, what I found was that there was no appreciable difference between the 2 oils. The differences measured were within the error margin for the testing proceedures.
In my Tacoma with 60k miles, I have been running conventional valvoline 5w30 and doing oil and filter changes every 5k miles and I have the oil analyzed. I suspect I could probably go 8k miles between oil changes, but I like to error on the side of caution.
Hope this helps.
Lot of people reporting rear main seal failures after switching to synthetic. Stay with conventional. It's been ran for how many years now that way?
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- #8
interesting read!
Hey: thanks james for the info, made a interesting reading on the oil comparison. Strong points you make on high revving engines. I never thought of that. I have seen a high milege oil called Max Life by valveoline. My guess is its formulated for engines with something added to protect the engine parts from break down.
All good stuff to take into account.
Hey thanks
Hey: thanks james for the info, made a interesting reading on the oil comparison. Strong points you make on high revving engines. I never thought of that. I have seen a high milege oil called Max Life by valveoline. My guess is its formulated for engines with something added to protect the engine parts from break down.
All good stuff to take into account.
Hey thanks
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- #9
no leaks here
Hi landon: I can safely report, no leaks here. But another really strong point from you guys. A rear main seal leak wouldn't be any good. I don't want that! Thanks!
Hi landon: I can safely report, no leaks here. But another really strong point from you guys. A rear main seal leak wouldn't be any good. I don't want that! Thanks!
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I normally run 5-30 Valvoline full synthetic, or 5-30 valvoline max life. both are great oils.
I change my oil between 2200-3500 miles. I notice a significant MPG loss beyond the 2500 mile interval, like 2-3 MPG which adds up fast when you drive as much as I do. I have put over 50,000 miles on my Tacoma in 2 years, probably about 1/3 on dirt roads or rock trails.
Oils are like cigarettes: everyone has their brand and flavor that they like.
I once put Mobil 1 Full syn in my Tacoma, and I know I will never put that sheet in any other vehicle I ever own. It was even gooeyer and sludgier than Pennzoil.
my .02$
I change my oil between 2200-3500 miles. I notice a significant MPG loss beyond the 2500 mile interval, like 2-3 MPG which adds up fast when you drive as much as I do. I have put over 50,000 miles on my Tacoma in 2 years, probably about 1/3 on dirt roads or rock trails.
Oils are like cigarettes: everyone has their brand and flavor that they like.
I once put Mobil 1 Full syn in my Tacoma, and I know I will never put that sheet in any other vehicle I ever own. It was even gooeyer and sludgier than Pennzoil.
my .02$
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- #11
Hey Kayak, I had a tacoma years ago, nice truck but i had to sell to buy a house. I'v never used pennzoil at all in my cars. But i have used the mobil, castrol, and valvoline. I'v been told scene i got alot of miles on the truck i need a high milage oil. It has other additives for older engines. Also was told a conventional oil is better because its thicker then synthetic and thats good to take up some slack in the worn cylinders. Synthetics it supposed to be a cleaner oil. I used a mobil 1 high milege oil 5-30 at my last oil change. Im more concerned to protect the engine then MPG at this point, only because it dose have 140,000 miles on it for a 15 year old truck.
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then try valvoline max life... its about 1/3 cheaper than full synthetic for me. about $17 for a gallon at Wong-Mart, versus $28+ for Valvoline full synthetic...
oh I only buy Valvoline for all my vehicles if I can afford to (about 95% or more of the time). Sometimes I will buy Napa oil or a Rotella if it is on sale and I am broke at the time, but haven't had to in a few years.
oh I only buy Valvoline for all my vehicles if I can afford to (about 95% or more of the time). Sometimes I will buy Napa oil or a Rotella if it is on sale and I am broke at the time, but haven't had to in a few years.
Don't over-think this. The 5VZ will run on dino or synthetic. Synthetic is better but millions of people use dino without any problems. I recommend a good synthetic and 5,000 mile intervals. Toyota said to change oil every 5,000 miles when your truck was new, I doubt they would cheat you.
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- #14
hey T4R, all good information on the differant oils. I ran another vehicle on full synthetic because when i bought it the jeep only had less then 10,000 miles on it at that tiime. The T-100 i picked up from a guy i know. I have never owned any car or truck with that much miles on it. So it was a whole new thing for me to figure on which oil would be better for suck high milage. Thats why i put this thread out there to get some feed back from the car guys.
I bought my 97 4Runner 3.4L with 136k. Previous owner ran conventional oil. I switched it over to 5w-30 Mobil 1 and changed it every 5k miles. Sold it with 217k miles on it. No leaks, no rear main seal failures, just a good running engine.
If you want to run synthetic, do it. Too many old wives-tales about switching from conventional to synthetic and leaks.
If you want to run synthetic, do it. Too many old wives-tales about switching from conventional to synthetic and leaks.
Redgrrr
I have a problem with 40s
My T-100 had 150,000 on it when I got it, switched to Mobil 1
At 185,000 my valve covers started to leak, but to me this is a common leak on the 3.4.
So I didn't blame on synthetic.
Now with over 200,000 no new leaks!
I change every 5000 and the oil still looks clean
At 185,000 my valve covers started to leak, but to me this is a common leak on the 3.4.
So I didn't blame on synthetic.
Now with over 200,000 no new leaks!
I change every 5000 and the oil still looks clean
I switched to M1 around 100k miles and my oil pan gasket started leaking after a couple of changes.
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- #18
john505 said:
Nothing yet. It's barely enough to coat some of the side of the pan. Not enough to start dripping. Oil level doesn't noticeably drop any.
