So I'm at my sometime mechanic / Toyota Guru talking about changing my ac compressor when I ask a very simple question. That question it seems is one of great debate. You see I'll be removing the oil filter to get the compressor out and wanted to make sure I had a quart or two on hand to top off after the job and to just generally keep in the rig. It has a very, very, small weep at the value cover (#9 on the baseline to do list). I say to him "hey what oil did you use in the last oil change?" Paul has been consulting me and wrenching the stuff I can't do or don't have the time for - example, I'm doing the compressor he is doing the vacuum and adding of refrigerant. He looked up like a man possessed and said "I use what Toyota says to use!" Feeling I had hit a nerve I slowly backed out of the garage and remarked "ok then OEM it is." I failed to ask if he had switched to synthetic or semi or if he was using a traditional oil. Paul is real obsessive compulsive kind of guy so I would imagine he doesn't deviate from the traditional 5/30 company line. I've heard of folks causing damage if switching back and forth from traditional to synthetic so I just a soon stay with the traditional oil recommendation. It's also cheaper. My interval will be 3k. In the meantime I'd love to hear the groups two cents on this topic. It seems to be a hot one among the group. My rig has 238K on the clock, fresh timing belt, H20 pump, new M1 Synthetic in the diffs w/ ongoing baseline. I will primarily use as a weekend tow vehicle - keeping the milage down, I work from home and have other DD options.
